Credit: Inside the MagicWhere is all the money going?
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Over the last decade, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), drawing inspiration from the beloved Marvel Comics, has left a lasting impression on the entire film industry. The pinnacle of the MCU’s Phase Three was defined by the release of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), representing a monumental achievement for the franchise. These films showcased its remarkable growth and firmly solidified its position in the entertainment world. This era also marked the culmination of the initial three phases of the MCU, collectively known as the Infinity Saga. Regardless of its current status, the MCU’s impact remains profound and enduring.
Following the heartfelt sacrifice of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man/Tony Stark, who ensured the universe’s survival in Endgame, and Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers passing on the Captain America mantle, the Marvel Cinematic Universe confronts even more substantial and formidable challenges. Earth’s superheroes find themselves on the brink of their next adventures, prompting an extensive expansion of the franchise known as the Multiverse Saga. This saga spans Phase Four, Phase Five, and Phase Six, culminating in the highly anticipated Avengers 5 and Avengers 6 films titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, respectively. These upcoming installments are set to deliver thrilling and epic storylines that will shape the future of the MCU.
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The Marvel show nearly no one likes
In Secret Invasion, the Marvel series on Disney+ created by Kyle Bradstreet, Samuel L. Jackson stars as Nick Fury, the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. who has been working with the Skrulls in space and is now worn out and uncertain about his place in the world following the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The show explores the infiltration of Earth by Skrulls, where Ben Mendelsohn portrays Talos, the former Skrull leader and Fury’s ally. Kingsley Ben-Adir is Gravik, the rebel Skrull leader, and Emilia Clarke is G’iah, Talos’s daughter. Olivia Colman plays Sonya Falsworth, a high-ranking MI6 agent and Fury’s old ally. Don Cheadle is Raava/James Rhodes AKA Rhodey, the Avenger War Machine. Charlayne Woodard portrays Varra/Priscilla Davis, Nick Fury’s Skrull wife, while Christopher McDonald is Chris Stearns, and Katie Finneran is scientist Rosa Dalton. The series also features Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, and O-T Fagbenle as Rick Mason.
Marvel Studios, accused
There have been rumblings online surrounding the recent announcement from Forbes via One Take News revealing the true budget of the new Loki Season 2.
Loki is a popular television show set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that premiered on Disney+ (Disney Plus) in 2021. The series centers around the God of Mischief, Loki Laufeyson/Loki Odinson, played by Tom Hiddleston, who embarks on time-bending journey following the events of Avengers: Endgame. The show explores an alternate version of Loki who escapes with the Tesseract during the Avengers’ time-traveling escapades. Throughout the series, Loki becomes entangled with the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an organization responsible for maintaining the integrity of the timeline. Owen Wilson stars as Agent Mobius M. Mobius, a TVA operative. The cast also includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer, a judge within the TVA, and Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, a TVA soldier. As the show unfolds, Loki grapples with his identity and explores complex themes of free will and destiny, making it a captivating addition to the MCU and a favorite among fans.
The second season of the show is set to premiere on the Disney+ streaming service October 6, 2023 — and with its debut looming fast on the horizon (and its fun, promising trailer) — people have begun questioning just how on earth it is costing a fraction of Secret Invasion‘s whopping $212 million budget:
‘LOKI’ Season 2 has a budget of $141.3M.
#SecretInvasion had a budget of $212M, and both have the same episodes in a season.
(via https://forbes.com/sites/carolinereid/2023/08/02/loki-2-packs-a-punch-with-140-million-budget/)
‘LOKI’ Season 2 has a budget of $141.3M.#SecretInvasion had a budget of $212M, and both have the same episodes in a season.
(via https://t.co/efHsIKeMz2) pic.twitter.com/PqJoGWznFw
— One Take News (@OneTakeNews) August 4, 2023
Loki Season 2 is arguably the most eagerly awaited continuation of any Marvel Studios Disney+ offering to date. Needless to say, Marvel fans have been hooked by its trailer, promising a suspense-filled, time-travelling adventure set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With a reported budget of $141 million, the show stands in sharp contrast to the rather controversial Secret Invasion, which fans famously panned for feeling staunchly draggy till the end, with a disappointing (and Marvel’s lowest rated) finale episode.
Immediately, there was a deluge of callouts from users online — @LibraAlliance1O, like many others, found the lower budget for Loki Season 2 preposterous in comparison:
Budget is that lower than SECRET INVASION?! Bro…
Budget is that lower than SECRET INVASION?! Bro…
— FrostWitch And Heroes (@LibraAlliance1O) August 4, 2023
While @Nayra96969 highlighted the huge impact a Multiverse-spanning project like Loki ought to have on the MCU at large, the likely need for lots of CGI — in comparison to the “mediocre adaptation” of the Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion storyline. This led to speculation about the fact that someone in Marvel might have been “laundering his/her money for sure”:
So u r telling me a multiversal project like #Loki which probably set the future of MCU with equal or more CGI and same no. Of episode cost u less thn a mediocre adaption of #SecretInvasion comic book storyline. Someone in #MarvelStudios has been laundering his/her money for sure
So u r telling me a multiversal project like #Loki which probably set the future of MCU with equal or more CGI and same no. Of episode cost u less thn a mediocre adaption of #SecretInvasion comic book storyline. Someone in #MarvelStudios has been laundering his/her money for sure pic.twitter.com/cm3YJKgeRB
— nerdy-times (@Nayra96969) August 5, 2023
All in all, it seems like the sentiment resounding amongst fans the most is incredulity and confusion — over just where all that money went.
It seems like public opinion is souring significantly with regards to Marvel Studios and their (far too many) superhero outings.
Do you think something fishy could be going on behind the scenes at Marvel Studios? Where do you think the budget for shows like Secret Invasion goes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
More on Loki Season 2
In Loki Season 2, the main cast includes Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as Loki, the God of Mischief and Thor’s adopted brother. Sophia Di Martino portrays Sylvie, another variant of Loki who broke the timeline in the first Season to create the Multiverse. Ravonna Renslayer and Hunter B-15 will both return. Eugene Cordero portrays Casey/Hunter K-5E, Rafael Casal as Brad Wolfe, Tara Strong as Miss Minutes, the animated mascot of the TVA, and Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, and Neil Ellice in undisclosed roles. Jonathan Majors joins the cast as Victor Timely, a variant of Kang the Conqueror, an inventor presenting futuristic tech in the early 1900s, first introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). Ke Huy Quan appears as Ouroboros AKA OB, a TVA agent in charge of technology and repairs, while Owen Wilson returns as Mobius M. Mobius, a TVA operative.