Marvel has only released one movie in 2024, but they still have a big year ahead of them

It’s hard to imagine Marvel Studios as an underdog. The multibillion-dollar studio has done the impossible over the past two decades, releasing dozens of films and TV shows that all share a common universe. It peaked at some of the largest The most successful films of all time. But over the past few years, Marvel has seemed a bit weak. It seemed so The wheels were in danger of coming off. then 2024 changed thatThis happened mostly behind the scenes.

This is because in 2024, Marvel has only released one movie: Deadpool Wolverine. that it It’s easy now to think of the film as a huge successBut despite their very popular personalities, they were initially seen as risky. It’s not every day that a Disney brand gets in conflict His family-friendly style but Deadpool Wolverine It was the first Marvel movie to be rated R. And a hard R at that. Nevertheless, the risk paid off. The violent, irreverent superhero comedy went on to break all kinds of box office records, eventually becoming the highest-grossing film in history. Think about that. Think of all the R-rated movies you’ve seen in your entire life. Deadpool Wolverine I outdid them all.

It was a big win for the studio after a few years, most of which fell well short of its 2008-2019 expectations. Those years, referred to as the Infinity Saga, saw almost universal acclaim and box office success for Marvel’s work, changing the face of Hollywood as we knew it. But in the years that followed, there were no less huge successes than disappointments. per Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madnessthere Thor: Love and Thunder. per WandaVision or Loki there Secret invasion or Moon Knight. This peaks in 2023 With less than stellar reviews and returns Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Obsession and Wonders. That hit was balanced out Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3but as that was paying off, filmmaker James Gunn was down the street making films to compete. So, not a complete win.

Those mistakes necessitated the refocusing that led to this Deadpool Wolverine Being the only Marvel movie released in 2024. Which, as we just mentioned, was a success. Things also worked out pretty much on the TV side as well. Marvel Animation has released the long-awaited movie X-Men ’97which quickly became a smash, and was later released Agatha along She followed suit, much to the delight of fans and critics.

This is important because very little of that was part of the original plan. In 2022, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige She appeared in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con and made the list for the next few years. Agatha It was on display there, along with some films from previous years, but the consistent trend that fans had seen in the years before Avengers: Endgame It wasn’t there. What was all this construction aimed at? We didn’t know. And there was no mention of her eventual saviors for 2024 Deadpool, Wolverine, or the X-Men.

Some of this uncertainty has continued into 2024 as creators like Michael Waldon and Destin Daniel Cretton have left posts on some upcoming events. Avengers films. echo Not quite arrived, movies like Thunderbolts and Captain America 4 They were moved back months while he was single, codehas been postponed indefinitely. There has been a lot of waiting for Marvel to return to Hall H on July 27 of this year That’s when everything changed.

By the time San Diego Comic-Con 2024 came around, Marvel had reloaded even more. We have to see footage from 2025 The Fantastic Four: The First StepsWho barely started filming. The Russo Brothers, directors of many of Marvel’s biggest and best films ever, return to helm two more films Avengers films: doomsday And the big one, Secret Wars. Then, the very expensive star at the top, the first star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr., will return as the next big bad: Doctor Doom. Later in the year, plans for a fourth Spider-Man film with Tom Holland also added to the goodwill.

Finally, things had a direction. Finally, the things we wanted to see happened. Although it seemed like we were returning to what worked before, at least some hope was restored. The return of Downey and the Russians, Spider-Man, the promise of one of Marvel’s biggest untouched properties in the Fantastic Four, as well as the success of… Deadpool Wolverine– which in itself created all sorts of new possibilities thanks to cameos from the likes of Gambit, Blade, and Elektra – all worked together to make 2024 a great year for Marvel. After a few years of floundering, the studio finally regained its footing and it happened at just the right time. As Marvel gears up for several major projects for 2025 and beyond, old friend James Gunn is opening up his own DC Universe in direct opposition. Let the games begin.

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