A leading Marvel Studios executive admitted that they are not sure if the success of Avengers: Endgame will ever be repeated.
The 2019 event film, which featured the culmination of over ten years of storytelling, is undoubtedly one of the biggest cinematic achievements ever. Many fans still talk about it as a once-in-a-lifetime movie-going experience.
Endgame went on to gross $2.79 billion at the worldwide box office and held the title for the highest-grossing film of all time for just under two years. Since then, the MCU has never reached those same heights—in fact, one could argue that Marvel Studios’ entire slate is at the lowest point it is ever been.
Avengers: Endgame Was a Once-in-a-Lifetime Success
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, X-Men ‘97 producer Brad Winderbaum (who is also known as Marvel Studios' head of streaming, television, and animation) admitted how he does not know if the MCU will ever be able to repeat the success of Avengers: Endgame.
While speaking about the challenge of balancing a litany of film franchises in the Infinity Saga, Winderbaum candidly stated how "[he’s] not sure there will ever be anything like [Endgame] again in cinema:"
"When the Netflix shows were coming out and being made, we were building towards 'Infinity War' and 'Endgame.' We were trying to balance all of these film franchises and get them to culminate onscreen in these two epic movies. To say it was a challenge is not even correct. It was one of the most challenging creative endeavors the studio ever undertook. I’m not sure there will ever be anything like it again in cinema. It took so much to get all that stuff to galvanize in that one place and in that one time so that people could have that experience in the movie theater."
Will Avengers: Secret Wars Be Able to Soar?
While matching the success of Avengers: Endgame might not happen, that uncertainty is not keeping Marvel Studios from trying.
After all, it has got two big Avengers movies in the works, one of which is titled Secret Wars, after one of the biggest events in all of Marvel Comics. The multiverse-spanning storyline also makes it possible for the studio to bring in every cameo or character they could ever dream of—so colossal success is surely possible.
However, Marvel Studios will need to get past its string of poorly received projects first. Hopefully, Deadpool 3 will be the start of that uphill battle.
The Marvels star Iman Vellani previously told The Direct that she feels the secret to repeating Avengers: Endgame’s success and excitement is "making the audience care about their characters.:
Currently, that is one of the biggest hang-ups in the MCU—audiences have no idea when they will see any given character again. Shang-Chi had a very successful movie in 2021, yet three years later, there is no estimated window for when fans will see the hero again (here is what there is to know about Shang-Chi 2).
The same goes for the Eternals, Kit Harington’s Dane, everyone from Werewolf by Night, Oscar Isaac’s Moon Night, and so many more.
Needless to say, Marvel Studios has a lot of work ahead of them if they want to reach those heights ever again—perhaps more challenges than they’ve ever faced before.
Avengers: Endgame is streaming on Disney+.
