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Post by Lord Death Man on Sept 6, 2023 20:27:58 GMT 1
We're all aware that the Marvel Cinematic Universe, formerly a titan in the entertainment world, hasn't been without its challenges lately. A myriad of factors, both external and internal, have stirred the waters. The reshuffling of shows like 'Agatha,' 'Echo,' and 'X-Men' 97' has left fans questioning the stability of the franchise's future roadmap. On top of that, the Marvel VFX artists are now gearing up to unionize, signaling a shift in the behind-the-scenes dynamics. The charismatic Jonathan Majors, the MCU's Kang, remains entangled in legal issues, casting uncertainty over his continued role. The ongoing WGA strike poses its own set of complexities and delays, potentially further affecting storytelling quality and release timelines. And, perhaps most concerningly, the fandom stands divided on the direction of upcoming projects, with some eagerly awaiting new content and others voicing deep skepticism. All of this amalgamates into a pivotal time for the MCU. Is the MCU now a DCEU-level dĂŠbâcle? Does anyone even care anymore? I'm curious: where do you stand? Grandmaster, anothermarvelguy, anthonyrocks, ar33, ArArArchStanton, archelaus,@bizzaroanticlark, bodawg70, AQUA CAT!, Chalice_Of_Evil, chalk3, Rex Manning, charzhino, constructioncutie, crisisvarietyhour, cyberneticshark, darkmagician1971, Dave Stoller, detour, equality72521, gameboy,@ghostyghostington, gromel, hatseflats, AQUA KEN!, hobowar, hyundaifromyuggoth, jacklaridian, AQUA JAMES!, Jan El SeĂąor, Jayman, jermainewatson, josephjoestar1, jrent2000, justanaveragejoe, Lilith, Loki, Lord Ackbar, Lord Death Man, lordofthunder, mannyfresh, marieke, maximura, Merv, miike80, monicah, movieliker, myachingackbarraddus, Nightman, penneh,@phistosgauntlet, Indiana Jones, AQUA JAR!â˘, primemcgee, ramz, RiP, IMDb, sallythemcugirl, AQUA SALZ!, sendherbud,@shadyvsesham, shieldmaidensa, spiderman2099, Spike Del Rey, $portsFan, springheeljack1837, taylorfirst1, BATCOWâ˘, thestannimal, thisguy4000, travisbeyond, trekkersdelight, UniSol GR77, vegasthanos, vincentvanspock, wickedkittiesmom, winterking, AQUA RAPTOR!,
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 7, 2023 2:20:59 GMT 1
The Rhody-Skrull reveal was the last straw for me. I don't think the current MCU can be salvaged now that every scene with Rhody after the airport fight in a film from seven years and movies ago has been robbed of all emotional, thematic, and character meaning and weight. After every other major misstep with the Skrull reveal on top of it all, the MCU ride is over. I think they need a hard reboot. They can't fix it. They just can't.
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Post by AQUA JAR!⢠on Sept 7, 2023 2:51:52 GMT 1
i am far from an expert on mcu, so i will refrain from giving advice
but when i see hardcore, longtime fans saying things like above
that tells me there is a serious problem
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Post by ArArArchStanton on Sept 7, 2023 3:04:26 GMT 1
Not even close to a DC level debacle, where 90% of everything was a laugh out loud garbage fire. Seriously, I have loved the DCEU for the shear entertainment value of how to do a slow motion train wreck on such a grand scale. Never seen anything like it and the attempt to apologize for it by its want to be fans. But the MCU has never done that. Itâs just theyâve hit a creative and real world point that has not panned out how they hoped and they may be so scattershot they need a bit of a redirection to ever rectify it. I never thought much of the multiverse angle and Iâve said that from the start, specifically because itâs one that almost guarantees an unfocused nature. There are way too many other factors at play to even come close to claiming I predicted this, for instance, the exterior real world issues, and the sandbox approach that has somehow not built momentum for the bulk of new characters, even if theyâre beloved. Everybody is just sort of sitting in stasis. I think if they just wrapped this multiverse nonsense up, and kicked back off with a more streamlined and focused approach theyâd be fine. As I said, thereâs been no DC unsalvageable disaster, so they just need the right direction.
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Post by primemcgee on Sept 7, 2023 4:08:52 GMT 1
The mainstream superhero film is dead in my view. They would be better off backing off from the universe approach and just do individual self-contained stories (on a cheaper budget for a smaller target audience). They won't listen to me of course but that's the burden of being right.
