HOW THE MCU CHANGED THE SUPERPOWERED GAME It’s been over a decade since the MCU’s debut, but the films are still rewatchable and fresh By Kristian Wayne The Marvel Cinematic Universe is arguably the most successful franchise of the past decade. The MCU began with “Iron Man” in 2008, which soared higher than most comic book adaptations. In fact, the MCU is revolutionary in many aspects and has provided a formula that other filmmakers have tried to follow but failed to replicate. Marvel’s first big budget project started strong with the 1998 movie “Blade.” It had a $45 million budget and made a revenue of $131 million. Though “Blade” has just a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it scored 78% with audiences and built the character a fanbase and a place in pop culture. Then came more popular characters that audiences were already more familiar with. Sam Raimi’s 2002 film “Spider-Man” had a budget of $139 million and grossed $821 million worldwide. It has a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and was well received by fans. It went on to have two more sequels. In 2000, Bryan Singer’s “X-Men” had a budget of about $75 million and grossed $296 million. It was rated 82% by Rotten 04 SPRING 2022
Tomatoes. It’s worth mentioning that the “X-Men” movie franchise had the most installments prior to the MCU, with a handful of bad ones that critics and fans agree they wouldn’t see again. The very idea of the MCU began with a lesser known Marvel character that only comic book fans knew: Iron Man. The 2008 film “Iron Man” had a budget of $186 million and surprisingly grossed over $585 million worldwide. The first film in the MCU was a success, and it promised something that fans were dreaming to see: a live-action universe of superheroes that was faithful to the comics. Four years later, “The Avengers” premiered in theaters in 2012. It had unprecedented success with a budget of $225 million turned into a whopping $1.5 billion in ticket sales worldwide. In doing so, it beat out all other movies made in 2012 and remains the third highest grossing film in the MCU franchise. One of the undeniable effects of “The Avengers” is the ensuing popularity of the MCU. Demographics that previously did not know about the comic books became familiar
with characters from these films. It was no longer just “comic book nerds” talking about Iron Man and Thor. Now, anyone could talk about their favorite superheroes with cool kids, average joes, athletes and parents alike. There was no longer a stigma about knowing Marvel material. These heroes became as familiar to everyone as Darth Vader or Superman. The success of the Avengers film determined the future of all the MCU properties. It made continuity an attraction to fans and one of the most crucial aspects of the franchise. Continuity meant consistency, and the creation of a brand across the films. With that brand, Marvel created a formula that all their films now follow. Michigan State University professor Julian Chambliss, a media historian who has published research on superheroes in American culture, spoke about this formula. First, there must be a villain who causes chaos. “What is driving the heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is often a sense of trying to restore stability; trying to restore security, which resonates with Americans who are fearful of terrorism,” said Chambliss.