Quantumania (Phase 5)
When Ant-Man was released in 2015, the film introduced actor Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, a lovable, well-meaning thief who accidentally finds himself in the care of a suit capable of miniaturization. Praised for being far less weighty than the rest of the MCU developing around it, Ant-Man was a fun summer blockbuster with surprisingly low stakes and a feel-good, comedic spirit. The film earned $500 million at the box office – nothing to sneeze at, of course, but less than any film since the original Captain America and incredibly modest for a Marvel production.
Its follow-up, 2018's Ant-Man and The Wasp, was released just months after Infinity War, and thus even more praised for its lighthearted, lower-stakes set-up. When Ant-Man returned in Endgame, it was the character’s use of the Quantum Realm that established the film’s time travel capabilities. But altogether, it was sort of nice that Ant-Man served as a “summer blockbuster” type film that didn’t feel as heavy or as academic as Marvel’s other fare. For those who force their loved ones to endure the MCU, both Ant-Man movies felt lovingly skippable; like they were not essential watches, but wonderful side projects.
In that way, it was always kind of a strange idea that Ant-Man should be repurposed not just as the launch of “Phase 5” – but to serve as the official entry of Kang the Conqueror in the first of many multiversal forms we’re likely to see hereafter. Basically, to take what’s been an airy, fun, summer comedy-action-heist franchise and turn it into the heavily-weighted, visually-dim introduction of an apocalyptic bad guy who’ll define the next two dozen movies… Hmm…
Right now, Quantumania resides at around 50% approval on review aggregator sites. To be sure, that means that viewers just aren't connecting well with the film. Audiences and critics seem to agree that Jonathan Majors' role as Kang in the standout, but that the film's a bit of a mess; written by committee, "lifeless," "no gravity, no sense of impact or consequence" and (worst of all), it "just isn't much fun."
Plus – elephant in the room – Quantumania is probably impacted both in production and reception by the unbearable weight of franchise...
On one hand, Quantumania is weighed down by what's to come. This is, after all, the first movie in the next set of six or seven; the start of "Phase 5"; the official introduction of Kang, whose story can't really be resolved since versions of the character will populate the universe for the next four years at least, and if Ant-Man can defeat Kang on his own, then why should we need the full Avengers team to do it in 2025's Kang Dynasty crossover?
That would be enough to make many films crumble under the weight. But Quantumania is doubly weighed down, because it also owes so much to what's already happened! While it's not a big ask for MCU die-hards to have seen Loki and remembered "He Who Remains" two years later, we know that that group is limited... and maybe, more so by the year. Of course, you can understand Quantumania without having seen Loki or any of the previous Ant-Man films... But just the knowledge that so much lore underscores this new film would understandably make the "less committed" find little interest in delving ever-deeper into the Marvel universe.
Poor word of mouth also seems to be impacting Quantumania’s staying power. While it’s not unusual for Marvel movies to suffer drop-offs of 50 – 60% in their second weekend in theaters (given that most fans want to be there opening weekend, before spoilers make their way to the internet), Ant-Man’s astounding 71% drop in its second week suggests that fans aren’t going back for another go-’round… and they aren’t telling their friends to give it a try.
In part, we can certainly blame Disney+ for training fans that MCU films will end up on the streaming service in just a month or two if they can wait it out (which, given the film's mediocre reviews, they clearly believe they can). But if Quantumania is indeed “appointment viewing” – an essential introduction to the Thanos-level threat who’s meant to carry the MCU onward toward the 2026 conclusion of the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: Secret Wars, that’ll also serve as a cap on Phase 7… Well… Disney might be building a skyscraper on sand…
What’s next…?
At Disney and Marvel, insiders are alleging that creative and financial leaders are spooked by the relative underperformance of Quantumania – the movie that was meant to reverse the uneven reviews and hit-and-miss financials of Phase 4 and launch the next half of the MCU with a bang. Industry publications estimate that the film is currently on track to earn about $500 million – as with the first Ant-Man, nothing to sneeze at, but not the saga-launching haul Disney no doubt hoped for and – given the film’s astronomical production budget and marketing costs – maybe not a money-maker either.
It’s not that the MCU won’t recover. (Phase 5 contains at least two other tentpoles – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Marvels, both this year – as well as Avengers crossover flicks in 2025 and 2026 that will likely break box office records.) But Quantumania’s less-than-blockbuster opening does hint that altogether, the public may find themselves overwhelmed by the exponential expansion and breakneck pace of the MCU, with dozens of new heroes introduced each year and increasingly-interconnected backstories required to enjoy them.
Studio chief and timeline mastermind Kevin Feige acknowledged the need to slow the pace and contain the spread of the MCU in a must-read, in-depth interview with EW. In it, Feige acknowledged:
"It is harder to hit the zeitgeist when there’s so much product out there – and so much ‘content,’ as they say, which is a word that I hate. [Laughs] But we want Marvel Studios and the MCU projects to really stand out and stand above. So, people will see that as we get further into Phase 5 and 6. The pace at which we’re putting out the Disney+ shows will change so they can each get a chance to shine.”
Did that mean greenlighting fewer shows, or just spacing them out? “”Both, I think,” Feige said. The result has been a redistribution of release dates for Phases 5, 6, and 7, including changes to both announced and “untitled” films, as well as the “de-scheduling” of several Marvel series for Disney+. Whether that equates to the cancellation of a few shows or just a new release schedule, we don’t know. But it does sound like a needed adjustment.
When Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn took hold of the new DC Studios seeking its own rebirth, he smartly designated a new banner – “DC Elseworlds” – to absorb experimental ideas and “expanded universe” stories. Frankly, Marvel could probably benefit from the same. After all, when every product you put out is essential, required viewing – and when that includes a movie and series every quarter – you’re bound to burn out even your most ardent fans, and middling projects become unignorable albatrosses around the neck of the entire franchise.
Disney’s bet big on Marvel and in so doing, has shaped it into the defining pop culture franchise of our time; an absolute juggernaut with limitless potential and unimaginable scale. Often imitated but never duplicated, its sprawling “cinematic universe” is the envy of Hollywood and the goal of every other studio and franchise right now. But keeping Marvel at the top of its game (and of Disney’s portfolio) is going to take more than just “as much content as we can produce.” It’s going to be a balance of artistry and ambition; finances and franchising; quality and quantity.
Quantumania wasn’t the hit Disney hoped. But given the increasingly complex mythology and cinematic oversaturation of all things Marvel, maybe it was a lesson Disney needed to learn. Even as the MCU expands to new heroes, new worlds, and a new “Big Bad” to threaten it all, there’s something to be said for slowing down and being more thoughtful about the path forward.
Comments
An excellent, well-thought-out article! I didn't realize that there had been so many Marvel movies and shows put out in the last couple of years until you highlighted them. No wonder I am completely burnout by the MCU and have begun to cringe every time I hear there is another show or movie in the works. I loved Phases 1-3, but I need a break.
You can't want or crave something special when it is constantly handed to you.