This year, audiences are only getting one theatrical Marvel Studios release: “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which will hopefully strike gold at the box office. In terms of Disney+ projects, audiences have the live-action “Agatha” and animated programs like “Eyes of Wakanda” and “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” to look forward to. On the surface, it may look like Marvel Studios is taking it easy, but this year’s slate shifted in part due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes, which forced projects like “Captain America 4” to be pushed back.
Bob Iger’s new comments about having two (maybe three) Marvel films a year have pretty much been the norm since Phase 3, which industry analyst Scott Mendelson pointed out on X (formerly, known as Twitter). “Disney releasing three Marvel movies a year is ‘business as usual,’ from 2017 through 2023, not a decrease in output,” he said. 2021 has been the only year where Marvel released four pictures theatrically. If anything, 2024’s release strategy is a signifier of true, genuine reduced output.
Based on Iger’s statements, the television side of things may be more affected than the movies. It’s unclear if the upcoming slate has been changed, but there are several Marvel Studios TV shows in production, including “Daredevil: Born Again,” which will feature the return of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher.
Still, Iger is excited about what’s next, telling analysts that reducing output is something he’s focused on. “… [I]t’s something that I’ve committed to spending more and more time on, the [Marvel] team is one that I have tremendous confidence in, and the IP that we’re mining, including all the sequels that we’re doing, is second to none,” he said.
