Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel’s Phase Five has started with a rocky opening. Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man 3, starring Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, could’ve been so much better, but Marvel has deadlines, and their greed forced another terrible situation to occur with the VFX studio that was used.
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Months ago, Marvel Studios made a promise. They heard back that VFX studios working unimaginable hours just to finish visual effects due to a third of the movie being rewritten at the last minute, causes VFX workers to face mental breakdowns and leave the industry. This promise of doing better and giving more time to projects seems like a right move, and fans thought it would start with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), but this isn’t the case.
Instead, Ant-Man 3 is facing harsh reviews due to critics and fans pointing out how the Quantum Realm and other aspects of the movie don’t feel as grand as they should. Everything is “subpar,” and the real reason is due to the constant shifting schedule Marvel has.
According to Vulture, VFX artists couldn’t agree more with critics for why the visual effects aren’t as great as they should be. The report tells about artists and workers having to take naps at work just to have enough rest because the shifts are so long there isn’t enough time to go home before going back to work. Marvel’s reputation for the VFX industry is now “seared” into the minds of any VFX worker and is causing a lot of burnout, with employees sharing stories of crying and being stuck at work for far too long.
This was all because Marvel wanted most of the resources to go into Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2023) due to Chadwick Boseman’s passing and the need to get everything right for the sequel. While Black Panther 2 did receive a lot of great reviews, VFX employees point that Marvel’s profit margins could easily afford more workers to help create better VFX for the movie and still have sizable paychecks.
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The problem is that Marvel doesn’t seem to care. They are fine with the company having to redo the last quarter of the film and let the workers accept the work or lose out on the money for their work. It’s a cruel system where Marvel has all the problems and can dictate the situation. While other VFX companies have come forward and shared their story, the fact that Marvel Studios hasn’t changed their work relationship with VFX companies is startling.
Does this mean that Marvel is just trying to look good for the public while they continue to do the same thing? If Marvel actually delayed movies to help their VFX, then the film would probably make more money and be better for everyone involved. Still, it seems that the rigid deadlines for Marvel Studios can’t be moved.
Do you think Marvel will change their ways? Let Inside the Magic know what you think!