It wasn’t that long ago that Disney and the Marvel Cinematic Universe could do no wrong, with hit after hit as fans lapped up the comic book world coming to life before their very eyes. Unfortunately, that momentum was never going to last, and following some less-than-ideal performances for the big and small screens, Marvel will be cutting back on its content rollout.
According to Disney CEO Bob Iger, the brand will now focus on finding a better balance, with a maximum of three movies and two TV shows released per year in a bid to stem the bleeding. In comparison, Marvel dropped four movies and five TV shows in 2021 alone, while both 2022 and 2023 saw three movies and three shows debut.
“We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three,” Iger shared during Disney’s quarterly earnings call. “And we’re working hard on what that path is.”
After the high of Avengers: Infinity War, it was never sustainable to expect the same kind of fervour and passion for the MCU. Viewership and box office numbers have been on a markedly downward trend, with The Marvels having the dubious honour of being the lowest-grossing Marvel film to date.
Whether this strategy shift will indeed move things in the right direction remains to be seen, but at least the brand is trying something. Considering that Phase Five of the MCU already has Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, The Fantastic Four, and Blade in the pipeline for 2025, we will most likely see the new approach follow after.
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