Kevin Feige Discusses How To Avoid Superhero Fatigue and Says Marvel Doesn't Have a "Secret Formula"

With Marvel Studios dominating the box office over the past several years, there has been talk among fans regarding superhero movie fatigue and when that might kick in. As Marvel gears up to launch Phase 5 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, I think we are seeing a little bit of superhero movie fatigue. I’m even starting to feel it myself!

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently sat down with The Movie Business Podcast for an interview and while on the show, he explained how they are looking to avoid superhero movie fatigue. He explained:

"[A] way to do that is adapting them into different genres and what types of movies we want to make. And I, from sitting at USC [...] and sitting in Cinema 101 and being exposed to so many different types of film that I said, 'I want to make all of these. I don't want to just make one kind of movie, I want to make all kinds of movies.' And I found that if we tell the story right, and we adapt them in a way that the audience still, knock on wood, so far is following us along 22 plus years later with, that we can tell any types of movies that share two things: the Marvel Studios logo above the title and a seed of an idea from our publishing history."

Well, he certainly gives the right answer here! That’s exactly how you avoid it. Telling a great story is the most important thing. The problem is, Marvel has been dropping the ball on those stories, and that’s why I’m starting to feel that fatigue. I’m starting to think that Marvel hit its peak with great storytelling with the Infinity Saga.

Phase 4 felt like it was all over the place, but hopefully, Phase 5 will reel it back in and get back on track. We’ll just have to wait and see. Feige was also asked about Marvel’s “secret formula” to making movies, and he explains that they don’t have one:

"The honest truth, which is not as exciting, but you get the inside scoop on this podcast and I'll give it to you. There are no secrets. There's secrets in terms of the storylines, and spoilers, and things like that, but if there was a formula, because people have been asking up for a very long time, ‘What's the formula?' and the truth is there isn't any.

"The secret that is shared across successful organizations, and storytellers, and filmmakers is just a tremendous amount of hard work, and the only thing that can power that hard work is passion. And thankfully that's what we have at Marvel Studios in spades. I always say if we weren't here making the movies we'd be the first ones buying advanced tickets, or I used to say waiting in line around the block to go see them."

Here’s the thing about passion and hard work… they are great qualities to have but those things don’t make a great movie! Sure, it can help, but even bad movies have casts and crews that are passionate hard workers. The secret formula for any successful movie and franchise is bringing on board the kind of talent that can deliver a great story.