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Marvel Studios seemed unstoppable after Avengers: Endgame. Fans expected every new movie or show to be another huge hit. But, to many people’s surprise, things didn’t exactly go as planned. While there were bright spots like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Loki, and Deadpool and Wolverine projects, overall, Marvel’s phases four and five didn’t meet the high expectations in terms of audience reactions, reviews, or box office numbers.
In this post, we’ll break down four main reasons why Marvel stumbled after Endgame, and what the future might hold.
1. Betting Too Much on Lesser-Known Characters
After Endgame and Infinity War, it seemed like Marvel thought they had their audience locked in for life. They started pushing projects based on characters most people had never heard of, like Echo, Ironheart, Agatha, Wonder Man, and White Vision.
The problem? There just wasn’t much excitement around these characters. Sure, maybe the shows could turn out good, but there wasn’t that same level of interest that surrounded the original Avengers or even the Guardians of the Galaxy when they first hit the scene. Without familiar faces or compelling reasons to watch, fans weren’t as eager to tune in.
2. A Messy, Disorganized MCU
One of the biggest things that set Marvel apart from other superhero franchises, like DC, was how well-organized their universe used to be. They had one main producer overseeing everything, making sure every movie and show fit into a larger, well-planned story. New characters got their own movies to build them up before they were brought together in major crossovers like the Avengers.
But after Endgame, things got chaotic. Marvel nearly doubled the number of projects they were putting out, but they didn’t have the same level of careful oversight.
Take WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, for example. Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff) admitted that the two projects didn’t connect as well as they should have. Why? Because Doctor Strange started filming while WandaVision was still being made, so the filmmakers didn’t even know how that show would end. That’s not how Marvel used to do things.
It happened again with Moon Knight when the writer left halfway through the series, leading to behind-the-scenes chaos. And Daredevil: Born Again had to toss out a bunch of footage because halfway through filming, they realized the show just wasn’t working.
Marvel’s once carefully constructed storylines started to feel rushed and disjointed.
3. The Pandemic’s Big Disruption
The pandemic threw a wrench into a lot of Hollywood projects, and Marvel wasn’t spared. Many of their films were delayed, shuffled around, or even rewritten.
A great example is Spider-Man: No Way Home, which came out before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Originally, those films were supposed to be released the other way around, and this change impacted both stories. Did you ever wonder how Ned suddenly learned magic out of nowhere in No Way Home? Well, that wasn’t the original plan—America Chavez was supposed to be the one who summoned the other Spider-Men. But since Doctor Strange got pushed back, they had to change that part.
COVID restrictions also caused movie budgets to skyrocket. Safety measures and travel limitations made filming expensive, and actors couldn’t move freely between countries. In fact, Thomas Hayden Church and Rhys Ifans couldn’t even be on set for No Way Home, so Marvel had to reuse old footage from previous movies to show them.
And then there was the visual effects. With so many delayed projects now being rushed to meet deadlines, post-production teams were overwhelmed. The result? Some of the recent Marvel movies had CGI that felt unfinished, and fans noticed.
4. The New Avengers Trio That Never Happened
Marvel had big plans for a new trio of heroes to lead the MCU after Endgame: Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel. This made sense—Spider-Man is one of the most popular superheroes ever, Black Panther became a global icon, and Captain Marvel’s solo movie made over a billion dollars.
But things didn’t go as planned. First, Marvel ran into issues with Sony, who owns the rights to Spider-Man. There was a real chance that Spider-Man: Far From Home could’ve been Peter Parker’s last appearance in the MCU, because Sony and Marvel almost didn’t come to a new agreement. Even though they worked things out, it became clear that Marvel couldn’t rely on Spider-Man as the face of the MCU since they didn’t fully control the character.
Then, in 2020, the world was hit with the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, the actor who played Black Panther. Marvel couldn’t recast the character so soon, and the franchise had to pivot away from the original plans for T’Challa.
Finally, while Captain Marvel was financially successful, the character didn’t resonate with fans in the way Marvel had hoped. Carol Danvers just didn’t capture people’s imaginations the way Iron Man or Captain America had. So, with two of the three planned “new Avengers” off the table and the third under the control of another studio, Marvel’s big post-Endgame plans fell apart.
Can Marvel Bounce Back?
Despite these setbacks, Marvel isn’t down for the count. There are still exciting projects in the works, and there’s hope that the MCU can return to its former glory. The most anticipated upcoming film is Deadpool 3, which brings together fan-favorites Deadpool and Wolverine. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how these characters will fit into the MCU.
Marvel also has the Fantastic Four and X-Men lined up for future films, which could give the MCU the fresh start it needs. These iconic characters have the potential to spark new interest and excitement among fans.
Conclusion: What’s Next for Marvel?
Marvel’s journey after Endgame has been bumpy, to say the least. Overconfidence, a lack of clear direction, the pandemic, and some unlucky breaks have all contributed to the MCU’s recent struggles. But Marvel has come back from challenges before, and it’s not too late for them to turn things around.
The key is getting back to what made the MCU special in the first place—well-crafted stories, strong characters, and a sense of connection across films. If Marvel can focus on delivering quality rather than quantity, they still have the chance to recapture the magic that once made them the kings of superhero movies.
We’ll just have to wait and see if their upcoming movies, like Deadpool 3, can help them get back on track.
