Kevin Feige Explains Why Marvel’s Phase 4 Was a Little Weird
The first Iron Man movie debuted in 2008 and introduced the world to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU brought a new, more contemporary style to the superhero genre, complete with slick outfits and high stakes. As a result, it attracted a large and appreciative audience. The MCU has become one of the most successful film and television franchises of all time, with box office receipts in the billions and a legion of devoted followers.
That said, Marvel’s Phase 4 has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for fans of the MCU. While some films and shows have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful, others have been met with mixed reactions. Fans have criticized the overall structure of Phase 4, with some feeling that it lacked the cohesion and narrative arc of previous phases. In a recent interview, the President of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, explained why Phase 4 was a little weird and what fans can expect from Phase 5.
Fans think MCU’s Phase 4 seemed so disjointed
One of the biggest criticisms of Phase 4 was its lack of a clear overarching narrative. Previous phases of the MCU had a clear throughline, with each film and show building towards a climactic event, such as the battle against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. Phase 4, however, felt more disjointed, with each project feeling like its own standalone story.
Fans have taken to social media platforms to give their opinions. One Reddit fan wrote, “I have watched everything in the MCU. The previous phases felt like they were building to one big crossover… Phase 4 was largely an epilogue (saying goodbye to old favs and setting up new storylines) for the Infinity Saga, and it’s felt disjointed because of it.”
Over on Twitter, one fan wrote, “Now that Phase 4 is over we can get back to decent focused writing. I know Phase 4 was all just Marvel having fun and doing whatever, but it felt so disjointed.”
Kevin Feige explains why Marvel’s Phase 4 was a little weird
During the screening of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Marvel Entertainment interviewed Feige about his thoughts on MCU’s Phase 4. He said the Marvel Studios team wanted Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home to wrap up the Infinity Saga. According to Feige, Phase 4 focused less on conveying an overarching tale and more on “experimentation, introduction, and reintroduction.”
“We wanted the Infinity Saga to feel complete after Endgame and Far From Home,” said Feige. “But Phase 4, as I’ve said, was all about experimentation, introduction, and reintroduction. And we took our time to have fun, and play in genres we hadn’t played in before, and do all sorts of fun things with these characters.”
Feige’s comments suggest that Phase 4 was meant to be a transitional period for the MCU rather than a continuation of the previous phases. With the departure of several key characters, such as Iron Man and Captain America, the MCU needed to find new avenues to explore.
Kevin Feige says MCU Phase 5 is about connecting the big picture
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania premiered in February, kicking off MCU’s Phase 5. According to Feige, Phase 5 will be about helping to connect things to the bigger picture, the Multiverse.
In the interview with Marvel Entertainment, the Marvel Studios President said, “Like in the Infinity Saga, there will be stand-alone films within the next two phases. But it really is, as you will certainly see in Quantumania, heading towards the very, very big picture. And as we’ve already announced, that big picture is the Multiverse Saga in a very, very big way.”
Phase 5 of the MCU will include 13 projects, including six films and seven television programs on Disney +. Assuming everything goes as planned, Phase 5 is scheduled to end in mid-2024. Shortly after that, in the same year, Deadpool 3 will commence Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
