Marvel Television executive Brad Winderbaum gave word of a budgetary goal for the MCU’s Phase 6 that could prove divisive for some.
Disney+ has given the MCU the opportunity to expand its storytelling by leaps and bounds. It hasn’t all been the best-received content that ever was, but a fair few shows (WandaVision, Loki) have achieved breakout success. However, many of Marvel’s Disney+ series have been marked with high price tags.
The MCU's Phase 6 will begin with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (currently set to release on July 25, 2025), and with it will be even more Disney+ series. Beyond Paul Bettany-led Vision show (set to debut in 2026), other expected Phase 6 TV titles include Wonder Man (if it doesn't come out before F4) as well as the cosmic-based Nova series.
Marvel Studios to Lower Budgets for Disney+ Output
Speaking to Variety, Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios’ head of streaming, television, and animation confirmed that the TV arm of the MCU will be scaling back its budgets. This is a result of a mandate from on high, as Disney CEO Bob Iger gave the order to reduce studio spending in 2023.
Per Winderbaum, Marvel Studios aspires to get its future shows down to a “reasonable cost”. Now, some fans may be quick to hit the panic button here, but the exec assured that this shift in spending will bring about “a little bit more freedom creatively:”
“We are looking to make these shows for a responsible cost. Frankly, it gives us a little bit more freedom creatively when we can bring them in at a reasonable budget.”
Winderbaum cited Marvel’s latest streaming program Agatha All Along (which was also confirmed was the Red Brand’s cheapest series yet) as something that relies on practicality as opposed to flashy digital effects:
“Like [‘Agatha All Along’], for example, the show has minimal CG, way less than we’ve ever done before. It’s mostly practical effects, and I think you can feel it in the show.”
So, what does all this belt-tightening bode for Marvel TV’s forthcoming Phase 5 and Phase 6 shows like Daredevil: Born Again and Vision Quest?
Well, Ol’ Hornhead’s street-level series will come in less costly than say, Loki Season 2, and the Paul Bettany-led Vision show will also “not necessarily” have as high a budget as the earlier streaming endeavors:
“[The lower budgeting] certainly holds true with ‘Daredevil’ and our future slate as we look down the pike at ’26 and ’27. That’s certainly the goal.”
Brad Winderbaum additionally submitted that using CGI wisely, in a way that supports the plot, is key:
“I think it’s about how you use the effects, as opposed to the scale of the effects. And we’re responding to our own recent history here, and how effective effects really are in increasing the value of a story.”
What Do Smaller Budgets Really Mean for Phase 6?
Before MCU die-hards jump to conclusions about Marvel Television’s cost-cutting, they should probably consider that leaner budgets could very possibly make shows better.
A historical example: When 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which came in far over budget, wound up not meeting Paramount’s financial expectations, its sequel didn’t get to spend as lavishly. The end result? Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, a tight, thrilling, character-focused movie that wowed critics and fans alike.
In short, lower budgets could very well have a Wrath of Khan-esque effect on the MCU’s Disney+ series. Instead of smashy, large-scale final battles that use lots of CGI (something that fans have complained about), the conflicts could be toned down into more personal affairs with a deeper focus on the heroes and villains.
By and large, Marvel Studios isn’t stupid. If a particular series requires a digital effects-heavy addition, fans likely shouldn’t expect them to skimp. In other words, it seems quite probable that Vision will spend about as much time in his synthezoid form in Vision Quest as he did in WandaVision.
And if rumors are to be believed, Vision Quest could even include some Avengers, which would justify higher production costs.
And Daredevil: Born Again, which fans were given a sneak peek of in September, has its sights set on the gritty and grounded end of the spectrum, much like Netflix’s original run for the Man Without Fear. Marvel simply does not need to spend an exorbitant amount to bring Born Again to life.
Not to mention that Agatha All Along cost less than any other MCU series yet. And if the reactions so far are any indication, many viewers are utterly locked into the spooky tale of Agatha Harkness and her coven as they walk the deadly Witches’ Road, and forming theories about the identities of specific Agatha characters.
All in all, audiences may need to adjust their expectations in some ways going forward, but they can also, in all likelihood, rest assured that Marvel Television will adjust its budgets to levels that are appropriate to each project.
This is the MCU, after all. The fanbase has come to expect certain things from this franchise, even as the TV branch moves into a thriftier period.