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Post by Jayman on Sept 7, 2023 6:27:27 GMT 1
I have kind of tuned out in the last several months. My passion for it is fading. I am more interested in focusing on Star Trek and Star Wars and other things now.
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Post by AQUA KEN! on Sept 7, 2023 8:38:45 GMT 1
Full fledged reboot by Sam Raimi!
Preferably with pronouns now.
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 7, 2023 16:39:07 GMT 1
i am far from an expert on mcu, so i will refrain from giving advice but when i see hardcore, longtime fans saying things like above that tells me there is a serious problem There is a serious problem. The Rhody twist happened on a DisneyFlix show and upcoming Armor Wars film about Rhody is going to just expect everyone to have watched a much-maligned flop like Secret Wars. And expect them to be okay with Rhody having been an imposter for the final stretch of Civil War, and all of Infinity War, Endgame, and whatever other appearances Rhody has had since then.
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Post by AQUA JAR!⢠on Sept 7, 2023 17:25:51 GMT 1
I have kind of tuned out in the last several months. My passion for it is fading. I am more interested in focusing on Star Trek and Star Wars and other things now. SMART!
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Post by AQUA JAR!⢠on Sept 7, 2023 17:29:07 GMT 1
i am far from an expert on mcu, so i will refrain from giving advice but when i see hardcore, longtime fans saying things like above that tells me there is a serious problem There is a serious problem. The Rhody twist happened on a DisneyFlix show and upcoming Armor Wars film about Rhody is going to just expect everyone to have watched a much-maligned flop like Secret Wars. And expect them to be okay with Rhody having been an imposter for the final stretch of Civil War, and all of Infinity War, Endgame, and whatever other appearances Rhody has had since then. wow i don't even know what to say about that
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Post by AQUA JAR!⢠on Sept 7, 2023 17:31:24 GMT 1
Full fledged reboot by Sam Raimi! Preferably with pronouns now. be careful not to yell out "W_ M__ N___ A C_______ R_____!" or you might risk summoning the ghost of colden haulfield here
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 7, 2023 17:40:24 GMT 1
There is a serious problem. The Rhody twist happened on a DisneyFlix show and upcoming Armor Wars film about Rhody is going to just expect everyone to have watched a much-maligned flop like Secret Wars. And expect them to be okay with Rhody having been an imposter for the final stretch of Civil War, and all of Infinity War, Endgame, and whatever other appearances Rhody has had since then. wow i don't even know what to say about that I have something to say about it: this is worse than what Rian Johnson did to Luke Skywalker. Yeah, it was a filmmaker thinking himself cleverer than he really is while being downright spiteful towards Star Wars for daring to have expectations about something they love. But this direction of Luke doesn't rob the previous films of their emotional weight. Because at least that was still Luke doing all those things. This Rhody twists robs Rhody's character of all emotional and narrative weight and agency. Many of this character's best moments came from Infinity War/Endgame, and the character we met in 2008 has now been robbed of that.
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Post by AQUA KEN! on Sept 7, 2023 17:53:05 GMT 1
I still hold the opinion that Feige just got lucky with the Infinity Saga.
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 7, 2023 20:30:41 GMT 1
I still hold the opinion that Feige just got lucky with the Infinity Saga. I think losing all the original Phase One directors, having Jon Favreau take on an increasingly small part behind-the-scenes, losing Joss Whedon who was a series architect behind-the-scenes, and later, losing James Gunn and the Russos (even if the latter was amicable), hurt the series in the long-term. The series essentially lost most of its original masterminds who helped Feige shape it into something with a definite direction and a conclusion in mind they could work towards with a rough idea of what they need to meet those ends. Then later, Gunn and the Russos, who were talented enough to pick up the slack for the first wave of MCU creators. The MCU, bare minimum, needed SOME of those guys to stick around, because it's apparent that Feige needs a team of the right people.
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Post by Indiana Jones on Sept 7, 2023 23:05:54 GMT 1
Change the things that people donât like, and then move on. *shrugs* Iâm not sure how many people outside the die-hard fandom (and angry YouTubers) is aware of the more controversial creative decisions made. People will come out to support it if they think it looks good.
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Post by AQUA CAT! on Sept 7, 2023 23:27:39 GMT 1
It's hard to say. My instinct is put together a new series with new characters. Make an X-Men or a Fantastic Four series. Have the same aesthetic apply as the MCU, i.e. same screen ratio, same studios designing the graphics, same cinematography, but apply different characters and their worlds.
