Disney CEO Bob Iger has said the company will slow down the high-speed production of original series and movies for Disney+ after a spate of new releases on the steamer were met with mixed reviews from audiences, instead vowing to focus on sequels and existing franchises in the near future.
Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight in Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight." MOON KNIGHT. Photo courtesy of Marvel ... [+]
In an earnings call Wednesday, Iger said the future plan for Disney will see the company lean a “bit more into sequels and franchises" after losing "a little focus" when working overtime to produce new, original series for the 2019 launch of its streaming service, Disney+.
Iger specifically mentioned “reduced output” for the Marvel Cinematic Universe—though Disney has not specified which shows, if any, could be cut from its slate under the new strategy.
Most original Marvel Disney+ shows introduced or plan to introduce entirely new characters or stories not previously revealed through Marvel’s extensive movie catalog—a trend that could fade under the company’s new sequel and franchise-focused direction.
Of the almost two dozen Marvel series released or announced since the inaugural premiere of “WandaVision” in 2021, 12 star entirely new characters or stories not previously introduced.
The first such series, "What If...?,” was Marvel Studios' first animated series and was met with a positive response from both critics and viewers—it has a 92% audience score and 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
‘Moon Knight” and "Ms. Marvel," both released in 2022, were met with similarly glowing reviews: 86% of critics liked “Moon Knight” and 98% liked “Mrs. Marvel.”
"She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" was the first stumble for Disney+'s new Marvel shows—it has a 77% critics score but only 32% of audiences approved—and reception for “Echo” also fell somewhat flat with a 61% audience score.
Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness in Marvel Studios' "WandaVision."
Most Disney+ shows starring existing Marvel franchise characters have been well received. "Loki," which has two seasons, has a 87% critics score and 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. "WandaVision" has a 91% critics score, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" has an 85% and "Hawkeye," which introduces a new character but under the watchful eye of veteran Clint Barton, was liked by 92% of critics.
The only series starring an existing Marvel movie character that has fallen flat with audiences is “Secret Invasion.” Nick Fury, babysitter of the original Avengers gang, failed to wow with a show that earned a 47% approval rating from audiences and 53% from critics.
1.3 million. That's how many subscribers Disney+ lost in the final quarter of 2023, the company revealed in its earnings report Wednesday. The drop coincides with a price hike that saw the Disney+ add free plan go from $10.99 to $13.99 per month. As of Dec. 30, the platform has 111.3 million subscribers.
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios' "Secret Invasion."
Captain Carter (center) and the Howling Commandos in Marvel Studios' "What If...?"
Last year saw heightened conversations around the idea of "IP fatigue" and "superhero fatigue," the concept that movie-goers are tired of seeing the same characters, storylines and special effects played out on screen again and again. Iger’s recent comments, however, suggests Disney still sees more value in sequels and franchises than in new ideas. Marvel's 2023 releases were met with mixed success at the box office. "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" made $381.2 million and $358.9 million at the domestic box office, respectively, to earn the titles of the third and fourth highest-grossing movies of the year. "The Marvels," however, broke a franchise record for the worst ever domestic opening weekend and grossed just $84.4 million domestically, a fifth of the $426.8 million made by its predecessor, "Captain Marvel."
The slate of already-announced Marvel shows that have yet to be released. Five new series are expected to be released at some point this year. "Agatha: Darkhold Diaries" will focus on the Agatha Harkness character first introduced in "WandaVision" and is the only non-animated show on the 2024 slate of releases. Others include "Eyes of Wakanda,” set in the "Black Panther" universe; "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man”; "Marvel Zombies" and “X-Men '97.” Also announced are "Daredevil: Born Again," "Ironheart," "Wonder Man," "Vision Quest" and an untitled "Nova" series from the writer of "Moon Knight." A third season of "What If...?" has also been confirmed.
Marvel's in-production "Wonder Man" series made headlines this week after a crew member died on its set. Juan “Spike” Osorio fell from the rafters of Radford Studios in Hollywood on Tuesday and died from his injuries. A GoFundMe created to help Osorio's family has raised more than $150,000.