Kevin Feige confirms MCU slowdown after Avengers: Doomsday
Speaking during a roundtable with journalists, Feige addressed recent concerns about MCU fatigue, stating that the real issue wasn't superheroes themselves, but overexpansion.
Feige revealed that while the first three MCU phases totaled about 50 hours of content, the post-Endgame era exploded to 127 hours when including live-action and animation. 'That's too much,' he admitted, acknowledging that this expansion overwhelmed audiences and devalued the storytelling.
Much of the growth came from the Disney+ streaming push, which saw the launch of multiple interconnected series such as WandaVision, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel. While many shows gained praise, others left viewers feeling lost, especially when vital characters or storylines were essential to understanding theatrical releases.
'There was a mandate we were put in the middle of,' Feige said of the streaming boom. 'We thought it'd be fun to bring these characters to life.' But the result, he says, was confusion: 'It used to be fun. Now people ask, 'Do I have to know everything?''
Looking ahead, Marvel plans to produce fewer films and shows, with some years seeing just one movie or one Disney+ series. Budgets will also be reduced by up to a third. Upcoming titles like Avengers: Doomsday, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day are designed as jumping-on points that require minimal homework.
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