I'll venture that the MCU was the first real comic book property outside of Batman and Blade to put the visuals to something near comic book accuracy. The MCU showed me the technology is there to make an Iron Man suit, or a Thor outfit, or a Thanos or a Loki, and put them in the real world. It did a good job of establishing its own in-universe rules that justified the outfits. Iron Man made his suit and has a thing for "hot rod red". Thor's outfit is his every day clothes. Captain America's outfit was a costume of jingoistic propaganda repurposed into a military outfit and subsequently a symbol. The MCU used its internal logic to justify its aesthetics in a way the X-Men movies, for better or worse, did not. Another property like the X-Men or the Fantastic Four under the MCU aesthetic with Disney's money could illuminate untold worlds, like the Shi'ar Empire, or the Savage Land. The material is there. It's up to them to make it work.
I also think the MCU should reign in its runtimes. Not every film needs to be an epic or recruit a billion dollar box office. Some of them need to be movies. The scope and size of the recent ones is too much. Some stakes need to be smaller and more intimate to justify the impending union of the heroes against greater threats. Iron Man's first nemesis was his business partner. Captain America started against a rogue Nazi. Scarlet Widow and Hawkeye are elites recruited into a battle much bigger than the sums of their parts. What makes superheroes enduring is the comfort fantasy that anybody can be one. The teambuilding needs to start on the ground floor where humans unaided by powers can get in. Capture that feel that anyone can invent their way into fighting for the fate of the universe.
If necessary, do like Into the Spiderverse and start from the presumption that their universe is the main universe, and the universe of the Avengers/Thanos/Guardians/Darcy is just another universe in the spectrum.
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Sept 8, 2023 9:57:49 GMT 1
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Post by AQUA KEN! on Sept 8, 2023 12:25:02 GMT 1
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 9, 2023 5:06:02 GMT 1
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Post by Grandmaster on Sept 12, 2023 6:33:30 GMT 1
Grandmaster, anothermarvelguy, anthonyrocks, ar33, ArArArchStanton, archelaus,@bizzaroanticlark, bodawg70, AQUA CAT!, Chalice_Of_Evil, chalk3, Rex Manning, charzhino, constructioncutie, crisisvarietyhour, cyberneticshark, darkmagician1971, Dave Stoller, detour, equality72521, gameboy,@ghostyghostington, gromel, hatseflats, AQUA KEN!, hobowar, hyundaifromyuggoth, jacklaridian, AQUA JAMES!, Jan El SeĂąor, Jayman, jermainewatson, josephjoestar1, jrent2000, justanaveragejoe, Lilith, Loki, Lord Ackbar, Lord Death Man, lordofthunder, mannyfresh, marieke, maximura, Merv, miike80, monicah, movieliker, myachingackbarraddus, Nightman, penneh,@phistosgauntlet, Indiana Jones, AQUA JAR!â˘, primemcgee, ramz, RiP, IMDb, sallythemcugirl, AQUA SALZ!, sendherbud,@shadyvsesham, shieldmaidensa, spiderman2099, Spike Del Rey, $portsFan, springheeljack1837, taylorfirst1, AQUA EDGE!, BATCOWâ˘, thestannimal, thisguy4000, travisbeyond, trekkersdelight, UniSol GR77, vegasthanos, vincentvanspock, wickedkittiesmom, winterking, AQUA RAPTOR!,
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Post by AQUA CAT! on Sept 12, 2023 15:37:58 GMT 1
