The 21st century so far has been cinematically defined by franchises. It seems now that every production company is scratching the bottom of the barrel for yet another property to dust off for the creation of a cinematic universe. Indiana Jones, John Wick, even The Devil Wears Prada all have or are getting more sequels and spin-offs. The phenomenon, for better or worse, has been a hallmark of entertainment as of late, and it’s all a result of the resounding success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Starting at humble beginnings in 2008 with Iron Man, a movie that was not expected to perform even remotely well, the MCU set on its course. Iron Man went on to gross over $585,000,000 worldwide. A success indeed, but not necessarily one to write home about. After all, it was only the 8th-highest-grossing film of the year, with The Dark Knight coming in first place with over $ 1 billion in gross. However, the writers at Marvel had something novel up their sleeve, which was revealed later that year in June 2008, at the end of The Incredible Hulk, in which Tony Stark appears in a post-credit scene. This is the first time audiences have been exposed to a movie that crosses over with a seemingly unrelated film. The Incredible Hulk was not a sequel to Iron Man, yet they clearly co-existed. This new approach made the world of the growing MCU feel larger, and audiences latched onto it.
Since then, the MCU has produced 37 feature films, in addition to 40 shows. The franchise has grossed over $31 billion, making it the largest-grossing franchise of all time by a significant margin. However, its impact has been more than simply inspiring other production companies to create franchises and unnecessary sequels. The result of this phenomenon has been the ultimate dilution of creativity in mass media. In the 90s and up through the early 2000s, you would see indie movies and standalone films garner significant praise and attention: Sex, Lies, and Videotape and Forest Gump, just to name a few. Now, movies like this are pushed down by production companies, who only see profit in large blockbuster franchises. They have flooded the market with what Martin Scorsese calls “rollercoaster” films that serve as a stimulating experience more than a true storytelling venture. Films in theaters have become a mess of CGI, oddly placed humor (a trope started by the MCU), and nostalgia bait.
As a result, the only refuge for creativity has been streaming services. Instead of watching your legal thriller at the theater on a date, you now watch Presumed Innocent from the comfort of your home on Apple TV+ for $12.99 a month. Audiences have become so accustomed to huge cinematic experiences that they feel no need to go to the theater to watch anything other than just that. However, as the MCU’s profits decline, it’s hard to say what the future holds. However, the MCU has undoubtedly changed the very landscape of entertainment, and will go down not only as the most influential franchise of the 21st century, but likely of all time.
