Part 8/10:
The core problem lies in the strain that ballooning budgets place on franchises. To break even on a $330 million production plus marketing, a film needs to gross close to $700 million worldwide. This is an enormous challenge when recent Marvel movies have struggled to reach these heights, especially amid audience fatigue and increasing competition.
The End of an Era?
Many believe that Marvel's financial struggles epitomize a larger shift in the franchise's cultural relevance. Once a reliably lucrative franchise, MCU movies now face declining audiences, critical backlash, and internal reckoning over their mounting costs.