It’s hard to believe people used to be excited to watch a Marvel movie in the cinema. Whether you were a Marvel fanatic or a parent who begrudgingly agreed to bring your child to the theatres, Marvel movies were (admittedly) an inoffensive 90 minutes of an entertaining story with fun visuals. 

I wasn't the biggest follower of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Still, I was always excited to see another classic rendition of my favourite trope: good guy gets beaten by the bad guy until the last 30 minutes when the good guy suddenly bounces back and saves the world (and ends with a kickass teaser for the sequel). So there I was at every sequel with snacks I smuggled in, ready to do it all again.

But compared to the hype surrounding Marvel movies a couple of years ago, there has recently been an undeniable decaying interest. For that matter, there has been a decaying interest in many movies and cinematic universes. Movie executives claim that this phenomenon represents the fall of all good things in cinema, but I think it's a simple problem.

A Multiverse Too Many

Raise your hands if you can keep track of the number of different timelines and universes introduced in the recent Marvel movies. No? Now, raise your hands if you know that Jim from the Office took a wrong turn to work one day and ended up as the world's most intelligent man in the MCU. Nobody?

And therein lies the problem. 

Don’t get me wrong - cinematic universes and multiple coexisting timelines can work. Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most critically acclaimed movies released in the past few years. Unironically, the Tim Cheese/John Pork multiverse is also captivating enough to warrant its own 90-minute movie.

But when the “because the multiverse!” plotline is reused and recycled for every single release, it starts to become a problem. Even the latest Deadpool movie felt like it was beating this trope to death. Instead of watching characters and their development in insignificant universes, I want to see the growth of characters that we, as the audience, are actually invested in.

Dr. Who?

The MCU lacks a representative character to guide it. That isn’t to say that there aren’t any interesting characters - think Blade, America Chavez, and Moon Knight- but when you reduce them to side characters or shows that don’t get as much coverage as their movies, it’s hard to capitalise on their potential.

In the past, people could name era-defining characters in a heartbeat, but now it feels like Marvel lacks the charisma it once had. 

The solution wouldn't be to reuse the same characters or actors, either—all good things need to come to an end. That brings us to the other issue of the return of Robert Downey Jr. It not only makes Marvel seem unbearably desperate, but it also makes me feel sorry for him. It feels like he’s the subject of Marvel’s weird take on Frankenweenie, where he’s endlessly forced to come back to life after getting a well-deserved send-off. 

No amount of dark magic will save your sinking franchise, Marvel.

Even with the recent success of Daredevil’s new season, it’s hard to feel like Marvel is in control. Whether it be spin-offs, newer characters that don’t resonate with audiences or poor attempts at building on already established characters, Marvel lacks oversight on the cinematic direction, and it shows.

The Blip

Let’s face it: we aren’t getting any younger. Most of us who were the target audience for the Avengers franchise are now in our 20s. 

Marvel might not necessarily be struggling with capturing the attention of newer generations, but it has been poor at retaining ours. And if I’m being honest, I think it’s natural. 

We never went to see the latest MCU film because it was a genre-defining cinematic experience. We went because it was good fun, with flashy visuals and a plot that was easy to digest. So as we get older, much like with other things we loved when we were younger, we outgrow them. 

It’s nice to see that Marvel is trying to bridge this gap, however, with their new movie Thunderbolts set to be directed by Jake Schreier (Beef) and other creatives involved with A24. Maybe this will help ignite our interest in Marvel again, but only time will tell.

I’m not saying that Marvel should change its image and create more ‘adult’ shows to suit our generation. Maybe it’s time to pass the torch onto the newer generations and let them enjoy Marvel movies like we did when we were their age.

Whatever the case, I’m thankful for the memories that Marvel movies gave me. From going to the theatres with friends to having an excuse to bedrot all day with a Marvel marathon, it will always have a special place in my heart.

Issey Eginton is a second-year Law/Commerce student studying at UNSW. He is an avid bass player and enjoys watching movies and shows, listening to and making music. As a Japanese-Australian who has lived in Tokyo for most of his life, he has an interest in Japanese media as well. He is currently reading 彼らの流儀 and White Nights.