Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has revealed major changes to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including fewer TV shows, smaller movie budgets, and plans for a “reset” after the 2027 film Avengers: Secret Wars.
Speaking to a small group of reporters at Marvel’s headquarters on the Disney lot in Burbank, Feige opened up about the challenges the studio has faced since the end of the Infinity Saga in 2019. The conversation marked a rare, in-depth look at the studio’s evolving strategy.
From Expansion to Overload
Feige acknowledged that Marvel has produced too much content in recent years. Between 2007 and 2019, the MCU generated about 50 hours of stories. Since Avengers: Endgame, that number has more than doubled to 127 hours, often leaving audiences overwhelmed.
“We’ve had well over 100 hours of stories in half the time [since Endgame]. That’s too much,” Feige admitted. He pointed to the rise of Disney+ as a key reason for the rapid expansion, leading to concerns that fans now feel pressured to watch everything to stay up-to-date.
Less TV, More Focus
As part of the new approach, Marvel will scale back its television projects. Going forward, the studio will release fewer Disney+ series, sometimes just one live-action show per year. These shows will also be less connected to the films, allowing audiences to enjoy them without feeling they need to follow every detail of the larger MCU.
Feige compared this strategy to Marvel’s TV efforts in the 2010s, such as Daredevil and Jessica Jones, which had limited ties to the broader MCU. He confirmed that events from recent shows, like Thunderbolts or Daredevil: Born Again, won’t necessarily cross over into future films or other series.
A Shift in Film Production
Marvel also plans to slow down its movie production to a maximum of three films per year. According to Feige, the studio has learned from recent box office struggles, where several post-pandemic MCU films failed to reach $500 million globally.
One major change is cutting costs. Feige said recent films have been about a third cheaper than previous productions, and Marvel even consulted with the team behind The Creator, a sci-fi film known for its low $80 million budget.
Future Avengers films, including Doomsday and Secret Wars, are being produced in London’s Pinewood Studios due to space and cost considerations. However, Feige said Marvel will still film some projects in the U.S., especially in Georgia and New York, where financial incentives are available.
The Fate of New Characters
Marvel has focused in recent years on creating more diverse stories, including characters like Ms. Marvel, Shang-Chi, and the Eternals. While Feige said diversity remains important, it is unclear when or if these characters will return in future projects.
Feige confirmed that Sony has asked Marvel to stay away from including Miles Morales, the popular Spider-Man character, in the MCU until after Sony’s animated Spider-Verse trilogy concludes in 2027.
As for other high-profile cameos such as Charlize Theron’s Clea or Harry Styles’ Starfox, Feige was noncommittal, saying only that characters introduced after Endgame will “pop up again in some of the upcoming movies and beyond.”
Goodbye Kang, Hello Doctor Doom
Feige addressed the replacement of Kang the Conqueror as the MCU’s main villain. After actor Jonathan Majors was removed from the role following legal troubles, Marvel decided to shift focus to Doctor Doom, a classic comic book villain. Robert Downey Jr. is set to return to the MCU to play Doom in Avengers: Doomsday.
“We started to realize that Kang wasn’t big enough, wasn’t Thanos,” Feige said, noting the decision to pivot was made even before Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was released.
A Simpler Fantastic Four
Feige also highlighted the upcoming film The Fantastic Four: First Steps as an example of Marvel’s new direction. The film introduces the iconic team in their own world with no previous MCU connections. “It is a no-homework-required movie,” Feige said.
Looking Ahead
Feige hinted at more genre experimentation for future films after Secret Wars, including stories focused on single characters rather than massive team-ups.
He also shared that he has been watching classic Hollywood films from the 1930s and ’40s to reconnect with the basics of entertaining audiences.
As for his own future, Feige said he wants to continue making big movies for large audiences, whether with Marvel or beyond. “That’s all I want to do,” he said.
