The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most successful film franchise of all time, with $23 billion banked already and counting. It has been a cultural phenomenon and has inspired other studios to try to replicate it. The most notable challenger is the DC Extended Universe but, when comparing the two side-by-side, it’s like fillet steak vs a hamburger. The younger franchise has a lot to learn from the MCU and should observe the way it always manages to stay relevant to maintain its freshness.
It Doesn’t Ignore Trends in Mainstream Culture
Marvel is skilful at giving audiences what they want to see, but the writers are also careful about pandering to the masses too much. For example, there had been a lot of talk about a female team-up, so this was included in a memorable scene in the final battle of Avengers: Endgame. Fans sometimes beg to see certain characters paired together, and this often comes to fruition as well.
There are aspects of the films that reference mainstream culture, doubtlessly to expand the MCU’s ever-growing audience. For example, WandaVision paid tribute to popular sitcoms from the last few decades. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings used Macao as a setting, tapping into the vast number of people who play roulette online and other casino games. More people than ever are familiar with the rise of the Asian gambling city now thanks to the growth of the online industry, and the recent movie showed it in all its glory. Naturally, roulette is a game that is fairly iconic in itself.
It Shakes up the Formula
Kevin Feige and his team realised that for the MCU to grow into an unstoppable juggernaut, it was important to shake up the formula on a regular basis. This is why the marketing strategy was divided into different “Phases”. In the early days of Phase One, the focus was on introducing the characters and letting viewers get to know their backgrounds. The likes of Iron Man in 2008 and Thor in 2011 were standalone flicks that had minor universal elements – such as the appearance of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury.
Phase Two shook up the formula more and introduced a greater number of crossovers between characters across the films. It also brought in films such as Ant Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, which were made in a more humorous style than the films that had preceded them. It seems that whenever a marketing method begins to get stale, Marvel changes things and keeps viewers intrigued in this way.
Directors are Given Creative Control
The executives at Marvel have recognised the importance of not only making money at the box office, but also creating pictures that are worthy of accolades in the industry. Black Panther, for instance, was nominated for Best Picture at the 91st Academy Awards. It ultimately lost out to Green Book, but it did win three Oscars in other categories.
Instead of simply hiring directors to make the films that Marvel wants, the producers know that they can develop better titles by giving directors more control. This has led many of the world’s up-and-coming directors to pursue projects in the MCU and put their own spin on the characters. Taika Waititi, for instance, is one of the world’s most promising young filmmakers, and he was recently brought in to make the latest Thor movies.
Other studios that want to replicate the MCU should pay attention to the slow process that has helped it reach the status it is at today. The MCU has been able to evolve seamlessly thanks to the steady introduction of new characters and themes, and it has stayed relevant by adapting to changes in mainstream culture.
