10 Lessons The MCU Phase 7 Can Learn From Marvel’s Post-Endgame Struggles

The MCU‘s struggle to maintain the same excitement it had around Avengers: Endgame‘s release provides several lessons for Marvel’s next Saga after Avengers: Secret Wars in Phase 7. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s dozens of successful movies across more than a decade prove that Marvel Studios has cracked the formula for a thriving cinematic universe. But as much as the franchise has expanded, and as much as the MCU’s upcoming movies show promise, the period between Avengers: Endgame‘s release and the middle of Phase 5 hasn’t been as stable as the Infinity Saga’s ending set it up to be.

In comparison to the Infinity Saga, the MCU’s Phases 4 and 5 have been less compact, with much more content but a much less clear direction. Of course, the MCU’s Multiverse Saga would have always been drastically different than everything that came before due to the departure of important characters and the conclusion of a decade-long storyline. But there are several flaws, as well as several strong points, that could serve as lessons for the franchise once the MCU’s upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars ends the Multiverse Saga and paves the way for another overarching storyline from Phase 7 onward.

10 The MCU Needs Main Characters

The MCU Still Has No Clear Protagonists And No Avengers Replacement

The MCU established its main cast since Iron Man, with The Avengers bringing the original team together in the span of just five movies. Afterward, the MCU continued to revolve around the main team, which is why Avengers: Endgame‘s 38-character team-up sequence is so memorable. More than 20 projects into the Multiverse Saga, the MCU has failed to establish a clear protagonist, let alone a team. By the time Avengers: Secret Wars arrives, a crossover event will likely hold less emotional significance as a result. To avoid this, Phase 7 must start clarifying who the MCU’s main heroes are from the start and delineate a clear direction for the franchise.

9 The MCU Phase 7 Needs To Establish A Central Narrative Or Ditch The Idea

The MCU’s Multiverse Has Proved To Be Too Complicated And Vague

The Multiverse Saga’s overarching storyline is much less clearly defined than the Infinity Saga’s. Throughout Phases 1-3, Thanos’ quest to gather the Infinity Stones became gradually evident, whereas the MCU’s concept of the multiverse has become increasingly complex with every Multiverse Saga project that uses it. From Phase 7 onward, the MCU needs a more welcoming narrative that holds the franchise together. Otherwise, each MCU movie and show could tackle a more self-contained storyline and make every crossover a more isolated event. This way, conflicting ideas around the MCU’s main goal could be avoided, and each entry could shift more focus towards its own plot.

8 Quality Is More Important Than Quantity For The MCU Phase 7

The MCU’s Output Has Damaged The Franchise In Phases 4 & 5

Marvel Studios has released almost as many MCU projects in a Phase and a half during the Multiverse Saga than it released in the entirety of the Infinity Saga. While many more characters and storylines have received their time in the spotlight due to the MCU’s increased output, each individual project’s quality has suffered as a result. In order to do each entry justice, Marvel must take more time to develop it and finish it, which in turn raises expectations for the next one. Starting in Phase 7, the MCU’s next Saga could strike a balance between the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga’s output and quality levels.

7 The MCU Phase 7 Needs To Raise The Stakes Again

The MCU’s Next Saga May Not Need A More Powerful Villain

Thanos’ semi-successful plan to wipe out half of all life set the stage for the MCU’s next big villain. Kang the Conqueror and his infinite variants threaten the whole multiverse with their near omnipresence and omniscience. Once the MCU’s Council of Kangs is defeated, however, it will be difficult to increase the scale of a new villain’s plans. So, instead of a bigger power level and a bigger evil plan, the MCU’s next overarching villain could threaten the Earth. In order to make them stand out from similar antagonists like Ultron, someone like Doctor Doom could come much closer to wiping out the planet than anybody in the MCU’s history.

