Marvel Director Acknowledges Need To Step Back

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Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man getting ready to fight Thanos in Endgame

Credit: Marvel Studios

The term “superhero fatigue” is tossed around quite frequently, especially on the subject of the MCU. Marvel has definitely been throwing a lot at us in a short amount of time, and “fatigue” might just be an apt descriptor. However, it might be something other than the number of superheroes saturating our media, but rather the quality of their adventures.

Avengers Characters fight in New York
Credit: Marvel Studios

Since the end of the Infinity Saga, we’ve been introduced to Moon Knight, She-Hulk, the Eternals, Alligator Loki, and many more. While not all of them are as action-packed as the Avengers before them, many of them have fallen into the pattern of heroes going to another dimension, getting into fights, beating the bad guy, and going home, rinse and repeat. That being said, it might not be the only element at play.

Marvel Needs To Step Back

Doctor Strange talking to Iron Man in Avengers: Infinity War
Credit: Marvel Studios

No superhero saga short of X-Men’s God Loves, Man Kills will ever compete with Infinity War and Endgame. It seems that superhero movies, especially Marvel’s, are trying to keep that big energy going and going, quickly forgetting that it took them several series of films to even get to Infinity War in the first place. Although the studio is still moving forward despite the reports of “superhero fatigue,” one Marvel master shared their thoughts on the subject.

Related: ‘Captain America’ Actor Confirms MCU Plans Canceled, Jumping Ship

James Gunn, mastermind behind the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, recently stated Marvel’s biggest problem. Needless to say, it goes a lot deeper than just superhero fatigue.

It’s Not About Superheroes

James Gunn SDCC
Credit: Flickr

In a new interview, Gunn states,

“I think there is such a thing as superhero fatigue… I think it doesn’t have anything to do with superheroes. It has to do with the kind of stories that get to be told, and if you lose your eye on the ball, which is character…”

Consider some of the recent MCU entries, take Thor: Love and Thunder and Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania for example. These movies aren’t bad and they’re very entertaining, but they have so much going on that the audience really doesn’t have a whole lot of time to breathe.  Gorr the God Butcher was an interesting villain and the Quantum Realm was a fascinating place, but we weren’t given enough time to really take them all in.

Related: Marvel Confirms the Last Ever Black Panther Amid Recasting Scrutiny

Thor, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and so on are all great heroes, but a good superhero movie needs more than minions and monsters getting their heads bashed in by hammers and super-powered technology.

The 'Portals' Scene in 'Avengers: Endgame' (2019)
Credit: Marvel Studios

James Gunn also addressed this element in saying,

 “If you don’t have a story at the base of it, just watching things bash each other, no matter how clever those bashing moments are, no matter how clever the designs and the VFX are, it just gets fatiguing, and I think that’s very, very real.”

Back to Basics

Tom Holland as Spider-Man in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)
Credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

Most Marvel buffs can agree that Guardians of the Galaxy and the Spider-Man are genuinely loved without the need for world-destroying, Avengers-level threats. The villains and conflicts seen in both sets of movies don’t have to destroy the world, they just have to destroy THEIR world.

Related: Internet Freaks Out Over MCU “Spider-Man 4” Title and Poster

One thing that James Gunn has recognized since the very first Guardians movie is that emotional storytelling matters. The Guardians are all dealing with some sort of past trauma, but they overcome it to work together as a team and beat back Ronan and his forces.

This same pattern can be seen with a young Peter Parker juggling friendships, relationships, and family all while trying to be the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The Vulture and Mysterio don’t want to take over the universe, they want to expose Peter as Spider-Man to satisfy their own needs, therefore compromising his secret identity and life as he knows it.

What Marvel Needs Now

Guardians of the Galaxy from 'Vol. 2'
Credit: Marvel Studios

James Gunn said that superhero movies are at a grind because they are lacking a solid, emotionally-grounded story. Marvel has become far too focused on the next big battle that they have forgotten to give their characters emotional and personal stakes. We know Kang the Conquerer is coming and that the Skrulls walk among us, but does it matter if this is just another Thursday for our mightiest heroes?

Related: Marvel Receives Backlash For ‘Ant-Man 3’ Deleted Scenes

All the Ultron robots in the world turn into a bland, shapeless mass unless there is something personal on the line for the Avengers. The upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3  already has us emotionally invested because of what Rocket and the team have to lose, and if future Marvel projects don’t take note, they’ll suffer for it.

Take off the super suits, spandex, and masks, and what are we left with? Nothing more than a gang of musclebound meatheads beating the daylights out of each other. No one wants that.

Is James Gunn right, does Marvel need to cut back or step off? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!

 

 

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