Bob Iger Pushes Back on the Idea of “Superhero Fatigue”
Following last year’s duel failures of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels at the box office, the phrase “superhero fatigue” has been thrown around with increased frequency.
While it is true that Marvel Studios struggled in unparalleled ways last year (I’m looking at you, Secret Invasion), the studio also had its share of successes.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was an undeniable winner at the box office last year, grossing $848.6 million dollars and earning an 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, season 2 of Loki delivered strong viewership ratings and critical praise on Disney+.
This year, Echo was well received by fans and critics alike and scored strong streaming numbers on Disney and Hulu.
While Marvel may need to improve the quality of some of its releases, reports of the studio’s demise have been overstated.
Bob Iger Continues to Preach Quality
At today’s Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference, Bob Iger pushed back at the idea that superhero fatigue has set in. Instead, he noted that audiences just want quality products.
After noting that it was “not an accident” that the first 33 Marvel films generated just under $30 billion at the box office, Iger cited Oppenheimer as the kind of success that studios are still having.
“A lot of people think it’s audience fatigue, it’s not audience fatigue. They want great films. And if you build it great, they will come and there are countless examples of that. Some are ours and some are others. ‘Oppenheimer’ is a perfect example of that. Just a fantastic film,” Iger said.
Less is More
The answer, Iger asserts, is that Marvel needs to slow down its output and focus.
“Focus is really important. We reduced the output of Marvel, both the number of films they make, and the number of TV shows, and that really becomes critical, but I feel good about the team. I feel good about the IP we’re making. I talked about a lot of the projects. We look years ahead, really. And it’s iterative.”
Marvel Studios has been open about the fact that it may have been stretched too thin with the advent of MCU streaming series on Disney+. Now, Marvel is not only going to pace itself better to ensure quality, but it is also overhauling how it makes television.
Iger believes that with an increased focus on quality, Marvel will be back on top soon.
“Not only do you look at the films you’re making, you look at every part of that process, who the directors are, who’s being cast, reading scripts, I personally watch films three to five times with the team and just create a culture of excellence and respect which is really important with the creative community,” he added. “And again, the track record speaks for itself.”
Enter ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
The first big test of 2024 for Marvel will be the release of Deadpool & Wolverine. The highly anticipated film is Marvel’s only box-office release this year.
Iger, for one, is confident. The film, he predicts, “will be one of the more successful Marvel movies we’ve had in a long time.”
Deadpool & Wolverine will hit theaters on July 26, 2024.
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