Since the beginning of Phase Four, Marvel Studios has been producing a lot of films, TV shows, and special presentations for their theatrical and Disney+ slate, a huge increase from the pre-streaming era when they were only focused on making fewer theatrical movies per year.
However, they've been receiving a lot of criticism lately as fans and critics believe that the studio is now prioritizing quantity over quality and, as a result, some of their releases were not well-received.
We've been hearing reports for the last few months that Marvel Studios has been reassessing its future projects. Most notably, Daredevil: Born Again underwent a creative overhaul after they reviewed the footage that was shot before the actors' strike.
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Marvel Studios Is Reducing Its Volume Going Forward
As reported by TheWrap, during the company's recent earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that Marvel Studios has been taking steps to reduce its output going forward to avoid losing focus.
"In our zeal to greatly increase volume partially tied to this wanting to chase more global subs for our streaming platform, some of our studios lost a little focus. So the first step that we’ve taken is that we’ve reduced volume, we reduced output, particularly in Marvel," he said.
Iger also revealed that Disney is now focusing on sequels and stronger franchises and he believes that leaning into the familiar is a "smart thing" for them.
“I’d say we’re leaning a little bit more into sequels and franchises," he told the analysts in the crowd. "I think given the environment and given what it takes to get people out of their homes to see a film... leaning on franchises that are familiar is actually a smart thing."
Interestingly, when Iger mentioned Disney's theatrical slate in 2025, he only mentioned Captain America: Brave New World and Fantastic Four as the MCU releases. There were no mentions of Thunderbolts and Blade, which are also scheduled in that year.
With no explanation behind the titles' absences in Iger's remarks, there are speculations now that they are being delayed.
While we don't have the full details on what Marvel Studios is exactly doing to reduce its volume, it is an indication that they are responding to the criticisms that they've received and committed to making sure that they can focus on quality again.
The next MCU film Deadpool 3 is set to arrive in theaters this July 26.
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