Grandmaster , anothermarvelguy , anthonyrocks , ar33 , ArArArchStanton , archelaus ,@bizzaroanticlark, bodawg70 , AQUA CAT! , Chalice_Of_Evil , chalk3 , Rex Manning , charzhino , constructioncutie , crisisvarietyhour , cyberneticshark , darkmagician1971 , Dave Stoller , detour , equality72521 , gameboy ,@ghostyghostington, gromel , hatseflats , AQUA KEN! , hobowar , hyundaifromyuggoth , jacklaridian , AQUA JAMES! , Jan El Seùor , Jayman , jermainewatson , josephjoestar1 , jrent2000 , justanaveragejoe , Lilith , Loki , Lord Ackbar , Lord Death Man , lordofthunder , mannyfresh , marieke , maximura , Merv , miike80 , monicah , movieliker , myachingackbarraddus , Nightman , penneh ,@phistosgauntlet, Indiana Jones , AQUA JAR!⢠, primemcgee , ramz , RiP, IMDb , sallythemcugirl , AQUA SALZ! , sendherbud ,@shadyvsesham , shieldmaidensa , spiderman2099 , Spike Del Rey , $portsFan , springheeljack1837 , taylorfirst1 , AQUA EDGE! , BATCOW⢠, thestannimal , thisguy4000 , travisbeyond , trekkersdelight , UniSol GR77 , vegasthanos , vincentvanspock , wickedkittiesmom , winterking , AQUA RAPTOR! , I'll do my best to catch up but on top of starting a intimidating new semester I'm sure as 10 dimes buys a dollar I have Covid19. First time after all this time. This will be me later today. Also this:
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Post by Lord Death Man on Sept 12, 2023 15:55:23 GMT 1
Grandmaster , anothermarvelguy , anthonyrocks , ar33 , ArArArchStanton , archelaus ,@bizzaroanticlark, bodawg70 , AQUA CAT! , Chalice_Of_Evil , chalk3 , Rex Manning , charzhino , constructioncutie , crisisvarietyhour , cyberneticshark , darkmagician1971 , Dave Stoller , detour , equality72521 , gameboy ,@ghostyghostington, gromel , hatseflats , AQUA KEN! , hobowar , hyundaifromyuggoth , jacklaridian , AQUA JAMES! , Jan El Seùor , Jayman , jermainewatson , josephjoestar1 , jrent2000 , justanaveragejoe , Lilith , Loki , Lord Ackbar , Lord Death Man , lordofthunder , mannyfresh , marieke , maximura , Merv , miike80 , monicah , movieliker , myachingackbarraddus , Nightman , penneh ,@phistosgauntlet, Indiana Jones , AQUA JAR!⢠, primemcgee , ramz , RiP, IMDb , sallythemcugirl , AQUA SALZ! , sendherbud ,@shadyvsesham , shieldmaidensa , spiderman2099 , Spike Del Rey , $portsFan , springheeljack1837 , taylorfirst1 , AQUA EDGE! , BATCOW⢠, thestannimal , thisguy4000 , travisbeyond , trekkersdelight , UniSol GR77 , vegasthanos , vincentvanspock , wickedkittiesmom , winterking , AQUA RAPTOR! , I'll do my best to catch up but on top of starting a intimidating new semester I'm sure as 10 dimes buys a dollar I have Covid19. First time after all this time. This will be me later today. Also this: Get better soon, man. And good luck at school.
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 12, 2023 16:39:29 GMT 1
Grandmaster , anothermarvelguy , anthonyrocks , ar33 , ArArArchStanton , archelaus ,@bizzaroanticlark, bodawg70 , AQUA CAT! , Chalice_Of_Evil , chalk3 , Rex Manning , charzhino , constructioncutie , crisisvarietyhour , cyberneticshark , darkmagician1971 , Dave Stoller , detour , equality72521 , gameboy ,@ghostyghostington, gromel , hatseflats , AQUA KEN! , hobowar , hyundaifromyuggoth , jacklaridian , AQUA JAMES! , Jan El Seùor , Jayman , jermainewatson , josephjoestar1 , jrent2000 , justanaveragejoe , Lilith , Loki , Lord Ackbar , Lord Death Man , lordofthunder , mannyfresh , marieke , maximura , Merv , miike80 , monicah , movieliker , myachingackbarraddus , Nightman , penneh ,@phistosgauntlet, Indiana Jones , AQUA JAR!⢠, primemcgee , ramz , RiP, IMDb , sallythemcugirl , AQUA SALZ! , sendherbud ,@shadyvsesham , shieldmaidensa , spiderman2099 , Spike Del Rey , $portsFan , springheeljack1837 , taylorfirst1 , AQUA EDGE! , BATCOW⢠, thestannimal , thisguy4000 , travisbeyond , trekkersdelight , UniSol GR77 , vegasthanos , vincentvanspock , wickedkittiesmom , winterking , AQUA RAPTOR! , I'll do my best to catch up but on top of starting a intimidating new semester I'm sure as 10 dimes buys a dollar I have Covid19. First time after all this time. This will be me later today. Also this: Get well soon, man.
