MCU: 10 Reasons Why Phase 4 Has Failed
3. COVID-19 Hurt Production
It would be unfair not to mention the elephant in the room.
In early 2020, COVID-19 up-ended life around the globe, and the film industry was one of the many hit hard by the ravages of the pandemic. Not only were movie productions halted, but theatres worldwide were closed down. Marvel Studios tackled these hurdles as best they could. Disney intended Black Widow's hybrid release to give audiences a chance to stay home and stay safe, but this resulted in a lackluster box office and a highly-public spat with Scarjo.
Likewise, Thor: Love and Thunder and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness faced troubled and rushed productions due to pandemic restrictions. The cast of Guardians of the Galaxy had to quarantine for two weeks before they could film their glorified cameos in Love and Thunder, and this obstacle translated to lifeless and perfunctory performances onscreen. Not only were performances affected, but a backlog of VFX work caused by the pandemic made for uneven special effects in both pictures.
Hopefully, Marvel's next Phase will be free from such concerns. Kevin Feige may well get his mojo back when things are more normal and Phase 4's troubles might prove to be only a hiccup.