How do you follow up something , for revealing an appetite for “something different.”
“I think you could argue we’re in a rut of repetitive storytelling and potential franchise abuse,” Joe Russo continued. Notably, the directors don’t actually believe in superhero fatigue, citing franchises across the board — along with a “generational divide” regarding media consumption — as the true culprit. But whether it be society’s sense of “collective ADHD,” or Marvel’s decade-long dominion at the box office, the old ways aren’t enough to satisfy audiences anymore.
“I think the audience is craving new ideas and new stories. And that’s where all of our focus is going post-Marvel — asking, ‘What are those new stories?’” Russo said.
Despite the Russos’ doubts, Marvel is at least partially to blame for the current state of affairs. The studio and its cinematic universe have overwhelmed movie theaters for a decade, making it difficult for more modest films to make a real impact. The rise of the MCU saw the brief fall of the mid-budget movie: romantic comedies, quiet thrillers, and indie dramas all fell to the wayside in favor of superhero schlock.
The renewed interest in original ideas is a response to Marvel and its contemporaries. The pendulum is swinging back to the films that dominated before the superhero industrial complex changed everything. Whether the Russos consciously realize it or not, their post-Marvel efforts prove that everyone needs a little break from the franchise.