MCU production will be reduced for legitimate reasons, but this decision is risky and could have a negative impact on studios.
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- The MCU slowing down the production may help improve the quality, but it may also lose some regular fans while waiting.
- The studio was aware of the criticisms it received, such as poor CGI and underdeveloped stories, and intended to address them by extending the project's production time.
- The production cuts were a response to the heavy schedule of multiple film and television releases each year, as well as the need for a more thorough production process and a focus on quality over quantity.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's production cuts should be a good thing, but this decision could do more damage to the series in the long run.
One of the things that CEO Bob Iger announced during Disney's recent earnings call was that Marvel Studios plans to reduce output. Since the launch of Disney+, Marvel has a new content platform, with the studio producing a lot of content in Phases 4 and 5. However, studios are looking to slow down upcoming MCU movies.
Some upcoming MCU projects like Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolt have already experienced delays in their premiere dates, in part due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Since only one MCU movie will be released this year, it seems that MCU production cuts have already begun to be implemented, albeit to some extent, not intentionally. However, based on Iger's recent statement, it can be speculated that MCU episodes will also be released less frequently.
This decision has many benefits in hindsight, but it can also cause some unexpected harm to this universe.
The reason why the MCU slows down
The initial production cuts announced by the MCU last year were due in part to the impact of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes on production. However, it's likely that Marvel Studios will also want to delay it themselves, as there are so many upcoming projects.
Since Phase 4, the MCU has released an average of 3 movies per year and about 3 TV series per year on Disney+. Not only is this a busy schedule for studios, but it's also becoming increasingly difficult for audiences to keep up.
Phases 4 and 5 were the toughest years for Marvel Studios. There has been a lot of criticism from both general audiences and Marvel fans about many projects, whether it's a lack of story or poor CGI. While there have been some standout projects like Loki and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, most MCU titles have failed to be as successful in recent years as they have been in past stages.
In such a busy situation, a reduction in the studio's production is inevitable, as criticism can only be resolved once and for all through a more in-depth production and a focus on quality, rather than a quantity-seeking mentality.
Marvel is aware of the recent problem
The production cut is certainly the result of Marvel Studios already realizing the severity of the problem. The studio has pushed back the release dates of several upcoming theatrical films, so they realized that each film needed to be polished a little more before release, and it would take time.
Typical criticisms, such as poor CGI and underdeveloped scripts, can be easily fixed if the filmmaking team is given more time.
It's also hard for Marvel Studios to ignore the average box office performance and in some cases box office fiascos. The MCU has experienced some of the biggest failures in history in 2023, such as the record-breaking box office of Captain Marvel 2 and the poor reviews of Secret Invasion.
When it comes to what the public is saying about MCU movies, the box office numbers and Disney+ streaming views speak for themselves. If they want to regain the trust of their audience, Marvel Studios will undoubtedly have to listen to the MCU's criticism.
Slowing down could lose some fans forever
For fans of the MCU, the production cut obviously looks like a good thing, but it's also a huge risk. For the average viewer, they won't sit back and wait for the MCU to heal itself.
Recent MCU projects have been so mixed that the average fan may have given up on Marvel. Studios can count on hardcore Marvel viewers to stick around during the cuts because they want to see how the studio improves itself, but for the average viewer, the slowdowns may make them feel like they've waited too long, or they simply don't care, or even slowly forget.
MCUs have been getting a lot of criticism lately. Many criticisms, such as underdeveloped writing and poor CGI, could easily be fixed with more production time, and Marvel Studios seems to acknowledge this. The recently announced reduction in production will ensure that the project is of higher quality, but the studio also runs the risk of losing some regular fans because the wait time is too long. Regardless of the impact of production cuts on MCUs, studios will move in a direction that focuses on quality over quantity.