There’s been a lot of talk about Deadpool & Wolverine and the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe on the internet lately — especially with the controversial announcement that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU as the iconic Doctor Doom.
Like almost every other Marvel fan, I made it to the theaters this past week to see Deadpool & Wolverine in all its R-rated glory as the first film to bring the Fox Marvel characters to the Disney-owned MCU. I’ve seen a LOT of mixed feelings about the new movie but I’ve come to one conclusion: The MCU isn’t ‘good’ anymore, but that might be okay.
I love Marvel and the MCU actually kicked off with my favorite super hero of all time when Iron Man was released in 2008. What followed was an explosive media engine that, over the course of a decade, rewrote the rules when it comes to blockbuster franchises — all culminating in Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
Any Marvel fan remembers the experience of sitting in a theater and watching the Avengers assemble. It was jaw-dropping and proved once and for all that fun, silly superhero movies with heart were a mainstay in culture. But after that, things got shaky.
Really, how do you follow a finale like Avengers: Endgame? Phase Four and Five of the MCU (the phase following Endgame and the current phase) have had a few winners, but they have mostly been plagued by struggles with cohesion, the shakily-received multiverse backbone, Marvel fatigue, and a naturally declining interest from the unprecedented peak of the original Avengers films.
That brings us to Deadpool & Wolverine. The film marks a totally new kind of movie for the MCU. It’s rated R (with copious reminders of why) and consistently breaks the fourth wall. In most of these instances, Deadpool pokes direct fun at the struggles of the MCU and some of its more questionable choices in a post-Endgame world.
But for all that, Deadpool & Wolverine is exactly the type of movie we’ve come to expect from the later phases. There are lots of jokes, a flashy (but short-lived) new villain, and of course, multiversal hijinks. It’s garnered its fair share of criticism. Audiences can more or less agree, Deadpool & Wolverine isn’t good — but it isn’t trying to be.
Couple that realization with the Doctor Doom announcement and I think we can have an idea of the direction the MCU is headed. The theory that’s been bouncing around the internet is that RDJ will be portraying a Tony Stark variant that becomes Doctor Doom — a storyline already present in Marvel comics. That’s certainly interesting, but it would mean a further lean into the multiverse plot — one that Marvel itself has now criticized on the big screen using Deadpool.
As an MCU fan, Deadpool & Wolverine felt like a turning point. The recent films have been able to hold onto the fun and silly aspects of the MCU, but they’ve often had frayed plots and missed when going for the heart. Deadpool & Wolverine also misses on the deeper, more emotional aspects. It’s certainly a far cry from the Iron Man or Captain America movies. But, you don’t expect it to have some deeper meaning. It’s fun, it’s not trying to leave a lasting impression, and it’s enjoyable because of it.
The MCU has had a shaky few years but we might be in for a tonal shift. In a perfect world, the new Avengers of the MCU could build just as the originals did. But we’ve seen enough misses at trying to rehash and expand on the success. The MCU is in a state of maturity and any efforts to match its early films will be met with struggles of expectation and an apparently irresistable temptation to inject fan-service into every moment of the films.
Instead, I’m hoping that Deadpool & Wolverine heralds that tonal shift. Maybe, as we move through Phase Five and into Phase Six, we’ll see an MCU that accepts the silly, the fun, and the fan-service as the backbone of the franchise — and stops trying so hard to be “good.” I’ve lost faith in the MCU’s ability to create Best Picture nominees like Black Panther and I’m tired of sitting through half-baked attempts. But I’ll always enjoy a fun, silly superhero movie that doesn’t try too hard — and if that’s the direction that the MCU is headed, then you’ll certainly find me in the theaters.
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What do you think about the next phase of the MCU? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
I haven’t cared about MCU movies for a long time now. Primarily because they all seem to try to follow a similar formula – and as you mentioned, all go overboard trying to be ‘good’. I personally like Guardians of the Galaxy and Deadpool, specifically because they are more silly and light-hearted and are just fun. I totally agree that every movie in the MCU going forward should not be aiming to keep that singular formula of ‘seriousness’ and trying to be ‘good’. I want a mix so I can enjoy Deadpool while others enjoy their Loki and Avengers.
I don’t think the Infinity Saga will ever be topped. It was outstanding and contains my three favorite MCU movies (Captain America:The Winter Soldier, Infinity War and Endgame). The tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman also hit the MCU hard after this phase.
The Disney+ shows have been hit and miss. WandaVision, Loki and The Falcon and Winter Soldier were excellent while Echo and Secret Invasion were not. I also loved Moon Knight but aside from the Ice Cream truck in the void we haven’t seen any more of him.
The Multiverse Saga has really struggled. I’ve enjoyed most of the movies but several do not have that rewatchable factor that the Infinity Saga movies have.
I’m hoping the introduction of the X-Men will be the shot in the arm the MCU needs. In the meantime I am really looking forward to the next Captain America and the Fantastic Four.
As for Deadpool and Wolverine, I loved every minute of it.
Do you want to build a snowman?
I don’t like the super hero movies. If it isn’t non-stop senseless violence, you are just watching them standing around talking. No thanks. The costumes look hilarious. Everyone laughed at Thor: Love and Thunder costumes.
This is a very well done and insightful review. It gives a very nuanced take on the trajectory of the MCU. I appreciate the candid view given of the film. It really gave me pause to think about how the film and wider franchise is being perceived by audiences.
I thought Deadpool and Wolverine was great. I haven’t heard anyone say it wasn’t actually.
One word. Rebirth.
I believe that RDJ’s return to the MCU is the Hail Mary fans were hoping for. Since the Kang dynasty was cursed from the stark…
I mean, start, this is the best hook to rejuvenate fans for the new franchise. I believe that the MCU used its best players in the beginning. Then the finale came and went, and they were left with, “What now?”
The multiverse is alive and can take us anywhere. This storyline could be a version from the Disney + series…What If? I don’t believe Deadpool & Wolverine will be up for an Academy Award anytime soon, but they gave the fans what they wanted. No spoilers here, but there were some definite shockers. Not like Captain America willing Mjolnir to come to him in Endgame, but there are some definite possibilities to arise. Deadpool & Wolverine was very entertaining & I would love to see it again.
I’ve watched every marvel show and movie. As I suspected some may have missed that the point of Deadpool and Wolverine is that it is a hard stop to the multiverse time line. Its over and many who may not have been watching the shows especially Loki may have missed that. When you saw Deadpool’s universe and the others disappearing off the little computer screen when it reversed and went forward it was only Deadpool’s universe. None of the other timelines survived. The whole point of the movie was to try and wrap off the whole multiverse story line. I think they did about as well as they could given the circumstance. While there could be a Tony Stark becomes Dr. Doom story line that would again be pulling from the multiverse and they would have to somehow explain how he ended up in that timeline pre dead pool and wolverine.