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Summary
The film and tv set shows released within theMarvel Cinematic Universein 2023 provided Marvel Studios with plenty of lessons to learn after a class of high highs and low Sir David Alexander Cecil Low . The MCU ’s 2023 unrecorded - action releases consisted of three theatrical films and two Disney+ television show , leading many to eagerly anticipate thelist of Marvel film typeset for 2024 . Despite the hullabaloo surrounding the future of the franchise , the various projects of 2023 have direct many to look back in hindsight to reflect on the ups and downs of the yr ’s MCU stories .
Concerning feature motion picture , the three releases ofAnt - humankind and the Wasp : Quantumania , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3,andThe Marvelsdrastically outnumber the only 2024 theatrical release ofDeadpool 3 . The 2023 movie mentioned have exemplified both thebest and spoilt of Marvel ’s MCU movies , with the positive and negatives of each providing mint of lesson for the dealership to learn . like to their theatrical peers , the Disney+ releases ofSecret InvasionandLokiseason 2 stand at opposite closing of theMCU ’s TV show rankings , yet both hold a wealth of life-sustaining Sojourner Truth for the dealership to turn over going into 2024 and beyond .
10The MCU Needs To Give Its Characters Better Emotional Arcs
The strongest MCU characters of 2023 are the ones with complete emotional arcs.
One lesson that the MCU task of 2023 have prove the enfranchisement needs to learn is that each movie or show pauperization to give its fiber better aroused arcs . In the typesetter’s case of Marvel ’s 2023 release , the worse - reviewed entries ofSecret Invasion , Ant - Man and the Wasp : Quantumania , andThe Marvelscan all be argued to have much watery arcs for their central character than the the likes of ofLokiseason 2 andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3 . It is no coincidence that the latter two are hailed as some of the expert MCU projects sinceAvengers : Endgamewhile having the best , more excited character arcs .
In the case ofAnt - Man 3andThe Marvelsspecifically , the films were too scattered , too shoddily written , and too focused on being fun , fast - pace adventuresthat they left their case behind . Attempts at craft solid reference arcs were there andThe Marvelsspecifically had fantastical character interactions , but not enough guardianship was put into making each hero sandwich emotionally investable . This was the over contrary for the likes ofLokiseason 2 andGuardians of the Galaxy 3 , which bear witness that - in order for the MCU to learn from its mistakes and reclaim former glorification - more aid needs to be placed on the journey of characters above anything else .
9The MCU Has To Stop Introducing So Many Unneeded Characters & Stories
Reducing the pool of MCU characters would make the franchise feel more coherent, like the Infinity Saga.
A problem with phase 4 and 5 within the MCU thus far is that too many characters and stories are being introduced . One of the strength of the Infinity Saga was that the pool of case remained preponderantly the samefor each raw installment . With phase angle 4 and 5 , almost every new project brings new characters that are often leave alone in oblivion after that for years . For example , Ant - Man 3 ’s cast was overstuff with a emcee of new characters from the Quantum Realm , andSecret Invasion ’s new character like Gravik and G’iah were not give compelling enough spark , therefore feeling rushed .
8Loki Season 2 Proved The MCU Needs More Practicality
Loki season 2 highlighted the value of practical filmmaking taking precedence over post-production processes.
Lokiseason 2 has been wide regard as one of the best MCU Disney+ narrative , with one rationality as to why this is the case becoming evident in the show ’s premiere . Immediately , Lokiseason 2 stood out as the output included a dandy deal of practicality . strong-arm sets , non - CGI costumes , and dynamic camera movements within those sets all madeLokifeel much more grounded , thus making it easier for audience to place in the story . The upturn in timbre thanks to these practical elements was a pronounced improvement onSecret Invasion , with the like ofAnt - Man and the Wasp : QuantumaniaandThe Marvelsalso suffering from an overabundance of CGI .
7Guardians Vol. 3 Proved The MCU Needs Darker Stories
A more grounded tone that is easier to invest in is needed for future MCU stories.
Another effect with the MCU of belated is the increment in silly , over - the - top humor that makes task feel almost like lampoon of superhero movies . In 2023 , task likeLokiseason 2 and , more specifically , Guardians of the Galaxy 3proved darker stories are what the MCU needs live on forward . Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3was not entirely devoid of wit , though it is undoubtedly the dark , most emotional story in the trilogy . As a result of this , the characters and the film they were part of vibrate much more with fans than the wanton - hearted , inconsequential romps ofAnt - human being 3andThe marvel .
6The MCU Needs To Re-Perfect The Balance Between Overarching & Standalone Stories
The MCU has lost the spark of telling an overarching story via individual installments.
Another lesson that can be learned from the MCU ’s 2023 project is Marvel Studios ' re - perfecting the balance between standalone and overarching stories . The Infinity Saga worked so perfectly due to each individual movie understanding its place in the story . Each one had concise , satisfying , standalone fib while also own large ties to the wider macrocosm . In Phases 4 and 5 , including three of the project in 2023 , this proportionality has all but dissipated .
The Marvels , for exercise , mat far too removed from the rest of the MCU in that elements like Carol ’s on-going feud with the Kree , her friendly relationship with Carol , and the all different portrayal of Nick Fury fromSecret Invasionwas completely jarring . In not slotting perfectly into the MCU timeline as motion picture used to do , The Marvels’overarching game points like the rift in the multiverse and evenX - Menappearances felt similarly discordant . ConcerningSecret Invasion , a big storyline like a covert Srull blast on Earth should have felt much more built-in to the broad MCU , yet was a standalone story that was forgotten about as presently as it ended .
