Over the weekend, all of the phase 4 entries into the MCU were announced. There were 11 new projects announced. Some of them I am keen about but some less so, but my biggest issue with phase 4 isn't primarily what is coming, but how it is coming. You see, out of all the 11 projects announced, 6 of them are films, with the other 5 being TV shows streaming exclusively on the soon to be launched streaming service, Disney+. They are:
Films (Order of Release):
- Black Widow
- Eternals
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Thor: Love and Thunder
- Blade
TV Shows:
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Loki
- Wandavision
- Hawkeye
- What If...?
All interesting titles to say the least but what is really ticking me off about this bunch is how it is being presented. To put it lightly, I absolutely hate the fact that TV shows are now being incorporated into the MCU.
I am aware that there are already TV shows with characters in the MCU such as Agents of Shield or Agent Carter. Those are fine because they act as spin-offs where you don't need to have seen them to understand what happens in the movies. I haven't watched any of the current MCU TV shows, yet I understand the events of the films just fine. But, here it looks as if the TV shows are continuing arcs and stories that will be crucial for understanding things within the films. This means the TV shows have to be seen to understand the films. This really irritates me because they're all streaming on the new streaming platform, Disney+, which according to my research, is only launching in the USA once these shows are out. Even if it does come to the UK, I don't want to have to pay for a monthly membership or anything to just watch a few shows. Sure, Disney and Marvel will make more money, but they literally just made the highest grossing film of all time, can't they catch a break? Also, I'm not a huge bingewatcher. I can't dedicate to watching an entire show once it is released or even over a few weeks.
Additionally, some of these shows are taking ideas from the end of Endgame that I was really excited to see the continuation of, more so than any of the films they announced. I was really looking forward to seeing what would happen now that Captain America has passed away and given his trusty shield to Falcon. I really wanted to see what would be the next chapter of Hawkeye's life, and Wanda's too. So all these great ideas are being limited to an extremely exclusive streaming platform in the form of TV shows.
I'd like to take this time to address an unfortunate truth that I have a strong opinion on. Nowadays, it seems that the idea of films going straight to streaming services is more popular than the idea of going to the cinema. This doesn't anger me, but it makes me sad. As such an avid fan of film, the cinema is a huge part of what I like about film. There's nothing to me that beats going to watch a new film on a huge screen, with fellow audience members who are all being swept up too. And I don't like to think that this way of watching a film may soon go extinct and instead all I do is sit at home and watch it on my laptop. Sure, it is more convenient for many people, but to me it lowers the experience. What's worse about this situation here, is that the MCU helped amplify my experiences in cinemas. When I went to see Endgame, the audience laughed at the jokes, we cheered when Cap picked up Thor's hammer, we applauded when the heroes came out of portals, we cried when Iron Man snapped his fingers, and we all celebrated the achievement of the film together. That was a series of moments I'll never forget. Cinema has many powers and what the MCU's next phase is doing is encouraging the opposite. Thankfully, the new films will be theatrically released, but let's not remain used to it.
Anyway, in regards to the films that actually are coming: I'm excited for Black Widow because she's one of my favourite characters and definitely deserving of a feature movie, Eternals and Shang-Chi are both properties I am unfamiliar with and thus am unsure what to expect, Doctor Strange 2 is really exciting because he's another character I like and the titular multiverse sounds intriguing, and despite some negativity, I can't wait for Thor 4, I loved Ragnarok and with the Taika Waititi returning I'm sure it'll be another round of the same awesomeness.
I'd like to take this time to address an unfortunate truth that I have a strong opinion on. Nowadays, it seems that the idea of films going straight to streaming services is more popular than the idea of going to the cinema. This doesn't anger me, but it makes me sad. As such an avid fan of film, the cinema is a huge part of what I like about film. There's nothing to me that beats going to watch a new film on a huge screen, with fellow audience members who are all being swept up too. And I don't like to think that this way of watching a film may soon go extinct and instead all I do is sit at home and watch it on my laptop. Sure, it is more convenient for many people, but to me it lowers the experience. What's worse about this situation here, is that the MCU helped amplify my experiences in cinemas. When I went to see Endgame, the audience laughed at the jokes, we cheered when Cap picked up Thor's hammer, we applauded when the heroes came out of portals, we cried when Iron Man snapped his fingers, and we all celebrated the achievement of the film together. That was a series of moments I'll never forget. Cinema has many powers and what the MCU's next phase is doing is encouraging the opposite. Thankfully, the new films will be theatrically released, but let's not remain used to it.
Anyway, in regards to the films that actually are coming: I'm excited for Black Widow because she's one of my favourite characters and definitely deserving of a feature movie, Eternals and Shang-Chi are both properties I am unfamiliar with and thus am unsure what to expect, Doctor Strange 2 is really exciting because he's another character I like and the titular multiverse sounds intriguing, and despite some negativity, I can't wait for Thor 4, I loved Ragnarok and with the Taika Waititi returning I'm sure it'll be another round of the same awesomeness.
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