The Russo Brothers Don’t Believe in Superhero Fatigue
It is no secret that Marvel Studios has struggled since the release of Avengers: Endgame.
While the studio managed to keep the momentum going in the immediate aftermath of Endgame, which saw the exits of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson from the franchise, 2023 saw the wheels fall off.
Following the disappointing runs that both Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels had at the box office, critics and fans alike were quick to write the MCU’s obituary, citing “superhero fatigue” as the cause of death.
The Russo Brothers Talk Superhero Fatigue
In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, however, Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who also delivered the Captain America trilogy, argued that Marvel’s recent issues were symptomatic of a larger problem in Hollywood.
“I think it’s a reflection of the current state of everything. It’s difficult right now, it’s an interesting time,” Joe Russo said. “I think we’re in a transitional period and people don’t know quite yet how they’re going to receive stories moving forward, or what kinds of stories they’re going to want.”
The bigger issue, according to the Russo Brothers, is that streaming has changed how generations consume media. The theater experience is not an exclusive way to Hollywood’s biggest films.
“There’s a big generational divide about how you consume media,” he continued. “There’s a generation that’s used to appointment viewing and going to a theater on a certain date to see something, but it’s aging out. Meanwhile the new generation are ‘I want it now, I want to process it now,’ then moving onto the next thing, which they process whilst doing two other things at the same time. You know, it’s a very different moment in time than it’s ever been. And so I think everyone, including Marvel, is experiencing the same thing, this transition. And I think that really is probably what’s at play more than anything else.”
Is the Movie Format Dying?
According to Joe Russo, the issue runs deeper than just streaming. Audiences these days are used to consuming content in quick hits on social media such as TikTok. The question, then, is whether or not the long-form format of movies has become obsolete.
“I think that the two-hour format, the structure that goes into making a movie, it’s over a century old now and everything always transitions,” he added. “So, there is something happening again and that form is repetitive. But it’s hard to reinvent that form and I think this next generation is looking for ways to tell their own stories that service their own sort of collective ADHD.”
Anthony Russo, for one, doesn’t believe that superhero fatigue is the problem or that the genre has run its course. Instead, he believes that superhero fatigue can be reinvented and thrive.
“The superhero fatigue question was around long before the work we were doing,” Anthony continued. “So, it’s sort of an eternal complaint, like we always used to cite this back in our early days with superhero work. People used to complain about westerns in the same way but they lasted for decades and decades and decades. They were continually reinvented and brought to new heights as they went on.”
The Ultimate Test Is Coming
The Russos’ theory may be true. However, whether it’s Marvel or Hollywood as a whole, which audiences have grown weary of, the problem remains.
The next test for the genre will come on July 26, when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters. If the film doesn’t live up to its lofty expectations, it very well could cement the demise of the MCU.