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Why Ant-Man 3’s Underperformance Might Benefit Marvel Studios

Why Ant-Man 3’s Underperformance Might Benefit Marvel Studios
Juan Carlos Saloz

Juan Carlos Saloz

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“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is one of the biggest failures for Marvel Studios since they started releasing movies in 2008 with “Iron Man.” I’m not saying it, the data does. The film has the lowest critical score on Rotten Tomatoes for a MCU movie, with only 47% positive reviews. It also experienced the biggest second weekend drop for a studio film and has the lowest audience score for a Marvel film according to CinemaScore.

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Many comments about the film revolve around whether it feels like a B-movie, if it has poor special effects, or if the story is merely a setup for something bigger, lacking dramatic quality on its own. However, this is somewhat being compensated by the success of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”. But it has served as a wake-up call for Marvel Studios and could have more significant implications than it appears.

Marvel’s new plans after its failure

Shortly after the film’s release, Victoria Alonso, the head of the special effects division, was fired. And this could be just the first step towards a change in direction as Marvel Studios faces two major threats. On one hand, the evident wear and tear of their films and series. And on the other hand, the universe that James Gunn is building at DC Studios, which could surpass Marvel in the near future.

According to The Cosmic Circus, after seeing the result of “Ant-Man 3” (prior to its release) and considering how some of their series had performed poorly, Marvel Studios began to “reevaluate future releases” for Phases 5 and 6, aiming to ensure thorough quality control following the criticisms of Phase 4. In general, they would like to establish a more solid philosophy of quality over quantity when it comes to MCU projects. And the confirmed failure of “Quantumania” would further confirm their new direction.

This year, two new projects from Marvel Studios are set to be released, and they have also received significant criticism prior to their premieres: “The Marvels” and the series “Echo.” Both products would be the last ones to be released by Marvel before the confirmed “quality control,” but this could severely impact the studio’s upcoming years.

Adding to the challenges, there’s the role of Jonathan Majors in all of this. The actor, who was set to become Marvel’s new Thanos as Kang, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman, and his legal situation remains uncertain. It is clear that Marvel Studios cannot rely on him for the future, and although nothing is confirmed, this setback adds to an already concerning trajectory.

However, following the events of “Ant-Man 3,” Marvel Studios appears to be willing to make enough changes to return to its prime. One crucial aspect would be hiring better writers, considering that the film’s writer, Jeff Loveness, had limited experience, having written for “Rick and Morty”. Loveness was hired to write “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” but plans may change following recent events.

Regardless, there are still many confirmed releases in the future that will have to balance the scales. We have “Blade,” “Fantastic Four,” and several more “Avengers” films before the arrival of the X-Men. So, there is room for improvement, but after the setbacks of the past three years, they will have to work much harder to restore the studio’s reputation.

In the end, a failure from time to time can benefit everyone, and perhaps “Ant-Man 3” was the necessary wake-up call for the studio to prioritize quality once again, leading to the creation of a new saga on par with the impact of Thanos. Virtues often arise from challenges, and this could be another such case.

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Juan Carlos Saloz

Juan Carlos Saloz

Cultural journalist specialized in film, series, comics, video games, and everything your parents tried to keep you away from during your childhood. Also an aspiring film director, screenwriter, and professional troublemaker.

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