Marvel Studios is at the top of the movie game right now. It seems like there’s no place to go but down. However, they have three big things going for them that suggests that they may continue to dominate for another ten years.
Marvel Studios debuted with Iron Man in 2008. Since then, they have produced 19 films and grossed over $15 billion (and growing) making it the most profitable film franchise of all time.
This year has been particularly amazing due to the record numbers of Black Panther and the box-office shattering Avengers: Infinity War. They still have Ant-Man and the Wasp coming later this year.
People who are paid much more than I am to talk about this stuff have incorrectly proclaimed that superhero movies were “over” for the past ten years.
Remember what they said after Fantastic Four? Remember what they said after the disappointing numbers for Justice League? They are all idiots. Don’t listen to them.
How the Movie Industry Supports Marvel Studios
We’re in a unique age for cinema. Ticket sales are down, but prices are up. With options like over-the-top services like Netflix, the ubiquitous nature of handheld devices, and numerous other things vying for eyeballs, people want to spend money on big, exciting, event movies that look great on the big screen.
Simply put, they can wait to see romantic comedies and boring dramas at home.
Also, in the past, most of the heavy-lifting for recovering movie costs were on the back of North America and Europe, but things have changed radically in the past few years.
Now India, Russia, China, Japan, and even Africa are targets for box office absolution. Avengers: Infinity War is doing 60% of it’s business overseas.
Marvel Studios movies are custom-designed to appeal across borders. They are lavish productions, heavy on special effects, dazzling to the eyes, and feature a diverse cast with plots that are simple to follow.
Marvel Studios are producing movies that are perfect for the current movie-going environment, and that’s not going away anytime soon.
Kevin Feige
I don’t know what Disney is paying Marvel Studios honcho Kevin Feige, but I’d suggest it’s not enough. Under his leadership, Marvel Studios has created an entirely new paradigm for films.
Actually, what he did is successfully transfer the serialized fictional storytelling elements of monthly comic book series to film. Which was brilliant, and has changed the industry.
And what he’s done is not easy.
Ask Warner Brothers how hard it is to create a crossover film universe… their DC comics based endeavors have been hit and miss, at best.
Ask Universal how their “Dark Universe” is going after missing over and over again with their monster movies.
Ask Fox how much they envy the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, after producing lackluster box office for their big X-Men event films, and having to reboot to explain how that whole mess fits together.
Sony is still trying to shoehorn in a Spider-Man universe and even teamed with Marvel Studios instead of competing against them.
Kevin Feige continues to have success due to one very important thing that no one has yet to figure out. He loves comics, and the Marvel Comics characters, and he only hires creators that love the material as much as he does.
That’s it.
As long as Marvel Studios has Kevin Feige then he will continue to produce great films for Disney that love the characters, and love the fans.
Franchise Familiarity
But here’s the main reason why Marvel Studios will continue to grow and get better box office. Everyone knows these characters, and the settings, and the style of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Studios is now known around the world. They have produced a decade of satisfying movies that are not in the “superhero” genre, they are in the genres of science fiction, heist movies, thrillers, action, fantasy, comedy, and much more.
They make movies that appeal to a wide swath of moviegoers. And every new character they introduce brings more fans into the fold.
How many new fans did Marvel Studios create with Black Panther? How many more will come with Captain Marvel?
Everyone knows exactly what they are going to get out of a Marvel Studios film. They have built an incredible well of good will and brand recognition that almost no one can compete with.
As long as Marvel Studios keeps introducing new characters, exploring new genres, and then fold them back into the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe (and keeps the quality of these movies high), then they will continue to dominate at the box office.