Is the MCU Better Served on Disney+?
With the Phase Four slate showing a firm inconsistency in its theatrical release, it may be time to ask the question; is the MCU better served on Disney+?
Just over a decade ago, Marvel Studios set in motion the ambitious plans to bring to life the Marvel Cinematic Universe; something completely foreign to the world of film.
Photo: Marvel
This was an endeavor that was attempted on a scale that most film studios couldn’t really fathom, with not just a film franchise to be looked after and nurtured, but an entire film franchise of various film franchises coming together.
The continuity, the characters, and the massive world-building that would be necessary would make this one of the most interesting developments that film history had ever seen; and its success changed the movie-making industry as we know it.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 23: Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, participates in the Marvel Studios’ Live-Action presentation at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
But gone now are the days of the avenger, and the massive team-up films for the time being, as the MCU is in a certain kind of regenesis; reimagining what it is, and what if can be, following the conclusion of an Infinity Saga that was a decade in the making.
And with Phase Four leading the MCU into this brand new post-Infinity Saga world, one thing may be abundantly clear; the MCU may be better served on Disney+.
Source: Marvel Studios
Now, this isn’t us calling to stop theatrical releases of Marvel projects, it is hardly that, but it is an assessment of how Marvel has been receiving both in the theatrical market and in the kind of format that streaming platforms can provide.
The biggest question being does Marvel benefit more from the long-form episodic format that Disney+ provides to them, over the theatrical format that only gives them a small window of time to tell a story; and the answer may be yes.
Source: Marvel Studios
In the theatrical market, Marvel has been successful, that’s undeniable, but it has also been marred by inconsistencies that are undeniable.
For every Spider-Man: No Way Home, there is an Eternals, and for every Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, there is a Thor: Love and Thunder.
Source: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
But in the Disney+ sphere, Marvel has been more than successful, with nearly every single project delivering a top-tier reaction on some level; from WandaVision and Loki to the newer Ms. Marvel and She/ Hulk.
Again, this isn’t a call for Marvel to abandon the theatrical market, there is still vitality in those projects, but it is pointing out that Marvel’s best work may only come on the big screen when these characters are playing out on the streaming network.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige took part today in the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2019 in Anaheim, Calif. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Because the fact of the matter is that the Phase Five era of the MCU may be better suited for Disney+
