A heavy burden rests on Ant-Man’s (Paul Rudd) diminutive shoulders: not only the fate of Earth-616, but perhaps the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) itself.
Over the past 15 years, the MCU has redefined the Hollywood franchise blockbuster through their pioneering use of transmedia storytelling, in which a unified narrative unfolds systematically across multiple media forms and platforms. This rich world building has resulted in both cultural ubiquity and immense financial returns.
But with a release schedule mapped out many years in advance, the limitations of this production line model (in particular a lack of quality control and over reliance on CGI) have become clear, especially in contrast to the impact of Top Gun: Maverick’s (2022) thrillingly real stunts and the long-gestating CGI hit Avatar: The Way of Water (2022).