2023 proved that onlyLokiseason 2 andGuardians of the Galaxy 3retained the balance between what should stand alone and what should touch on the wide of the mark MCU . The latter had little tease like a new Guardians team and Peter Quill end his journey on Earth as hints for succeeding narrative that did not take off from the deeply personal , emotionally standalone story at the film ’s center . WithLoki , the inclusion of Kang variants and the restructuring of the Multiversal Tree had major implication on the wider MCU , yet not at the cost of Loki ’s electric arc and the eternal rest of the characters .
5The MCU Needs To Commit To Its New TV Overhaul
Marvel Studios' future TV successes will only come with a commitment to a new model.
In October 2023 , it was harbinger that Marvel would be modernise the integral ticket of goggle box output to turn back to more traditional TV structures . From consecrate showrunners , writing squad , multiple time of year , and the foregoing of six - part events , Marvel Studios ' TV futurity now looked brilliant . Above all else , 2023 ’s television receiver production proved that the studio has to stick to this newfangled mandate . If not , the teemingness of systemic problem with shows likeSecret Invasionand the evident albeit not show - ruining pacing issue ofLokiseason 2 will preserve , and Marvel Studios will never keep their footing in a human beings of superior TV productions .
4The MCU Needs To Give Writers More Time To Perfect Stories
Writers need more than one to three years to satisfyingly complete scripts.
One fix that has often been wrongly kick upstairs regarding Marvel Studios ' declining quality is charter more experient writers . However , lease up - and - coming writers for big project should always be seen as a positiveas it collapse lesser - known originative endowment more chance . That said , 2023 has demonstrate that the MCU needs to give its author more clock time to hone their respective stories . In the type ofAnt - Man 3 , the moving picture hasten into filming only a few year after Jeff Loveness was engage in a bid to quicken Marvel ’s spill slate post - COVID . As a answer , Ant - ManandThe Marvelsfelt cannonball along in that each script could have been given a few more order of payment .
ConcerningSecret Invasion , the original author Kyle Bradstreet was replaced by Brian Tucker over a year into pre - production . Shooting then begin less than a year after Tucker had been involved , with the production not giving him enough sentence at all to weave his own guidance for the serial publication with Bradstreet ’s . This leftSecret Invasionfeeling mussy , with infringe tones and idea that could have been iron out had the author been given more meter . With the likes ofLokiandGuardians Vol . 3 , however , the projects were give way almost three old age and over six year respectively to iron out out scripts , resulting in their vastly prescribed reception .
3MCU Movies & Shows Need To Commit To Smaller Budgets
Smaller budgets would mean fewer Marvel movies are deemed as box office flops.
One of the more obvious deterrent example 2023 taught Marvel Studios is that the movies need much smaller budgets . OnlyGuardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3turned a earnings for Marvel in 2023 , withAnt - Man and the Wasp : QuantumaniaandThe Marvelsboth flopping . The former earned $ 476 million against a $ 200 million budget while the latter hauled in $ 197 million on a $ 220 million budget , thus becoming the worst - gross MCU movie ever . That say , if both of these films had importantly smaller budgets , they may have broken even or turn a gain .
If the MCU wish to reclaim its statute title as the box office king , Marvel postulate to start committing to movies that are more effective with their budgets . 2023 movies likeGodzilla Minus One($15 million budget ) have show how far a smaller budget can go when the filmmaking physical process is at its most efficient . The moving-picture show boasts incredible CGI despite being less than one - tenth ofAnt - Man 3 ’s budget , for model , shew how Marvel Studios could do similar if follow other studios ’ mannequin .
2The MCU Needs To Give Its Characters Deeper Relationships
Interpersonal relationships are what made the Infinity Saga cast so special.
Lokiseason 2,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3,andThe Marvelsall had fantastic character relationship , with the former two primarily working because of those relationships and the latter not work despite how expert its titular trio was together . WithSecret InvasionandAnt - Man and the Wasp : Quantumania , the character interactions and depth of kinship were almost completely nonexistent , tie back to the point of lacking worked up impact via their characters . In the Infinity Saga , the depth of relationships between the character is what made each movie so worthwhile , something that has been mostly missing from Phases 4 and 5 in a big moral the MCU require to learn .
1Marvel Studios Has To Spread Out Its MCU Release Schedule
A less congested release schedule would fix several of the MCU’s recent filmmaking issues.
The said result with type , tempo , script , and superabundance of mail - production from several 2023 MCU releases could be desexualize by disperse out the franchise ’s release docket . In the Infinity Saga , each movie release felt like an event . Since then , this is certainly not the case unless the quality of the story on showing , likeLokiseason 2 andGuardians Vol . 3,make them so . As such , spreading out each instalment in the MCU is one of the swelled lessons Marvel Studios call for to learn from 2023 .
If the docket reverted to two movies a year and two video show - with the planned longsighted form , traditional TV style - audience could easily put in the enfranchisement once more . This path , the scripts of each project would not find bucket along , meaningful character arcs could once again be written , interconnected stories could be crafted with ease and efficiency rather than rushedly mash together , and the MCU would sense much more significant . In pump out three movies and three shows each class , theMarvel Cinematic Universehas lost a lot of what made it special , which is a lesson the enfranchisement has to larn after 2023 ’s entries .
