As was recently announced Marvel Studios and Sony have struck a deal for the continuation of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was looking as though Peter Parker’s time in this larger universe had closed however there’s been a stay of execution and the web-slinger’s adventures are set to continue as part of this grand tapestry of super hero production.
So with that in mind, Marvel is sitting very strong going into Phase 4, and while Thanos may have finally been swept aside and in his place rumor and speculation of where to from here for the MCU, it’s never been more clear that Disney/Marvel are committed to the long term continuation of this franchise powerhouse.
Nothing illustrates this more than how 2021 is shaping up with no less than four MCU films seeing a theatrical release that year. The four films currently scheduled for release that year include Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder and now a new Spiderman film is also scheduled for release. Typically we’ve seen two or three MCU films released annually over the last decade, so four in a year is quite a statement at this point in time (obviously I’m including Spiderman despite Sony’s involvement, but from a story perspective it’s an MCU film).
As if to double down on this commitment, it’s now also being reported that the Marvel Disney+ shows (which also make up a big part of the MCU Phase 4) will be accompanied by feature film sized budgets with shows including Wandavision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, all looking at $100 – $150 million season budgets, broken down into their 6 – 8 episode seasons. Marvel Studios by all accounts is making every effort to ensure the quality of storytelling and the look/feel of the Disney+ projects are as consistent with their polished feature film counterparts as possible.
Across multiple elements of its business, Disney and Marvel are making it well known that the conclusion of the Infinity Saga is by no means a reflection of the MCU train taking a break or even slowing down, with so much in the works and with such a financial commitment to maintain the quality, the MCU is going to continue be a huge part of cinema and other forms of entertainment for years to come.