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Post by Lord Death Man on Sept 12, 2023 16:42:10 GMT 1
Any way you slice it, it looks like Marvel is in deep trouble. About half the community feels the current challenges are survivable, but the other half feels they should fold up the tent and start something new or just go home. Maybe Sakaar should switch to an all-football, all-the-time format? Some people are indifferent; it's on to the next thing for them. Others are derisive; they've been waiting a decade+ for something like this to happen, and it's finally here. Others still seem lost in a maze of disappointment, anger, and frustration. Even though I don't share it, that's a more understandable response to me; given the investment in time and money many made in the MCU, the dramatic drop in quality must seem like the worst of betrayals. This is quite a way to fall for a brand that was almost single-handedly propping up the industry not so long ago. Maybe it all was just a firestorm of luck. As an avid comic book reader, I think we're more accustomed to the idea of a new creative team taking over a book after a storied run. You may hang in there for an issue or two with the new team, but it's usually clear early on that it's time to set the title aside and wait for better days. In the interim, you never give up on the characters because you know they'll be back on top before you know it. For those of us who are a bit more moderate in our tolerance for error in the creative process, Sakaar and other gathering places used to discuss the comic book medium (and the films derived from it) may not be worth the investment in time as they used to be. A sad state of affairs, to be sure. Thanks to all who participated in the poll and left comments. If you tend to skip the POC, you may want to make an exception for episode 22, as we have a new segment focusing exclusively on community engagement. Excelsior. Grandmaster , anothermarvelguy , anthonyrocks , ar33 , ArArArchStanton , archelaus ,@bizzaroanticlark, bodawg70 , AQUA CAT! , Chalice_Of_Evil , chalk3 , Rex Manning , charzhino , constructioncutie , crisisvarietyhour , cyberneticshark , darkmagician1971 , Dave Stoller , detour , equality72521 , gameboy ,@ghostyghostington, gromel , hatseflats , AQUA KEN! , hobowar , hyundaifromyuggoth , jacklaridian , AQUA JAMES! , Jan El Seùor , Jayman , jermainewatson , josephjoestar1 , jrent2000 , justanaveragejoe , Lilith , Loki , Lord Ackbar , Lord Death Man , lordofthunder , mannyfresh , marieke , maximura , Merv , miike80 , monicah , movieliker , myachingackbarraddus , Nightman , penneh ,@phistosgauntlet, Indiana Jones , AQUA JAR!⢠, primemcgee , ramz , RiP, IMDb , sallythemcugirl , AQUA SALZ! , sendherbud ,@shadyvsesham , shieldmaidensa , spiderman2099 , Spike Del Rey , $portsFan , springheeljack1837 , taylorfirst1 , BATCOW⢠, thestannimal , thisguy4000 , travisbeyond , trekkersdelight , UniSol GR77 , vegasthanos , vincentvanspock , wickedkittiesmom , winterking , AQUA RAPTOR! ,
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Post by taylorfirst1 on Sept 12, 2023 17:04:58 GMT 1
They need to produce fewer projects of the best quality possible. Focus on a few main characters and one over-arching story line. Also, the marketing needs to get a lot better and more creative.
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Post by ArArArchStanton on Sept 12, 2023 17:05:54 GMT 1
I find myself somewhat in the camp of all of these. I find it recoverable but I wouldnât at all be offended by a completely new take. I think theyâve tried to cast a wide net which is understandable but through a combination of exterior circumstances and a lack of clear direction the âmust watchâ factor has dissipated and they havenât helped themselves by nerfing some returning characters like Abomination and even Daredevil. Part of this was inevitable though. They had to try something new, and theyâd already done the best thing ever which none of this takes away. Grave spitting by anyone who was waiting for an inevitable downfall is just pathetic. But again, I think they need a hard new direction. Maybe not a reboot, but a pause on what theyâve got and a tight focused direction going forward.
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Post by taylorfirst1 on Sept 12, 2023 17:13:11 GMT 1
I find myself somewhat in the camp of all of these. I find it recoverable but I wouldnât at all be offended by a completely new take. I think theyâve tried to cast a wide net which is understandable but through a combination of exterior circumstances and a lack of clear direction the âmust watchâ factor has dissipated and they havenât helped themselves by nerfing some returning characters like Abomination and even Daredevil. Part of this was inevitable though. They had to try something new, and theyâd already done the best thing ever which none of this takes away. Grave spitting by anyone who was waiting for an inevitable downfall is just pathetic. But again, I think they need a hard new direction. Maybe not a reboot, but a pause on what theyâve got and a tight focused direction going forward. The Abomination and Daredevil things are great examples. In the case of DD, they are aleinating a big piece of the fan base by saying "it's the same actor and it's similar to before but it's also different." You have too many characters as it is, there's no reason to screw around with this one just because you can. It will just confuse some people and annoy others that love the character the way he already existed in the Netflix shows.
