How Marvel became one of the most successful franchises in history

How was Marvel able to create and sustain one of the most successful  franchises in recent history?

Avengers: Infinity War recently became a global triumph and the early reviews for Ant-Man and The Wasp suggest it will be another high quality outing for the Marvel Franchise. For about ten years, Marvel has consistently released movies that were both critical and box-office successes. Meanwhile, other franchises such as Star Wars and Jurassic World have struggled recently with sales and good reviews, respectively.

Each addition to the universe proves to be fresh and entertaining, and there are rarely any missteps in the filmography. Unlike Star Wars: The Last Jedi, there has been no major controversy surrounding the production of their superhero flicks.

Here are four reasons why Marvel has created one of the most successful franchises in recent history.

1. Planning

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been well thought out since the beginning. In 2005, the company moved away from licensing characters to other studios and pushed toward independently producing their own movies. To do so, they acquired around $500 million in loans to begin what would become Phase 1 of the Marvelverse.

More from Marvel Movies

• The ladies of Madame Web and their marvelous powers
• The Marvels movie review: Absurdist masterpiece or serious let-down?
• The Marvels closes out 2023 for Marvel as fans await Deadpool’s MCU debut
• The Marvels is likely to stream on Disney+ in early 2024
• The Marvels cast: Which Marvel stars return in the new movie?

As early as 2007, it was reported that there were at least 10 films slated for release. Kevin Feige, studio chief of Marvel Studios at the time, helped guide the artistic direction of the movies in the early days. Feige, being familiar with the comic book lore, was a part of the committee which oversaw the franchise’s narrative direction.

When asked in 2015 about the architecture of the Marvel Universe, Feige said that the story has always been created “in broad strokes […] [so] we still have room to sway and to move.” Also, he suggested that he intended all of the movies to eventually feel interconnected and planned ahead of time.

The detailed planning and phasing by Marvel also makes the DC Universe look thoroughly defeated. While DC has been criticized for its lack of discipline in planning their universe, Marvel used a steady hand to craft their interwoven narratives. It feels like DC is playing catch up with the MCU.

The Marvel plan for the future has worked heavily in their favor and it has allowed their massive crossover projects like the Avengers films flourish.

2. Casting and Directing

There has rarely been a well-known director attached to the numerous film projects made by the studio. With the exception of possibly Joe Johnson (Captain America: The First Avenger), the directors of Marvel movies have been mostly unknown talents. Though it is common for studios to bring on A-list directors to manage a franchise, Marvel avoids that trap and trusts their universe is in good hands.

Both Black Panther and Avengers followed this trend and it has paid dividends.

Additionally, Marvel has done solid work in their casting. It was important that Phase 1 was a success, so it was crucial that the studio hired the perfect people. Robert Downey Jr. was once considered to be a poor fit for the role of Tony Stark, but has since proven otherwise. The other Avengers seamlessly adopted their hero roles and Marvel surrounded them with actors that have received praise since.

Also, casting big names such as Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury helped the franchise gain legitimacy in the early goings. Recently, Marvel has been lauded for casting actress Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, the first female solo film in the franchise. The unique casting style of these films that sets them apart from other franchises.

The DC Universe has been criticized for bad casting in terms of their villains. Though Jared Leto and Jesse Eisenberg are considered to be talented actors, they have both been bashed for their portrayal of the characters. Other franchises such as Jurassic World or Mission Impossible appear content with the male hero and female sidekick dichotomy.

The well thought out casting in the Marvel franchise has thus been important to the success of the movies.

3. Television Series

On top of the expansive film franchise, Marvel also boasts some of the most successful shows on television. For example, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. launched in 2013 and received mainly positive reviews. Daredevil was the first Marvel title to air on Netflix and was hailed as a major success by critics in 2015.

The television outings by Marvel are nearly as successful as the film franchise, which highlights their focus on creating good content. Shows like Iron Fist and Inhumans, however, didn’t sit well with most critics.

The studio’s commitment to television has been key. It shows their devotion to a fan base that wants content between the big blockbusters. Also, Marvel knows the importance of staying relevant to those fans and their success depends on it.

4. Growing Diversity

It’s not a secret that the film industry has struggled with providing valuable representation on the big screen. Superhero movies and other large franchises are especially guilty when it comes to creating diversity. The MCU, though not perfect, has shown a renewed commitment to moving away from their white male dominated casts.

For ages, producers hid behind the idea that movies will not sell if they are led by a cast made up of predominantly people of color. Black Panther, however, helped prove that notion wrong when it soared past $1 billion in the box office worldwide.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Feige spoke about representation and diversity:

“As Panther has so loudly declared, [representation] can only help you, can only help you tell unique stories, can only help you do things in a new, and unique, and fresh, and exciting way. If you do that, audiences will notice it, and appreciate it, and support it.”

A more diverse cast in Spider-man: Homecoming and Captain Marvel proves again why Marvel is one of the best franchises

Next: The 10 best film performances so far this year

What do you think about the Marvel Franchise? Is there any franchise more successful than the studio? Tell us in the comments below!