The Drama Behind The Scenes Of Phase Five Might Rule The End

Marvel. Is there any bigger franchise on the planet? For a time, most people would have been forced to say no, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown to unbelievable heights and seen the stars of it all go down as household names across the planet. Sadly, what goes up must eventually come down.

Now, it seems the drama behind the scenes of Phase Five might rule the end for the MCU after so many years at the top. Even being a part of Disney might not save it now, with Marvel learning the hard way that getting too big for your boots is never destined to end well.

Shutting movie theaters hit the MCU's Phase Four hard

Launching 'The Avengers' all those years ago saw Marvel do the impossible. Sure, there had been successful franchises - do we even need to mention 'The Dark Knight' trilogy? - but no one had ever successfully created such a large universe with crossover characters and stories that spread across multiple films and TV shows. While not every film has been equal, each branch of the franchise saw individual creators bring their own stories to life throughout Phases Two and Three. However, the problems started in Phase Four - and it wasn't all Marvel's fault. Losing movie theaters for so long saw ticket sales take a real hit, with Marvel's chief, Kevin Feige, losing his grip on what had once been a praised plan with the ability to look so far into the future.

Many wondered if Marvel Studios is taking its stars for granted

Phase Four still soldiered on for Marvel, but it wasn't long before the giant cracks turned to canyons and they all started to show to the rest of the world. The drama between Scarlett Johansson and the 'Black Widow' spin-off really set things in motion, with the actress claiming she lost pay due to the timing of the release. As if the half-hearted apology from Marvel wasn't enough, fans quickly pointed out that the film was released several years too late and was almost always destined to fail. Using techniques to paint Scarlett as the villain in it all was the final straw, especially after all the years of service she had given the franchise by that point.

Keeping up with the MCU has become increasingly impossible

Marvel has grown to see millions of fans come together, with plenty hanging off every movie and TV show that comes their way. So how is someone supposed to get into it all this far down the line? There used to be a time that someone could dip in and out of the productions they most wanted to see. Now, there is the problem that getting into the Marvel Cinematic Universe means hours of viewing everything before it to even understand where things have left off. Take the upcoming 'Doctor Strange' sequel. Fans will be more than lost if they haven't watched 'WandaVision,' and the reveal for the Multiverse Saga will be missed by anyone who skipped 'Loki.' It wasn't long before Phase Four movies and Disney+ shows received their first real bomb with the critics.

Creative blunders had people confused about the characters

Having such a large universe meant the MCU would need to pay close attention if it was going to keep up with it all. The problem? It appears that might be the very thing that's holding Phase Five back from succeeding. The global health crisis saw events in 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' have to change, while events in 'Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness' didn't quite line up with Wanda's character developments in 'WandaVision.' In fact, the only movie that made a successful run through Phase Four and out the other side was 'Spider-Man: No Way Home,' and that was mainly due to the fact it relied on nostalgia and a self-contained story over anything else.

Several directors have mysteriously left their projects

It might be little surprise that Marvel has its own plans about what it wants from its movies. The problem? Directors that don't fall in line with their ideas are immediately out. Scott Derikson had a lot to prove with 'Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness,' claiming it would be the first "scary" movie in the MCU. That was until he left the project due to "creative differences." Bassam Tariq is another who was working on 'Blade' until a short time before filming was due to start. It was only then that Bassam was said to have "stepped away," and Yann Demange was brought in instead.

The drama behind the scenes of Phase Five might rule the end for the MCU in a downfall that many hoped they would never see. While Marvel has enjoyed quite the run at the top, is it time for the giant to step away from the grip they have held on Hollywood for so long?