The MCU is far from perfect, but it’s still a miracle

Grounded and relatable, there are many reasons why the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most successful franchise in history

“Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave, with a box of scraps!”

Little did anyone know at the time, but when Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane uttered this throwaway line back in the summer of 2008, he may well have been using a colourful metaphor to describe the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The numbers — unfathomable as they are — speak for themselves. Since May 2, 2008 when a typically self-assured Robert Downey Jr. announced to the world that he was, in fact, Iron Man, the MCU has put out 28 feature films and six television series, with several more in the wings.

Collectively, the films have grossed a staggering $27 billion, making them, by some distance, the most successful franchise in history. Perhaps more impressively, 27 of these 28 films have been rated “fresh” by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. In simple terms, these are immensely successful films, both critically as well as commercially.

Since the moment Tony Stark rolled up in a Humvee in Afghanistan to the tune of “Back in Black”, the MCU has only expanded and grown from strength to strength. As fans, we’ve been introduced to super soldiers, wizards and Norse gods. To genocidal aliens, angry green monsters, and talking raccoons. We’ve been transported from earth to space. From Wakanda to Asgard. We’ve travelled across the galaxy, gone back in time, and now, even ventured into the multiverse to reunite with some old, familiar faces. And somehow, through it all, the MCU has remained (mostly) grounded, humanising these larger-than-life heroes with personal stakes and relatable problems.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe should not be possible. Or at the very least, it should have collapsed a long time ago under its own weight and ambition. And yet, against all odds, it continues to thrive. At any given point in the last 14 years, the MCU could have well fallen out of the public consciousness. And yet, it remains a global phenomenon, as seen by the hype and anticipation for its latest entry, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

What is it that makes the MCU as successful as it is, that other studios and franchises have not been able to replicate?