6 The MCU Phase 7 Needs To Be Better Interconnected

The MCU’s Increased Output Has Affected Its Teases And Set-Ups

Although the MCU has introduced a wide variety of characters since Phase 4, the MCU seems more disconnected than it did during the Infinity Saga. Many MCU post-credits scenes have been abandoned, characters have been absent since their debut, and narrative set-ups have been left open for a much longer time than expected. By lowering the franchise’s output, focusing on a core group of characters, and defining the stakes from the start, Phase 7 can restore the MCU’s sense of close interconnectivity. To help achieve this, each entry may also need to touch upon other titles’ plots instead of beginning new ones, as movies like Eternals have done.

5 The MCU’s Variety Of Genres Need To Continue Expanding In Phase 7

The Multiverse Saga Has Started A Trend Of Creative Tones, Genres, And Formats

One of the most distinct highlights of the MCU’s Phases 4 and 5 has been the wide variety of new genres and formats Marvel has explored. From The Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Holiday Special‘s Christmas-themed story and WandaVision‘s sitcom inspirations to Werewolf By Night‘s ode to classic horror and What If…?‘s animated anthology format, the Multiverse Saga hasn’t been scared of thinking out of the box. After Avengers: Secret Wars, Phase 7 can continue to explore new, more ambitious ways to tell superhero stories and make the most out of each character’s unique comic book history on the big and the small screen.

4 Phase 7 Should Begin A More Reliable Plan For The MCU

Marvel Studios’ Talent For Improvisation Can Only Go So Far

The large number of obstacles the MCU has faced since the Infinity Saga ended have proved just how lucky Marvel was during the MCU’s first three Phases. While Marvel’s improvisation skills shined during the Infinity Saga, Phases 4 and 5 have demonstrated that a clearer strategy for the franchise could help the studio stay on track if hurdles like box office disappointments, long delays, changes in the franchise’s slate, and the actors’ strikes pop up again. A smaller output would help Phase 7 avoid significant disruptions, but having reliable backup plans would also be helpful for the whole franchise.

3 Phase 7 Needs To Double Down On Exploring New Characters

The MCU’s New Characters Are Still An Untapped Goldmine

Attempting to recapture the popularity of the original Avengers team with the original Avengers cast is futile after their definitive exit, and tying every new story and character to previous Phases only overshadows their potential. Unfortunately, the MCU hasn’t spent enough time with new characters during Phases 4 and 5, but Phase 7 could finish cutting ties with the past and instead put all its focus on a new generation of characters. The X-Men’s inevitable MCU introduction, as well as the rise of the Fantastic Four and other new faces in the MCU, will likely help audiences leave the past behind and bond with the MCU’s new stars.

2 The MCU Needs More Big Events Starting In Phase 7

The MCU’s Multiverse Saga Is Lacking More Avengers Movies And Crossover Events

One huge difference between the Multiverse Saga and the Infinity Saga has been the MCU’s lack of Avengers crossover events, which not only strengthen the team’s importance within the franchise but also raise anticipation towards an impending climax. Whereas Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars only conclude the Multiverse Saga, Phase 7 could restart the trend of periodic crossover events in the MCU. Apart from Avengers movies, the MCU’s next Saga could have X-Men crossovers and big-scale adaptations of comic book storylines such as World War Hulk, Siege, Annihilation, House of M, and Avengers vs X-Men.

1 Individual MCU Projects Need To Cut Back On Scale In Phase 7

Bigger Budgets Haven’t Provided Good Results For The MCU

The MCU will likely continue to grow, but that doesn’t mean that every project needs to increase its budget, runtime, and amount of VFX-heavy action sequences. In 2023 alone, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Secret Invasion, and The Marvels proved that a bigger budget isn’t synonymous with bigger success. MCU movies and shows after the incredibly ambitious Avengers: Secret Wars could cut back on scale and instead focus on delivering tighter, more engaging stories. After all, that’s how the MCU began its reign: iron suits, supersoldiers, Gamma monsters, and Norse gods.