We know there’s superhero fatigue—or at least declining interest in the comic book genre this decade—but, depending on the character, these movies can still make boatloads of money. Just look at the presales for “Avengers: Endgame.”
That said, Marvel and its chief orchestrator, Kevin Feige, aren’t putting their mitts down and surrendering. As long as powerhouse IP like Deadpool, the Avengers, Thor, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and the X-Men continue to drive ticket sales, these movies aren’t going extinct anytime soon.
Case in point: Feige was doing press in Shanghai when he revealed that Marvel isn’t just planning for this decade or the next—he’s already mapped out the MCU through 2042:
Our plan is… I haven’t told anyone this before […] We were just in a Marvel Studios meeting room, planning movies all the way up to 2042. Whether we can make it to 2042? Who knows? Will it be those movies? Who knows? But this is how we approach and plan the vast amount of potential stories in the comics.
Just think about how insane that is. The sheer confidence that your franchise will still be relevant in 2042.
Meanwhile, James Gunn’s DCU is already under pressure after its first box office flop, “Supergirl,” with the franchise’s future now seemingly hinging on the performance of every new release.
Kevin Feige has earned his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most reliable hitmakers. Whenever the MCU has stumbled this decade, he’s responded with a major success. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” was followed by “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” “The Marvels” gave way to “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Now, after “The Fantastic Four,” all eyes are on “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” to continue that pattern.
Next up are two “Avengers” films back-to-back, with “Black Panther 3” expected to follow soon after. The MCU isn’t going anywhere. Whether it’ll still be as dominant in 2042 remains to be seen, but Feige’s long-term ambition and confidence are unlike anything else in modern Hollywood.
John Malkovich is set to star in a production of “The Music Critic” in Israel next year, just 24 hours after entering the best actor race for his “Wild Horse Nine” performance. I gather he won’t be getting Mark Ruffalo’s vote.