Has Marvel reached its end game?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe once held the superhero film industry in the palm of its infinity-stone studded glove. But the 2019 release of “Avengers: Endgame” marked the show-stopping finale to Marvel’s golden age and the beginning of its sporadic, but steadily declining, popularity.

“Avengers: Endgame” generated over $857 million at the domestic box office, but “The Marvels,” released in 2023, generated only $85 million. While that may still seem like a massive success, it is far less impressive when compared to the $220 million budget for the film.

Tommy Jenkins, a lecturer in film studies, is a long-time fan of MCU films and comics. Jenkins said he believes one reason for the decline in excitement surrounding recent Marvel ventures is due to oversaturation.

“There's so much competition in the media, and not just for the market,” Jenkins said. “With new streaming services, you’re always looking for new content that’s going to attract and keep new subscribers.”

The skyrocketing popularity of streaming services like Disney+ warrants increased production from franchises such as Marvel. Jenkins said this influx in scattered content muddles the big-picture storyline, leaving fans unable and unwilling to care about where the franchise is headed.

“There are so many television shows, and there are so many different movies,” Jenkins said. “A lot of people feel like they don’t have the time to keep up with everything. I think they got away from the feeling that we’re building toward something.” 

The MCU is still trying to recreate an “Endgame”-adjacent event. It’s progressively introducing the newest villain, Kang, whose specialty is wreaking havoc on the multiverse with alternate versions of himself.

“Once you get into alternate timelines and alternate versions of the same character, it gets confusing,” Jenkins said. “And then we've got Kang appearing in various TV shows.”

Teasers in end-credit scenes have begun to feel like an indiscernible puzzle, less like a breadcrumb trail and more like confetti shot out of a cannon. Kang is the newest in a list of heroes, villains and plotlines that are all being introduced across intertwining shows and movies that aren’t generating enough attention to form a buildable base. 

“Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” a feature presenting the destructive antagonist, is set to premiere in 2026.

Lauren Malinowski, a second-year student at NC State minoring in film studies, pointed to Marvel’s intellectual property rights as another reason for its recent downfall. 

“Marvel has massive intellectual property over all these superheroes and universes, so no one can replicate these stories,” Malinowski said. “They play their movies safely and copy-paste tropes because they can do that, and no one else can.”

Marvel has monopolized the superhero industry. It has released 33 movies and earned more than $29 billion. Its only true competitor is the DC franchise, whose highest domestic box office revenue film, “Wonder Woman,” didn’t generate even half of what “Avengers: Endgame” did.

Marvel’s domination comes at a cost. With no true competition, the MCU has slowly descended into a creative desert while still grossing millions of dollars. Now, it finds itself between a rock and a multiverse of superhero-fatigued fans.

However, Jenkins believes hope still exists within the upcoming Fantastic Four endeavor.

“That's going to be an important movie in a lot of ways. The Fantastic Four and Spider-Man were the two first critical comic books.” Jenkins said

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” was the highest-grossing Marvel movie since the release of “Avengers: Endgame.” This provides hope to viewers that other critical comic book characters such as the Fantastic Four may hold the key to reigniting the MCU. 

The age of instantaneous access to unlimited films and television shows is here, forcing even major franchises like Marvel to adapt its priorities to keep its intentions clear — and its viewers coming back for more.