Movies

Disney’s Big Changes Spell Trouble for Marvel & Star Wars

Disney has learned it can’t always rely on Marvel and Star Wars for box office success.

Avengers Endgame poster cropped
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Throughout the 2010s, Disney dominated the box office thanks to the number of high-profile franchises under its belt. Chief among those properties were the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars, which soared to the top of the charts with record-breaking blockbusters such as Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, over the past handful of years, these properties are no longer guaranteed box office hits. The MCU has seen multiple installments in the Multiverse Saga underwhelm commercially, and there hasn’t been a new Star Wars movie since the divisive Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019 (though that’s set to change soon). Amidst these struggles, Disney is looking to shake things up in a major way: develop original films.

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According to a report in Variety, Disney is attempting to appeal to Gen Z moviegoers by shifting away from established brands. Sources tell the outlet that the studio is “seeking new IP and pitches such as splashy global adventures and treasure hunts, as well as seasonal fare like films for the Halloween corridor.” David Greenbaum, president of Disney live-action and 20th Century Studios, is the executive attempting to iron out a sound strategy for this initiative.

Disney Needs Original Movies to Balance Out Marvel and Star Wars

Rise of Skywalker poster cropped
Image Courtesy of Lucasfilm

The 2010s were an exciting time for Marvel and Star Wars. During that decade, the MCU was in its heyday, enthralling audiences with the novelty of a shared cinematic universe that gradually built to an epic conclusion. Star Wars was coming back after a decade-long absence, promising to blend a new generation of heroes with legacy characters in the sequel trilogy. Though these were obviously adaptations and continuations of established franchises with built-in audiences, the movies still felt fresh and thrilling.

Things have changed since then. Both Marvel and Star Wars oversaturated the marketplace with a bevy of projects, creating a sense of franchise fatigue. Arguably the biggest culprit in this is Disney+, which leaned heavily on Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm to create a library of streaming shows. It became increasingly difficult for fans to keep up with everything, and the supply outweighed the actual demand for some of these series and shows. The MCU and Star Wars have released some major hits in the 2020s, but their track records aren’t as strong as they used to be. Both franchises have become subject to slowdowns; Kevin Feige wants Marvel to prioritize quality over quantity.

With Marvel and Star Wars limiting their respective outputs moving forward, there’ll be a need for original programming so Disney can fill key spots on the release calendar. Perhaps a “splashy global adventure” can be the studio’s major summer tentpole instead of a Marvel movie. Striking a balance between original concepts and franchise fare is par for the course at any Hollywood studio. This year, Warner Bros. has achieved phenomenal success with titles like Sinners, F1, and Weapons, in addition to kicking off a new shared cinematic universe with Superman.

To be clear, the MCU and Star Wars aren’t going anywhere. Avengers: Secret Wars serves as a “reset” of the MCU, paving the way for the X-Men to carry the franchise forward. The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter are hoping to bring the galaxy far, far away back to theaters in a big way. But Disney can’t solely rely on these mega franchises to support its film slate every year. Audiences have already shown there’s a limit to what they’re interested in and/or will come out to support. Inundating theaters with several more sequels and spinoffs isn’t a recipe for success. Taking a page out of DC Studios’ playbook and minimizing output could go a long way in re-establishing the MCU and Star Wars as genuine events.