Kevin Feige has bet big on the Multiverse Saga, but the jury remains well and truly out on whether or not it’s paid off as the Marvel Cinematic Universe struggles to win over the doubters who believe the franchise has finally bitten off more than it can chew.
In fairness, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has won strong reactions from critics and made a lot of money at the box office, but it also can’t help but be noticed the trilogy-capper isn’t tied into the overarching tapestry of Phases Five and Six in the slightest. In fact, in less than two weeks from now, the MCU could very well end up as only the fourth-best multiverse to hit theaters in a little over 12 months, which hammers home the size of the task at hand.
The number one spot belongs to the multi-time Academy Award-winning instant classic Everything Everywhere All at Once, although Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has notched early reactions and reviews that indicate it’s going to be every bit as good as its formidable predecessor.
Then there’s The Flash, which has been touted as one of the best superhero blockbusters of the modern age, one that also hits the reset button on a shared sandbox that’s being led into a bright new future by none other than former MCU stalwart James Gunn. There’s still plenty of time to arrest the slide, but so deep into its tenure as cinema’s most bankable and bulletproof brand, being anything less than the best isn’t good enoug.
