How The MCU Got So BIG

The Infinity Saga is finished, with Spider-Man: Far From Home giving us a nice little plot-hook for Phase 4. And while cinematic releases are going through a rough patch right now, the MCU plans to continue onwards.

It’s astonishing how Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame culminated years worth of storytelling so succinctly, with many a character’s story ending with a satisfying conclusion.

In the age of unlimited entertainment and endless streaming, showrunners and franchisees are constantly vying for our undivided attention. TV series stretch on and on while reboots of decades-old films fill the market, and it feels like nothing will ever end. It’s refreshing to see a franchise permanently close some doors for good.

Marvel has been building up to this moment for years. Feige, Marvel, and Disney have been laying the brickwork for Infinity Saga’s end, with every end-credits scene teasing another Infinity Stone, unseen characters, and Thanos inching closer and closer to Earth.

MCU has excelled by having this endgame strategy implemented early. An Avengers film was in talks in 2003, with Marvel keeping fans updated with sprawling release dates year by year.

Endgame neatly wrapped up ten years’ worth of content. It’s mind-bogglingly impressive with so many characters, storylines, and lore to work around. With Feige treating the MCU like a comic, he knew that every story arc must end.

While Marvel Studios adores its characters, with the past twenty-three films showcasing incredible character development, they know when to let them go. Stark sums it up pretty well:

“Part of the journey is the end.”