Following the conclusion of the "Infinity Saga" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a precedent was set for large-scale stories that end on explosive notes. The back-to-back "Avengers" films "Infinity War" and "Endgame" became the gold standard for naturally built-up event films in the MCU. The "figure it out as we go along" approach seemed to give the first three phases of the MCU a magic touch, making it feel as though the studio wasn't trying too hard to make everything connect. While there were some forced set-ups in movies like "Avengers: Age of Ultron" to establish Thanos as the big bad, the layout and release schedule of the films stuck the landing in a beautiful ending for certain characters and the promise of more adventures still to come.

Fast forward seven films and eight shows after "Avengers: Endgame," and the Marvel Cinematic Universe gave audiences no time to reflect on the 10-year cinematic journey they just went on. It was full steam ahead for the next Phase, which now included television shows on the Disney+ streaming platform. Instead of waiting months between movies, viewers tuned into the streaming service to get even more MCU stories while waiting for the next big theatrical release. With hardly any break, you wouldn't be blamed if you experienced superhero fatigue. Thankfully, it seems that Kevin Feige, the man in charge of Marvel Studios, understands the danger of too much of a good thing, delivering the promise of a more spaced-out schedule of programming on Disney+.

A Change Of Pace

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Feige talked about how Marvel Studios has influenced pop culture and the filmmaking landscape. "Avengers: Endgame" created intense anticipation as the definitive end for the first iteration of the Avengers, and a long break after it would have been warranted. Unfortunately, the MCU quickly moved to the next saga after delays due to the pandemic, undoubtedly affecting how many films and shows were released at once. Now that Phase 4 ended with "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," Feige was sure to promise that the quality of MCU projects going forward would go hand in hand with a more staggered release schedule:

"I think one of the powerful aspects of being at Marvel Studios is having these films and shows hit the zeitgeist. It is harder to hit the zeitgeist when there's so much product out there — and so much 'content,' as they say, which is a word that I hate. [Laughs] We want Marvel Studios and the MCU projects to stand out. So, people will see that as we get further into Phases 5 and 6. The pace at which we're putting out the Disney+ shows will change so they can each get a chance to shine."

When asked if that meant spacing out shows or putting out fewer amounts a year, Feige simply responded with the usually cryptic answer: "Both, I think." It should be safe to assume that fewer projects released a year means more development time, leading to higher-quality films and series. After the "undercooked adventure" that was "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," perhaps taking longer and releasing fewer projects a year may be for the best, possibly leading to a more engaging and meaningful second half for the "Multiverse Saga."

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