MCU Bosses Kevin Feige & Louis D’Esposito Address Recent Failures: ‘We Learned Our Lesson’

Summary

• MCU Co-President acknowledges that output has been diluted, plans to reduce films and shows to focus on quality.
• Kevin Feige embraces being underdog again, hints at smaller franchise to exceed expectations like before.
• Disney CEO Bob Iger confirms significant reduction in MCU output to two good films and two TV series a year.

After carving out a major franchise and changing the world of modern blockbuster movie-making as we know it, the MCU has…dipped a little in recent years. Addressing the issues that the world of Marvel has faced lately, Marvel Studios Co-President Louis D’Esposito wonders if perhaps the MCU has been diluted due to the barrage of both movies and TV shows on Disney+.

“Maybe when you do too much, you dilute yourself a little bit. We’re not going to do that anymore. We learned our lesson. Maybe two to three films a year and one or two shows, as opposed to doing four films and four shows.”

Last year saw the franchise suffer some of its worst critical and box office responses ever, with the likes of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania being met with seriously mixed reviews, while The Marvels was such a box office bomb that it reportedly lost Disney around $237 million. Following these failures, D’Esposito says that the studio has “learned our lesson” and hints at a major reduction in output going forward.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, meanwhile, is looking forward to being the “underdog” again. Speaking with Empire, the MCU boss also suggested that the franchise will get smaller again in order to ape its prior successes.

“It’s nice to be able to rally behind one feature project this year. I’m much more comfortable being the underdog. I prefer being able to surprise, and exceed expectations. So it does seem like the last year, which has not been ideal, has set us up well for that.”

Disney CEO Bob Iger Says the MCU Will Reduce Output Significantly

These comments from both D’Esposito and Feige certainly chime with what Disney CEO Bob Iger said recently regarding the MCU. Speaking during the company’s recent earnings call, Iger revealed that the franchise’s output will be slashed to “two good films a year.”

“We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three. And we’re working hard on what that path is.”

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Of course, there is still plenty (maybe too much?) to look forward to from the MCU over the next few years. Next up on the big screen is the highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine, which will see the titular pair embark on an adventure across the multiverse and marks the return of Logan star Hugh Jackman. The likes of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* make up the rest of Phase Five in theaters, with Disney+ all set to debut Agatha, Eyes of Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Daredevil: Born Again, and Ironheart.

Phase Six already appears to be smaller than the likes of Four and Five, beginning with The Fantastic Four and Blade reboots in 2025, followed by Avengers 5 in 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. Here’s hoping that, with a change in strategy, the MCU can recreate its former glory.

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