There was a time when the Hollywood release calendar was loaded up with upcoming Marvel movies, as the studio averaged three to four features a year, in addition to shows that were available with a Disney+ subscription. Several factors contributed to Marvel having to slow down their release pattern, from the global pandemic to the labor strikes that affected Hollywood. That’s a big part of the reason why the smash-hit Deadpool and Wolverine is the only Marvel movie being released in 2024, and Agatha All Along will be the only live-action series making a Disney+ debut this year.
The idea of “superhero fatigue” is nothing new to the industry. Speaking with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige during the press days for Deadpool and Wolverine, I asked him his thoughts on the overall complaint – usually from casual comic book fans – that they were growing tired of the sheer number of superhero movies that were packing theaters. Here’s what he had to say:
Feige’s right in explaining that the concept of the “fatigue” complaint is common. As he points out:
Starting in 2003, when there were three Marvel films released – before Marvel Studios – people started asking about fatigue. I've always believed if the movies are unique, and the movies are fun, and the movies are worthwhile, there won't be that fatigue.
I agree with him. Fatigue only factors in when the number of movies being presented aren’t good, meaning that the audiences are tired of the genre because it keeps producing duds. This year, as an example, has been an outstanding year for horror movies. But is there a complaint about too many horror films reaching theaters? No, because audiences just want to be able to go to the theaters and see great films.
But there was an issue with Marvel in the fact that, because its stories are part of an interconnected universe, some audience members felt that if they didn’t watch everything released by Marvel, they’d struggle to keep up with the plot. The introduction of the Multiverse contributed significantly to a lot of this confusion. If you went into Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness or Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania but didn’t bother to watch WandaVision, Loki, or Moon Knight, you might not know everything that was going on.
So when Kevin Feige continued to open up about fatigue, and Marvel’s role in the complaint, he got refreshingly candid as he explained:
I think over the past few years, certainly with the amount of projects we'd had between Disney+ and the features, there was an overabundance, let's say, of product. (And) I think people thought, ‘Geez, I love them all. I wanna catch up on them all. But this is a lot to ingest.’
It was. And it led to Marvel Studios pumping the brakes on their productions. It has meant the delay of a couple of anticipated Marvel movies, and later release dates for upcoming Marvel TV shows like Ironheart and Daredevil: Born Again. By spacing these projects out, Feige says it will be a benefit for almost everyone involved, saying:
Not just internally for us, but for audiences. We had so many projects between the movies and the Disney Plus series that I think it's nice to be able to focus on an event. Because to me, that's what every movie of ours should be: an event that grabs onto the imagination of the world.
That’s what Deadpool and Wolverine ended up being, and I think it was a hunger for fresh Marvel storytelling that led to the global success of the Deadpool sequel. Looking ahead to 2025, Marvel Studios is back to three movies on the docket: Captain America: Brave New World; Thunderbolts, and; The Fantastic Four: First Steps. We’re excited to see how Marvel Studios ensures that these all feel like events, as well, so that the MCU can continue to avoid the criticism of superhero fatigue.
