The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to defy the odds in terms of its critical and financial success. After 30 films, the MCU has grossed just shy of $28 billion worldwide. For comparison, the second highest-grossing franchise of all time, Star Wars, sits at $10 billion. Furthermore, Phases 5 and 6 are mapped out through 2026 as the studio refuses to slow down. How long can this unprecedented run last? Producer Nate Moore shared his thoughts about the longevity of the MCU on The Town podcast with The Ringer‘s Matt Belloni.
“I mean, I think it can go for a long time,” said Moore. “I think we have to continue to… We can’t sit back on our laurels. We can’t think we have the answers. We have to continue to push the envelope as far as genre and what we’re willing to explore. But to me, Marvel movies are just movies. Our source material is just… It’d be like saying, ‘Hey, are movies about books gonna go on forever?’ Probably.”
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Marvel’s dominance is now spreading to television thanks to Disney+. With multiple new hit shows airing every year, the MCU continues to grow at an astounding rate, and Moore further explained why streaming can help extend Marvel’s shelf life.
“One of the great things about Disney+ was, we got to tell stories that we were like, ‘I don’t know if we’re gonna be able to tell that story,’” continued Moore. “And now, we’re like, ‘Oh, we have another outlet?’ Because we don’t wanna make ten movies a year. That’s gonna be bad. Moon Knight, for instance. We’ve been talking about Moon Knight for a long time and it just couldn’t get on the slate ’cause there’s too much stuff. But all of a sudden, we have a secondary outlet where we could tell six hours of a cool Moon Knight story that otherwise doesn’t exist. And I think there are a lot of other properties that we haven’t had a chance to tell. So, I think it can go on for a while, forever’s a long time. We certainly don’t feel like we’re done.”
Marvel will kick off Phase 5 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which hits theaters on February 17, 2023.
Do you think Marvel can continue to stay relevant over the next several years? Leave your predictions in the comments below!
Recommended Reading: Marvel Encyclopedia, New Edition
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