Joe Russo Urges Fans to be Patient With Marvel's Phase 5

"There’s nobody better at telling stories than Kevin Feige right now. If you’re going to bet on anybody, you bet on him." - Joe Russo

Via an interview with Louise Griffin at Radio Times, Joe Russo talks about the recent, sometimes harsh, criticism of Marvel Studios. He feels it's not as simple as a "Marvel have fallen off" type of sentiment that fans and critics have expressed.

Marvel Studios' opening to Phase 5 with ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA did not go down well with the majority of moviegoers. Rotten Tomatoes currently has it at 47% from critics and a surprising 83% from the audience. Though I haven't perceived much praise for it in the real world - including social media. I won't get into why ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA wasn't very good, but The Canadian Lad expertly conveyed most of my points, as he happens to do with majority of his Marvel praise and constructive criticism.

Joe Russo along with his brother Anthony have played an important role in Marvel Studios' INFINITY SAGA. They debuted their Marvel Cinematic Universe careers with CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014). Introducing a fresh take on superhero films, the result was a fan favourite and a stand-out entry in the MCU. They continued the success with CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016), partnering again (and will do for the remainder of their time at Marvel) with cinematographer Trent Opaloch. Joe and Anthony Russo ended their MCU contracts of 10 years with AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018) and AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019) - each film surpassing $2 billion, something no other superhero film has ever done.

We love them to death, we had an amazing experience working together, all of us, we’re focused on [production company] AGBO right now and all the projects that we have going on at AGBO. It’s been a very busy year for us… there’s a lot going on in our world right now and that’s where our focus is at the moment."

"I think that the type of story that unfolded in the phases that we worked on [was] a very specific kind of story that wrapped itself up in those phases and now it’s time for a new story, and I think that’s the direction that Marvel’s headed in. They’re telling you a very different story, a very new story and I think the audience just needs to be patient with the redirection because you can’t keep telling the same story over and over or you lose the audience."

"I think they’re taking some very big swings and they’re playing around with the tone and they’re championing diversity as much as anyone in the storytelling space right now and all of these things are huge wins for large-scale storytelling."

I agree with Joe - and I will give Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige patience as I always have done - but it is dangerous to be so focused on where you want to be that you're blind to the problems that exist on your journey right now. We only get one ANT-MAN 3. We only get one first season of SHE-HULK. We only get one THOR 4.
I am in no position to tell Kevin Feige he's doing it wrong and that is because of his phenomenal achievements as President of Marvel Studios; evidenced by his unstoppable run of 10 years that garnered success after success. We are now on the 15th year. He's building a new saga. He's more than earned your patience, support and last but not least, constructive criticism.
That being said. I am a big MCU fan, a big Marvel fan and a big Kevin Feige fan. I don't want more of these ANT-MAN 3's, SHE-HULKs and THOR 4's. Marvel and Kevin have always listened to the fans and this is why it's important to speak and give criticism that they can actually forge something out of.

On a brighter note: THE MARVELS (2023) teaser trailer looks very good.

Next up, though... is GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3!