By Lauren Siegel ‘23, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer 

In October 2019, renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese said during an interview with Empire magazine that, despite being a part of the franchise entitled the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Marvel movies are not “real cinema.”  He likened these superhero movies to “theme parks”—only existing to be entertaining and devoid of any substance—and criticized their formulaic nature and lack of emotional gravity. His comments were met with fierce debate and controversy among fans and critics as well as responses from various Marvel directors including Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige himself. While these filmmakers dismissed Scorsese’s claims and defended their work, Marvel’s new television shows on Disney Plus demonstrate how the studio has devoted itself to change and growth, and that this new, mature direction will ensure the longevity of the franchise.

Earlier this year, Marvel released WandaVision, its first television show on Disney Plus. This show, which consisted of only nine episodes, was a cryptic, alluring, and genre-bending experience unlike anything Marvel has ever created before. The show took huge risks with its unconventional and mystifying plot that largely strayed away from typical superhero action. Audiences praised its uniqueness and the show’s first episode is now the most-watched series premiere ever on Disney Plus. The TV show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier followed shortly after, and despite being marketed as a typical superhero show filled to the brim with action sequences, the show demonstrates a dedication to the emotional journeys and character arcs of its two leads in a way that has never been explored in the star-studded, box-office films.

Marvel fans across the internet were generally thrilled to see the studio delving deeper into the emotions and psychological journeys of their favorite superheroes. Furthermore, with ten new shows slated to debut on the streaming service in the next few years, the tidal wave of new Marvel content that bends the traditional MCU formula will not be stopping anytime in the near future. But with Marvel releasing new shows one after the other for every month in the foreseeable future, it’s worth questioning whether viewers will start to feel fatigued with the franchise, especially considering that the studio just announced that it will switch to releasing four new movies a year, as opposed to the previous three. If depthless entertainment is the only goal of Marvel content, as Scorsese asserted, then the studio is at risk of subjecting modern audiences to Marvel and superhero fatigue as they release a never-ending cycle of familiar programs.

While this remains a possibility, Marvel Studios’ wide variety of shows in production is likely to keep audiences engaged and loyal with constantly shifting content and a greater focus on heart and thematic depth. When exploring the perspectives of a morally gray antihero in Loki, addressing growing up and teenagehood through a Pakistani-American shapeshifter in Ms. Marvel, and tackling gritty realism and dissociative identity disorder in Moon Knight, Marvel is producing a slew of shows each with a different allure that distinguishes them from one another and from the traditional Marvel movie formula. Plus, these shows contain big names both in front of and behind the camera—from renowned actors like Ethan Hawke to teen favorites like Hailee Seinfeld—which is a savvy marketing move that will not only attract diverse audiences from all different age groups but should also help to further establish tonal distinction between each show. In today’s world where an abundance of content causes franchises to risk oversaturation, Marvel has realized that it needs to break franchise tradition by introducing more emotionally compelling stories to keep its audiences engaged. Whether it was an intentional response to Scorsese’s critique or not, Marvel’s brilliant content shift and variety in its new shows are sure to rake in huge profits and devote audiences to Marvel content for years to come. While it is unclear whether its new movies will be able to claim the title of “real cinema,” it is apparent that its existing shows can and should.