13 Huge Mistakes That Are Killing The MCU

The fall of a cinematic titan...

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Wanda
Marvel Studios

Once upon a time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a legitimately great franchise. It provided a seemingly endless stream of superhero smash-hits that were not only infectiously entertaining, but also had a huge heart.

But that was then. This is now.

And now, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is dying. The response to most of the IP's recent products has been very lukewarm and deservedly so. Most of the MCU's films since then have been substandard and the Disney+ TV shows have been wildly hit-or-miss too.

So, what's going on? Well, one can wonder about that until the cows come home. Maybe studio interference is blighting the series, maybe the producers don't know which direction to take the series, or maybe all that box office success has made them complacent.

Regardless of the reason, the MCU is doing a Simpsons and completely declining - and you really, really hate to see it.

These following 13 things are the biggest recurring mistakes that most of the recent MCU films and shows have made. If Marvel Studios want there to still be an audience by the time Avengers: The Kang Dynasty rolls around in 2025, they need to fix these issues pronto...

13. The Series Just Delivered Four Of Its Worst Films In The Space Of A Year

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Wanda
Marvel Studios

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered six films since the franchise's return to cinemas following COVID-19, and quality-wise, it's really been a bit of a disaster.

Yes, Spider-Man: No Way Home was great and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was solid, but those are the exceptions. The less said about the other four post-COVID MCU films, the better.

Black Widow was a soulless and mediocre sort-of prequel that failed miserably to give a beloved character the great send-off she deserved. Eternals was a stunningly dull slog that wasted so much potential and was just depressing to watch.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a shambolic mess from top to bottom that ruined characters and Marvel lore to no end, and as for Thor: Love and Thunder? Well, it's not as bad as the other three but it's still not good. It's another storytelling fail that doesn't even provide the big laughs most were hoping for.

So, the MCU has just delivered not one, not two, not three but four of its worst films in the space of 12 months. If that's not a sign that a franchise is dying, then what the hell is?

The tail-end of Phase 3 wasn't exactly a rosy picture either. Ant-Man and the Wasp and Captain Marvel were disappointments, and Spider-Man: Far from Home, though much better than either of those two, still wasn't the franchise at its best.

Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.