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 12, 2023 17:23:57 GMT 1
Lord Death Man, I think part of it was that Phases 1-3 had the right talent, and most of the people who made Phases 1-3 what they were left. Feige really should have fought to hang onto the Phase 1 directors and challenged Horn's decision to fire Gunn more overtly and publicly.
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Post by Lord Death Man on Sept 12, 2023 20:57:32 GMT 1
Lord Death Man , I think part of it was that Phases 1-3 had the right talent, and most of the people who made Phases 1-3 what they were left. Feige really should have fought to hang onto the Phase 1 directors and challenged Horn's decision to fire Gunn more overtly and publicly. I can't argue any of your points; they are well made. Whenever I examine the situation with Marvel's current trajectory, I always like to scale up my thinking to the big picture. In the realm of business, especially when we discuss project management, one can envision a pyramid with three pivotal parameters: Scope, Cost, and Scheduling. Each facet of this pyramid is intrinsically linked, with changes to one corner invariably affecting the others. For instance, if you curtail the budget, there's an inevitable push-pull effect. The scope might have to be downscaled, or the timeline extended. Marvel, in its recent strategies, made adjustments to their pyramid. It seems they harbored the ambition of increasing the scope/footprint of their projects. However, this reconfiguration arguably took a toll on quality. With higher allocations for production costs, there appears to have been a diminished emphasis on securing and retaining premier talent in pivotal roles such as writing, and direction (some deference was clearly paid to acting). Your point on Phases 1-3 resonates with me. The distinctiveness of those phases was largely due to the collective brilliance of its contributors. The transitions and decisions post that phase might have undermined the consistent excellence that fans had come to expect.
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Sept 12, 2023 22:30:17 GMT 1
Lord Death Man , I think part of it was that Phases 1-3 had the right talent, and most of the people who made Phases 1-3 what they were left. Feige really should have fought to hang onto the Phase 1 directors and challenged Horn's decision to fire Gunn more overtly and publicly. I can't argue any of your points; they are well made. Whenever I examine the situation with Marvel's current trajectory, I always like to scale up my thinking to the big picture. In the realm of business, especially when we discuss project management, one can envision a pyramid with three pivotal parameters: Scope, Cost, and Scheduling. Each facet of this pyramid is intrinsically linked, with changes to one corner invariably affecting the others. For instance, if you curtail the budget, there's an inevitable push-pull effect. The scope might have to be downscaled, or the timeline extended. Marvel, in its recent strategies, made adjustments to their pyramid. It seems they harbored the ambition of increasing the scope/footprint of their projects. However, this reconfiguration arguably took a toll on quality. With higher allocations for production costs, there appears to have been a diminished emphasis on securing and retaining premier talent in pivotal roles such as writing, and direction (some deference was clearly paid to acting). Your point on Phases 1-3 resonates with me. The distinctiveness of those phases was largely due to the collective brilliance of its contributors. The transitions and decisions post that phase might have undermined the consistent excellence that fans had come to expect. All very true. I think it's a combination of issues. Their output has over-inflated, and they just don't have the talent behind the camera to make more of these work. I think we can agree their current selection of directors has exacerbated the issue a great deal. After a certain point, with exceptions, Feige started hiring either young directors or unknown directors, all with limited bodies of work, all near the bottom of Hollywood's hierarchy, and all easy to control. For a series that has to have all its moving parts working the way they want, I get why. The directors can't just go hog-wild with a character the franchise needs to do this and that later on. But at the same time, this current crop of directors are just not cutting it. They lack the experience, expertise, and voice of those earlier MCU directors. Ironman I and II is unmistakable as anything but Jon Favreau films. The Shane Blackisms are strong in Ironman 3 (for better or worse). Even Louis Leterrier's style is evident in a film like Incredible Hulk which had executive meddling. The original Thor is without doubt a Kenneth Branaugh effort. James Gunn put his thumbprint all over Guardians of the Galaxy and no amount of Windex is ever going to get them off, and the Russos have a grim voice that's not out of place in a dark political thriller. And Captain America: The First Avenger might as well be Joe Johnson's unmade Rocketeer sequel. I think a lot of their issues could be mitigated if they were still seeking out experienced writers and directors with a long history in the industry. Emphasis on "could". Not saying this would fix even half their issues.
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