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.”