Marvel Reportedly Aiming to “Recalibrate” its Avengers 5 and 6 Plans: All Major Changes Before Secret Wars, Explained
After the disappointments of low-performing projects in 2023, Marvel is reportedly switching gears to get back on top of the box office game. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels bombed at the box office, while Secret Invasion on Disney+ was not received as well as the studio hoped. To get its fanbase excitedly back in theatres, Marvel needs to do some major damage control. A few strategic moves have already been made to tinker with the set processes and introduce new characters that are familiar to the masses.
Marvel’s Recalibration for Upcoming Phases
While the Quantumania debacle had to set the stage for Kang, the next big bad villain in Marvel’s cinematic universe, all the plans collapsed when the movie flopped at the box office. Another blow came with Jonathan Majors’ conviction, leaving Marvel backed against the wall. Finding itself in uncharted territory, Marvel has had to retool its strategy to get out of murky waters and back on solid ground.
The first few steps in the retooling of the MCU came with Deadpool and Wolverine’s smashing trailer released during the Super Bowl. it quickly became one of the most watched trailers and has sparked enough buzz in the superhero movie community. Being the only Marvel movie releasing this year, seems like the studio is testing the waters before diving in headfirst. Another strategic move was to unveil the new Fantastic Four cast on Valentine’s Day. Fans have already given their thumbs up to the cast, giving Marvel another ray of hope to hold on to.
Also Read: 5 Major Marvel Characters That Kevin Feige Turned Into an Absolute Joke, Ranked
Fantastic Four facilitated the establishment of the MCU as its comics made the basis for other heroes to follow. Their addition to the upcoming Marvel phases can be the difference between success and failure for the juggernaut superhero studio. Moreover, Marvel is excited to launch Agatha: Darkhold Diaries and X-Men ’97, a revival of the 1990s cartoon. Both of these projects also have fans waiting on the edge of their seats since they appear to harken back to the era when the studio made nothing but absolute blockbusters.
This new direction comes at a time when Kevin Feige is facing backlash for his haphazard structure of the MCU. He is making all necessary efforts to get the studio back on track and regain the fans’ trust. The studio seems fearless in the face of adversity and is ready to learn from its mistakes and move on. They even hired Eric Pearson to work on the Fantastic Four script so that the shooting schedule could begin, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Pearson is known for his work in Thor: Ragnarok and Black Widow. Joanna Calo, who worked on Emmy-winning The Bear, has also been hired to work on the script for Thunderbolts. They seem to be gathering the who’s who of the industry in an attempt to rekindle the lost fire.
The studio is not naming it a reboot, but rather a way to rework some strategies that have proved fruitless. In the wake of the pandemic and rising OTT wars, Disney encouraged Marvel to increase its productions and offer more releases so that the Disney+ platform could become a competitor in the war of streaming giants. However, that only led to low-quality projects that disappointed fans beyond repair. The writers’ and actors’ strike last year paused the schedules and allowed Marvel to take a step back and reevaluate their direction.
Who will be the Villain of the Avengers Movies?
After Jonathan Majors’ exit, the studio has been on the lookout for heroes and villains who can carry the MCU on their backs. Despite his conviction, Marvel was reportedly already looking at another villain to cause destruction and ruin superhero’s lives since Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania barely grossed $476 million worldwide. The failure of the movie allowed the creators to find another villain to headline the Avengers movies. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is already being reworked with Kang either minimized to a short mention or removed completely.
Even in terms of heroes to lead the Avengers, Spider-Man is being eyed as the top choice since he is without a doubt one of the most famous and beloved superheroes in the MCU. If the Fantastic Four movie does well, even they could be seen as the frontrunners. Moreover, Deadpool and Wolverine’s inclusion in the Avengers movies is also being considered. Marvel is trying to offer series creators more creative freedom to try new things that can get the fans excited again. Only after a string of trial and error methods will the juggernaut studio be able to finalize a strategy that will bring back its golden days of success.
