Research on Content Oversaturation and Franchise Fatigue in the Post-Endgame Marvel Cinematic Universe

Abstract

The Marvel Cinematic Universe was initially at the heart of franchise filmmaking around the world. Following Avengers: Endgame (2019), Marvel entered a more competitive phase, characterized by accelerated release schedules. Disney+ made the franchise move past the movie theater stage, while streaming series became related to the plot of the universe. In parallel, the recent productions of the Marvel Universe were marked by less stable audience interest, resulting in the films receiving lower ratings and bigger differences in box office revenues between movies. This paper attempts to determine whether content overload is one of the reasons behind franchise fatigue following Avengers: Endgame and how such fatigue impacts audience engagement and box office success. It will conduct its analysis using a qualitative case study methodology along with comparative research, box office numbers, IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes ratings of the movies and relevant secondary sources. Results indicate that rapid expansion made the uniqueness of each new product harder to maintain. Additionally, the film-series format added to the viewing pressure, particularly for casual viewers who do not watch every Disney+ series. Nevertheless, fans' connection to old characters preserves their loyalty partially.