7 years ago, Marvel released one of their biggest movies yet. Avengers Endgame. The film was the climax of over a decade’s worth of movies, bringing together the most beloved characters in modern cinema for the ultimate battle. Now, close to a decade later, Marvel is bringing the film back to theaters in preparation for the release of Avengers: Doomsday. After years of decreasing interest and inconsistent success, Marvel is taking notes from its greatest era in hopes to bring back the excitement surrounding the franchise. But one question remains: Can Doomsday recapture the magic of Endgame?
Endgame was not a generic superhero movie. It was the conclusion of a storyline that had been conjuring for over a decade. Loyal fans had watched the Avengers develop from the beginning, becoming attached to characters such as Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chis Evan’s Captain America. For many viewers, these were not just characters they had seen once or twice. They were heroes they grew up with.
When Endgame was finally released, Marvel had spent over a decade building toward one epic event. It united characters from different corners of the universe, joint together to face one common enemy. The movie was the biggest conclusion for all the audiences that had spent years watching. Theaters became packed with AMC theaters stating
AMC reported record numbers of 19 locations were open continuously around-the-clock this weekend from Thursday morning through Sunday night. The 63,000 AVENGERS: ENDGAME showtimes this weekend is 16,000 more than the previous record for a single movie on the opening weekend. AMC also put a weekend record of nearly 11 million tickets on sale from Thursday through Sunday for AVENGERS: ENDGAME. Demand for AVENGERS: ENDGAME was so strong that AMC added more than 5,000 last minute showtimes this weekend, above and beyond its already ambitious and record setting plan announced on Friday morning.
Recordings of audience reactions went viral across social media. However, the reactions were not simply about the scenes; these fans were emotionally connected to these characters and when these heroes won, it was like they won too. Disney let out an official statement
The film’s success reflected the fan’s excitement. The movie earned $1.209 billion worldwide opening weekend, becoming the first movie in history to make over $1 billion in a single opening weekend. The film earned $350 million domestically and broke a record for its time playing in 4,662 theaters.
However, after Endgame, the MCU changed. The storylines and contracts of several major actors had come to an end, leaving Marvel with the tricky task of introducing new characters and embarking on their journey. While some fans continued to follow every series and movie made, others began to let go of the beloved franchise. With multiple characters and stories being introduced, loyal fans lost and mourned about the connections they had developed with the original Avengers. Vareity has found that
Disney ‘s Marvel Cinematic Universe is no longer a bulletproof box office franchise.
Marvel did continue to release successful projects, but the constant excitement that surrounded the MCU during its prime was no longer guaranteed. Some fans began holding onto the original characters and stories that had made them fall in love with Marvel in the first place. The problem was not necessarily that Marvel could never introduce new characters; the problem was that the original Avengers had become difficult to replace by their clear successors. Sam Willson inheriting the shield from Steve Rogers, characters such as Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova were the natural successors of Black Widow and Hawkeye. Iron Heart also entered the MCU as a young genius whose armored technology drew close comparisons to Iron Man. These heroes were not incapable of becoming beloved characters, but Marvel was asking these fans to move forward from a generation they weren’t ready to leave.
Then, for the first time since Endgame, another Avengers movie was announced.
The announcement of Avengers Doomsday immediately brought back something that has been lost for years: the feeling that something big was soon to come. While the original Avengers are no longer together, the Avengers title was enough to bring back excitement. Marvel is also bringing back people closely associated with Avengers Endgame. The Russo brothers; directors of Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, are returning to direct Doomsday. And even more significant the biggest actor in the Marvel cinematic universe; Robert Downey Jr. Is returning…not as Iron Man though.
Downey was the face of the MCU; helping launch the universe with Iron Man and becoming the most recognizable parts of its conclusion. Now, his return as Doctor Doom may be one of the most controversial parts of Doomsday. Some fans are excited to see his return to the universe no matter the character. Others are confused with the decision thinking it may be difficult to separate the new role from the character that helped shape the MCU.
Marvel is once again assembling a massive cast, filled with characters from different parts of the universe. While many of the original cast will not be returning, the creators are attempting to combine familiar faces with the newly introduced characters. Marvel seems to be rebuilding a similar event that made Endgame so incredibly successful: a massive crossover, returning fan-favorites, familiar directors, and characters uniting to battle a common enemy.
However, rebuilding and event will not be the same as recreating Endgame.
The success of Endgame was not only because of its enormous cast or eventful battle but also because of the emotional impact that came from the decade to build up. While Doomsday may have the components that made Endgame so successful, it is a very different Marvel era. The characters and audiences are different along with the fact that Marvel is no longer experiencing the consistent level of excitement that came along with each release.
Still, the return of Endgame to theaters and anticipation surrounding Doomsday suggests that the excitement for the group of heroes has not completely vanished yet. Marvel is attempting to bring back audiences by reminding them why they fell in love with the franchise to begin with by bringing back familiar faces and assembling a massive group of heroes for the most epic battle yet.
Endgame cannot be recreated. It was the ending of a story loved by audiences for over a decade. Marvel can attempt to rebuild the scale of release but cannot replicate the same experience.
The true lingering question is whether Doomsday can recreate a new kind of magic. One strong enough to bring back the excitement of these loyal fans.
