While the MCU is still one of the most popular superhero franchises of all time, it’s showing signs that it’s running out of steam.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most successful franchises in the world, earning billions of dollars at the box office and worldwide recognition. However, the MCU franchise isn’t what it once was, and it’s no longer seeing the same hype and success it did before.
RELATED:10 Marvel Monster Comics Perfect For Halloween
More people have become uninterested in the MCU due to recurring flaws, including forced humor, a repetitive formula, and unsatisfying character arcs. Although the franchise still sees massive returns, many people believe the MCU is running out of steam and no longer view the franchise with awe and excitement.
CBR VIDEO OF THE DAYClose
10/10The MCU Is Too Reliant On Cheap Jokes
The MCU’s earliest films were superb at incorporating humor into otherwise serious and tense movies. The jokes were elegantly woven into the narratives, helping to tell the story and create funny character interactions. Sadly, the MCU soon became overly reliant on jokes.
In later MCU movies, jokes frequently interrupt the flow of the story, which means projects like Love and Thunder play more like a mid-tier sitcom. Marvel keeps shoe-horning in humor during inopportune scenes, lessening the stakes and emotional impact. This has become a major complaint among MCU fans, but it doesn’t look like the intrusive humor is going away anytime soon.
9/10The MCU Didn’t Do Certain Characters Justice
The titular hero in a superhero film should always be interesting and fun to watch. If there’s no compelling hero at the forefront of the movie, the film suffers as a result. For many fans, Captain Marvel failed to have a captivating hero.
RELATED:10 Marvel Heroes Who Would Be Helpful Roommates
It’s clear that Captain Marvel was meant to be one of the main superheroes after Avengers: Endgame. However, many people, including fans of the comic character, find Captain Marvel to be the least interesting superhero in the MCU. She wasn’t given an interesting character arc, which means the MCU may be dwindling when it comes to interesting and entertaining characters. Additionally, she proves that the MCU doesn’t always treat its characters well.
8/10The Netflix Shows Decreased In Quality
The MCU Netflix shows started strong with the first seasons of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, which were praised for their excellent storytelling and dynamic characters. However, these series quickly lessened in quality and disappointed many fans and critics.
Luke Cage and Iron Fist failed to captivate audiences on the same level Jessica Jones and Daredevil did. Many fans felt that Luke Cage and Iron Fist suffered from pacing issues and didn’t have strong villains to help carry the series. Afterward, Netflix MCU releases weren’t as well-received, with many believing they failed to live up to their potential.
7/10The Spider-Man Movies Show The MCU’s Limitations
Although the MCU’s Spider-Man movies have seen major success, they prove that the franchise’s films don’t feel distinct. When comparing the MCU’s Spidey films to Sam Raimi’s trilogy and Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man duology, it’s clear that the MCU suffers from some limitations.
Whereas Raimi’s trilogy and the Amazing Spider-Man duology are inventive, distinctive, and showcase their respective director’s style, the MCU’s Spider-Man films seem constrained. The result is movies that feel interchangeable and lack individuality. This is in direct contrast to the comic books, which embrace each superhero’s uniqueness with different styles, tones, and themes.
6/10Hulk Is No Longer An Interesting Character
The Hulk started as one the best characters in the MCU with his sympathetic journey and compelling inner struggles. After Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Hulk became more of a joke, losing a lot of the elements that had initially made him so nuanced and compelling.
Films like Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War devolved Hulk’s character journey by including too much humor and not focusing enough on Bruce Banner and Hulk’s relationship. Avengers: Endgame even went as far as to skip over Hulk and Bruce’s character development into Professor Hulk, which upset many viewers. Fans of the Hulk feel that the MCU has neglected him, practically turning him into a fodder character.
5/10She-Hulk: Attorney At Law Received Criticism
Although many people were looking forward to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, the show wound up disappointing many audiences, including comic fans. A number of viewers thought that Attorney at Law had weak humor and found the main character less likable than Black Widow or Daredevil.
RELATED:Superhero Shows 10 Most Frustrating Deus Ex Machina
While Attorney At Law is not without its fans, it still suffers from criticism. Many feel that this criticism is unfounded, but either way, the MCU shows no longer receive the same overwhelming praise they once did. Attorney at Law has made fewer people excited for future MCU shows.
4/10Lots Of Fans Left After Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame was an enormous hit and people commonly refer to it as one of the best MCU films. However, Endgame was also the point that many people stopped watching the MCU movies.
Many fans believed that the main overarching story of the MCU films had finally concluded. As a result, some audiences felt there was no need to keep investing in the superhero franchise. For those audiences, the MCU was already wearing out its welcome and lessening in quality as it continued.
3/10More Fans Are Voicing Their Dislike Of The Franchise
While the MCU has garnered many fans, the franchise has also received many detractors. What’s noticeable is that many MCU detractors are actually former MCU fans who became disillusioned with the franchise.
RELATED:6 Times Spider-Man Was The Best Hero In The MCU
An increasing number of MCU fans are voicing their dislike of the franchise. One drawback of releasing some of the best superhero films ever made means that other installments can’t live up to the hype. Although the MCU remains popular, its popularity is gradually waning, which may be a sign of things to come.
2/10The Box Office Numbers Don’t Motivate The MCU To Make Better Movies
The MCU suffers from stagnation. The more recent films feel incredibly formulaic and made with less innovation than Phases 1 and 2. However, MCU flicks still do well at the box office, which doesn’t motivate Marvel to make more interesting movies.
Although many people complain about the MCU films feeling repetitive, there’s no reason to make each film distinct and creative. As long as the movies keep hitting the jackpot at the box office, Marvel and Disney will stick to their winning formula, even if it means the overall quality of the MCU hits rock bottom.
1/10MCU Shows And Movies Take The Focus Off The Main Heroes
Fans have noticed a common element in recent MCU outings: the movies and shows are pushing aside their leads to focus on side characters. This has become a major criticism of the modern MCU era, with fans worried that the franchise will throw away its popular heroes to usher in a new generation of characters.
Fans dislike how the TV shows and movies are taking attention away from leads like Hawkeye and Dr. Strange to make way for their protégés. If this trend continues, the hype for the next MCU films may go down because audiences will no longer expect to see the heroes they had grown attached to.
