Disney CEO Boldly Acknowledges and Addresses Criticism Surrounding Marvel's Phase 4

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans aren't the only ones expressing concerns about Phase 4. Disney CEO Bob Iger has also admitted to critical thoughts about the start of the Multiverse Saga. Although the COVID-19 pandemic played a part in Phase 4's release schedule, there were other factors that contributed to the mixed reviews of the post-Endgame films. Despite the success of some movies, such as Thor: Love and Thunder, there were projects that fell short of expectations. In a recent interview with The Wrap, Iger echoed common complaints about Phase 4, revealing his belief that the projects could have performed better. However, he did not single out any specific titles from Phase 4.

We have experienced some disappointments with our recent releases, as we had hoped for better performance. This is not due to any issues with our personnel, but rather our enthusiasm to greatly expand our content primarily for our streaming offerings. This resulted in putting excessive demands on our employees in terms of time and focus, beyond what they were accustomed to.

Marvel serves as a prime example of this. They had not previously been heavily involved in the TV industry. In addition to increasing their movie production, they also ventured into creating several television series. This ultimately led to a dispersion of focus and attention. I believe this to be the main cause of our disappointments.

How MCU Phases 5 & 6 Are Fixing Phase 4's Problems

The controversial reception of MCU Phase 4 has prompted a course correction for Phases 5 and 6. A major issue in Phase 4 was the overwhelming number of releases, leaving little breathing room for each film or show. However, Phase 5 has addressed this problem by allowing for more space between recent movies and series.

In terms of television, Secret Invasion became the first MCU show to debut since the conclusion of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law season 1 in October 2022. Prior to the premiere of Loki season 2 in October, there are no other planned releases from the MCU. This indicates that Marvel Studios is giving additional time for post-production and VFX work, addressing concerns raised by VFX houses during Phase 4, which resulted in subpar CGI in some MCU projects.

It remains to be seen whether the remaining part of Phase 5 and all the upcoming aspects of Phase 6 will be influenced by Iger's remarks. With the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, there will inevitably be additional delays for their upcoming projects, particularly for the ones that have not even commenced filming or casting. However, at present, the world will simply have to patiently await the performance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming months and years.