Rumored details on Marvel’s Disney Plus future indicate ‘Secret Invasion’ was the final straw

Has there been a more middling Marvel show than the big-budget Secret Invasion? Disliked by hardcore Marvel fans for its slow pace and disregarding canon, and not much better reviewed by critics who felt it didn’t move far away enough from the standard formula that most MCU films and series’ usually offer, it can sometimes feel like there has never been a piece of content that so deserves its near perfectly average 6/10 IMDB and 66 percent RT rating. Of course, this would be fine if it wasn’t also such an expensive production — but that fact can’t be ignored, even for companies that are drowning in cash like Marvel and Disney.

Many fans have put the disappointing nature of the show down to Marvel fatigue. With Phase 4 really packing in the content and Phase 5 showing no signs of slowing down, it’s hard not to think that studio bosses are prioritizing quantity over quality. While we’re sure Marvel head honchos would argue against this characterization of their products, the fact is the comic book franchise is a money-making machine, and the way our world works means that while it’s helping the big bucks roll in, it has to be squeezed for every ounce of short term profit possible, even if it leads to a drop in fans as the quality lowers. That’s just capitalism, baby.

Some fans have been arguing that the franchise should go back to focusing on films, and when you look at the various newer television series that have come out under the MCU banner, it’s easy to see why. With a few exceptions (Ms. Marvel, Loki, Hawkeye, Agent Carter, and Wandavision), Disney Plus and Marvel collaborations have been average at best. This is especially true when you compare them to some beloved, pre-Disney/Marvel shows, like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Daredevil, which managed to combine great storytelling with a clear focus on characterization. Now, compare that to She-Hulk, which often felt like three or four shows rolled into one, or Secret Invasion, which felt like it basically never got going.

Whether or not the poor reception of Secret Invasion will actually lead to a shift in Marvel production is yet to be seen, but the fact a change of some kind is needed can no longer be ignored. Let’s just hope execs and writers pull their heads out of the sand and try to bring the franchise back onto the right track.