Disney cracking down on Marvel Phase 5 releases and beyond

“Phase 5” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe kicks off this week with Quantumania: Ant-Man and The WaspOn the heels of Phase 4, a complete blur was created. Following the events of Avengers: EndgameMarvel Studios President Kevin Feige unleashed an incessant stream of Marvel stories to fill the theaters as well as Disney Plus. The new report along with the comments of Disney CEO Bob Iger suggests that Marvel’s all-consuming strategy could be reduced in the years and decades ahead, even as a Marvel release schedule is announced.

“We think we have an opportunity to, through more aggressive curation, to reduce some of our costs in the general entertainment side and in general, in volume,” Iger said in a Feb. 8 Disney earnings call. Later on in the same presentation, he specifically called out Marvel (along with Pixar and Lucasfilm), stressing to investors that “we have to be better at curating” the brands’ output and “reduce costs on everything that we make because while we are extremely proud of what’s on the screen, it’s gotten to a point where it’s extraordinarily expensive. We want the best quality. We want the quality on the screen, but we have to look at what they cost us.”

Quoting an insider privy to Disney’s internal planning, a report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests the changes will be a “massive correction” from how Marvel has been operating in the last few years, which seen a massive amount of content pouring in from every direction. In terms of Marvel’s interconnected universe, Phase 4 saw the release of Black Widow, Shang-Chi, Eternals, Spider-Man, There’s No Way Home, Doctor Strange, in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and ThunderPlease see the following: Wakanda for Ever: Black Panther On the theater side, plus WandaVision, The Falcon, and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What if …?, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms. MarvelPlease see the following: She-Hulk All dropped off Disney Plus very quickly.

Earlier this week, in a buttoned-up interview with Entertainment Weekly, Feige echoed Iger’s plans, saying:

Marvel Studios has a powerful aspect to it. I believe these shows and films are able to hit the zeitgeist. It is harder to hit the zeitgeist when there’s so much product out there — and so much ‘content,’ as they say, which is a word that I hate. [Laughs]We want Marvel Studios, and MCU to be a distinct and exceptional company. As we move into Phase 5, and 6, people will notice this. The pace at which we’re putting out the Disney+ shows will change so they can each get a chance to shine.

Feige presented Phase 5, 6 and 7 at the San Diego Comic-Con 2022. The schedule included films, Disney Plus and shows that will continue through 2025. The latest news is that Feige and his collaborators have announced the release of Deadpool 3Arriving after the fact it became clear that there were many more to be announced. But based on recent developments, THR’s insiders say fans should expect changes to the “Multiverse Saga;” though announced for 2023, EchoThe HawkeyeSpinoffs and IronheartTie up your feet by Wakanda ForeverIn order to increase its spread,? might be increased to 2024 Secret Invasion And Loki season 2 out over more of the fiscal year and, in Iger’s mind, command more attention.

During his earnings call, Iger cited a “challenging economic environment” ahead, one that Disney would curbed in the immediate by laying off 7,000 employees. But the entire conversation had a clear message: we’re going to be stingier, even with the cash cows. The Marvel Cinematic Universe will remain one of the company’s mega-franchises, but in the next few years, it might be just slightly less mega than before.