Is This The End of the MCU ?

It’s impossible to talk about the ever-changing Hollywood landscape of the past 23 years without talking about comic book movies, specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There used to be a time when the average moviegoer didn’t know who the CEO of Disney was, which company had the rights to which superhero, or what went into an actor’s contract for a series of films. Marvel changed all of that.

MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, out now, is a 528-page tome that recounts the history of the MCU, from Toy Biz and bankruptcy to Kevin Feige and Disney+. Entertainment journalists Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzalez and Gavin Edwards leave no infinity stone unturned. This book is a comprehensive portrait of how a small comic book company made an indie film and then grew to the global behemoth it is today.

However, those looking for analysis on whether or not the MCU is good for the film industry, or any insights as to what comes next for Marvel, will be sorely disappointed. This is a book of reporting, combining original interviews with nearly two decade’s worth of source material. Disney, Marvel’s parent company, told people not to give interviews for this book, although many did (or previously did) anyway.

There are tidbits and juicy gossip about behind-the-scenes clashes and boardroom conflicts that will be new to even the most ardent MCU fan. Basically, if you love the MCU, this book is for you. If you fall on the Martin Scorsese side of the fence, there might be enough gossip to entice you, but this is a book by and for clear MCU fans.

All of the “almosts” detailed in the book are fascinating, and conjure up a multiverse’s worth of alternative films: James Cameron’s Spider-Man. Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man. Guillermo del Toro’s Thor. Tom Cruise as Iron Man. Matthew McConaughey as Ego.

The most interesting information comes from earlier phases of the MCU, specifically the independent film attitude on the Iron Man set, the screenwriting dispute with Edward Norton on The Incredible Hulk, and Joss Whedon’s clashes with Marvel czar Kevin Feige on Age of Ultron. And while nobody says it outright, the book heavily implies that several deaths in Avengers: Endgame (most notably Tony Stark’s) occurred partly for thematic reasons, and partly because the actors’ contracts got too expensive.

Every time I thought “I wonder if they’ll bring that up,” the authors delivered. It mentions almost every issue the MCU has faced: Workout routines and accusations of doping; #MeToo and #OscarsSoWhite; corporate mergers; Chinese censorship and box office numbers; James Gunn’s “cancellation”; Disney+’s pandemic “premium access” tier; the labor conditions and churn that led to the unionization of Marvel’s VFX workers; Scarlett Johannson’s salary lawsuit over Black Widow; and the lack of payment to comic-book writers.

The only thing it doesn’t mention is Jonathan Majors’ assault charges, which happened after they sent the book to the printers, it seems. Maybe that will be another chapter of the paperback.

Once the book gets to current events, it rushes a bit and the pacing peters out toward the end (kind of like the actual MCU). Not all of the films get equal chapter length — The MCU does contain 32 films and 21 shows, after all.

Robinson, Gonzalez and Edwards are clearly MCU fans, and write with enthusiasm about their chosen subject matter. (Midway through the “Notes” index at the end of the book, there is another chapter, just like a post-credits scene.) The trio posits that there are no bad Marvel films. But the very fact that a book is being written now implies that the MCU’s reign is almost up.

If the MCU’s reign is coming to a close, and the superhero film does go the way of the Western, this book is an interesting historical document.

The theatrical landscape used to be a mix of indies, adult dramas, comedies, genre fare and tentpoles. Now, thanks to Marvel, that real estate belongs almost exclusively to tentpoles, bolstered by fans trained to be loyal to brands and corporations instead of individual artists.

Everything must be scaleable and exponentially profitable — until it isn’t. It’s not enough to have a multimillion-dollar independent film like Iron Man. No, there must be an interconnected multiverse. And toys and action figures and comics and TV shows. But public interest in Secret Invasion, Marvel’s latest Disney+ show, was basically non-existent, and there has been significantly less hype for each new Marvel installment that comes out.

Marvel’s history mimics the stories it tells: A wild origin story. A few stumbling blocks out of the gate as it learns its powers. A lot of success amid insurmountable odds. A fall from grace before the big third-act turnaround.

Right now, it seems Marvel is in its fall-from-grace period. Perhaps it can use its powers for a third act (and Phase 5 and 6) comeback.

If not, it had a great reign. And MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios is a worthy, if sometimes stenographic, record of its time on the throne.

(Liveright, Oct. 10, 2023)