Knee-jerk reactions are all the rage these days, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Phase Five already teetering on the brink of crisis in the eyes of many after a wave of unsavory announcements, reveals, and revelations.
Anyone hoping that the conclusion of the divisive Phase Four would wipe the slate clean and see the Multiverse Saga ignite with a bang were left sorely disappointed when Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania landed with a thud as the second worst-reviewed of the MCU’s 31 features to date.
Not only has that instantly tempered expectations for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty given that Jeff Loveness is penning both, but a swift knock-on effect has seen The Marvels placed in the crosshairs of those who have now become more convinced than ever that Brie Larson’s second headline outing as Carol Danvers is destined to follow a similar trajectory.
Of course, the Nia DaCosta-directed sequel isn’t the next movie out of the gate, but James Gunn’s presence as the writer and director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – as well as the near-universal adoration of the first two installments – has created the perception (which isn’t unfounded in the slightest) that the cosmic misfits will be immune from the worrying downturn in quality that’s seen all three of the worst-rated installments in MCU history land within the space of just 13 months.
When you consider that development, production, and release is slowing down on the Disney Plus side of the equation, too, then it doesn’t take a genius to explain why the bubble potentially bursting for real is a concern.