Can Deadpool & Wolverine Revive Marvel Amid Superhero Fatigue?

Last week, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) latest offering, Deadpool & Wolverine, premiered in theaters worldwide. The film reintroduces two popular characters portrayed by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, amassing approximately US$440 million (A$672 million) in its global opening.

The movie indulges in substantial fan service, with much of its content seemingly crafted to delight existing fans. The plot is packed with in-jokes, including various meta-references to the alleged off-screen feud between Reynolds and Jackman.

It appears the film targets a specific segment of Marvel’s already established fanbase, making few attempts to appeal to a broader global audience. This is a notable strategy for a standalone Marvel film at a time when superhero movies have appeared to lose some of their appeal.

Marvel’s previous release, The Marvels (2023), concluded its box-office run as the lowest-grossing film in the MCU’s history, earning about US$197 million globally. It will be interesting to observe the impact Deadpool & Wolverine has on the declining popularity of the MCU. Will it become the hero Marvel needs, or will collective “superhero fatigue” prevent it from reaching its potential?

After the global peak of Avengers: Endgame (2019), things haven’t been quite the same in Marvel’s realm. While the studio has continued to produce several films and series, the excitement that once surrounded Marvel releases pre-Endgame appears to have waned significantly.

Marvel Studios’ recent failure to replicate its previous success might be due to several factors. Primarily, Marvel seems to have lost the cohesive structure that supported its pre-2019 superhero movies, starting with the release of Iron Man in 2008. Films from this era focused on developing stories and superhero characters belonging to the now-beloved Avengers group.

Even though there were standalone films like Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Thor (2011), and Black Panther (2018), they regularly tied back to the central Avengers storyline. This narrative approach advanced through films like The Avengers (2012), Age of Ultron (2015), Infinity War (2018), and finally, Endgame.

This successful formula ensured Marvel’s box-office triumph. However, Endgame tied up the narrative threads of previous stories and saw the deaths of key characters like Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and Natasha Romanov (Scarlett Johansson), along with the “loss” of Steve Rogers as Captain America, signaling an end for fans.

Marvel has attempted to continue its momentum post-Endgame in what has become known as “phase 4” of the MCU. Recently, the studios have produced numerous series such as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), WandaVision (2021), and Loki (2021), among others.

Central to this boom in production has been Marvel’s merger with Disney. Though Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009, the merger’s true impact became evident post-Endgame, as Disney’s new streaming venues played a significant role. Since 2019, Marvel’s series have primarily been streamed on Disney+, reinforcing the studio’s place within Disney.

However, adapting to Disney’s streaming model may have contributed to Marvel’s decline. Following a production-heavy model suitable for platforms like Disney+, Marvel may have spread itself too thin, leaving characters and storylines underdeveloped and creating a series of flops.

Another consequence of the overproduction of superhero media is the phenomenon known as “superhero fatigue,” where an abundance of superhero stories, often of questionable quality, leaves even loyal fans feeling overwhelmed.

Deadpool & Wolverine thus arrives during a challenging period for Marvel. The film heavily relies on the iconic status of its two main superheroes, especially with Wolverine’s introduction into the MCU canon. Whether this strategy succeeds remains uncertain.

While box office returns have been high since opening night, reviews have been mixed. Some appreciate the meta-humor, where specific jokes give the film a self-aware vibe. Others, however, are put off by an implausible plot that often leans into pastiche, even as it aims to echo the visual spectacle of the Avengers franchise.

In many ways, Deadpool & Wolverine feels like a filler film, strategically placed to re-engage fans through a parody of the superhero genre. The film’s release coincided with Marvel’s announcement of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, expected in 2026-27, directed by the Russo brothers and somewhat surprisingly bringing back Robert Downey Jr in the new role of Doctor Doom.

It’s challenging to predict whether this new direction will rejuvenate the MCU. For now, Deadpool & Wolverine – while generally entertaining – does little to alleviate the pain of Marvel fatigue.

The author does not work for, consult, own shares in, or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Source: IMDB