By PABLO Y. MENDEZ
Sheridan High School Student
The Sheridan Student Column is brought to readers by Sheridan High School’s 10th grade English class, taught by Abby Williams.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe, otherwise known as the MCU, is a saga of comic book films that are all intertwined and connected with each other. This Cinematic Universe began all the way back in 2008 with the widely popular release of Iron Man, a film that was highly successful both critically and commercially. That film is what sparked the massive trend of connecting superhero movies and making them into massive spectacles for audiences all over the world.
Over the past decade, the MCU has continued to release film after film. Each movie builds up toward a major event that is crucial in the sequencing of this cinematic universe. That’s why the directors and producers of these films have created a template that specifies what movies will be released, when they will be released, and in what order they will be released. These templates which showcase the films are separated into what is known as phases. The MCU recently ended Phase 4 with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The reason why this is so important is because Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe marked the beginning of a new era, an era where most of the major stars and actors of this past decade are saying goodbye to some of their most famous and memorable characters while new actors and actresses are being introduced as new characters. This shift in stellar cast members has been a rough transition for longtime fanatics of the franchise.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been dominating the film industry since its inception. It’s been considered by many to be the best film universe of all time, but with the recent backlash it’s been receiving it’s worrying to see.
Is the MCU failing to be as successful as it used to be? Why has the reception of this new era been so inadequate? Has the MCU lost direction or is it the lack of quality compared to past projects?
Many fans claim that the problem seems to be both. This has unfortunately led to a decline in interest despite the ludicrous success in box office revenue. However, despite this sudden shift in opinion, the future of this Cinematic Universe seems to be safe and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.
If anything, the last entry in Phase 4 (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) proved that the MCU is still a master at diversity and that it can perfectly infuse spectacle with serious themes of loss, grief and growth. The major praise and positive reception the film has received proved that despite a sudden struggle, the MCU is still very well ahead of its time and competitors as it seems to know what it wants and how to get there.
On Feb. 17, 2023, the MCU’s Phase 5 will begin with the release of Ant-Man 3 which promises to deliver on thrills, fun, and the perfect dosage of spectacle in order to build up for future titles, which seems promising and certain to be something special despite being something new.
2022 was an unusual year for the franchise: it’s been clear that fans have been reminiscing on the older days when the MCU was in its prime, and that’s no one’s fault. However, with the recent success of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the promising future of these next few years, fans should be excited as they look forward to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has in store.
It’s easy to get lost in what already happened and to reminisce on the amazing events fans have witnessed, but it’s not worth neglecting all the amazing things the future has for us.