Disney CEO Bob Iger recently made waves during an early May earnings call by announcing that the company will be drastically limiting its Marvel movie output, reducing it to “two good films” a year. This decision follows a spate of lackluster box office performances, including notable flops like *The Marvels* and *Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania*. It seems audiences are showing signs of “superhero fatigue,” prompting the House of Mouse to reevaluate its strategy for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The shift represents a broader strategy change for Disney. Bob Iger noted the company’s intention to balance its focus between new original content and sequels. Previously, Disney’s original animated films were box office heavyweights, but there’s now a pivot coming back to tried-and-true sequels, aiming for quality rather than quantity. This change does raise questions—particularly for screenwriters—about whether fresh, original stories might have a better chance to shine under Disney’s banner.
The film community has been grappling with the concept of “superhero fatigue” for some time. By the end of 2023, the box office landscape reflected this shift, with none of the top three films being a sequel or remake. Hits like *Barbie*, *The Super Mario Bros. Movie*, and *Oppenheimer* were standalone films based on existing intellectual properties (IP). Given these successes, Disney seems to be waking up to the changing tastes of moviegoers.
While we’re not suggesting that superhero films will vanish entirely, their era of total box office dominance may be tapering off. This opens up avenues for more original content to make its way to the silver screen—potentially at lower budgets yet still appealing massively to moviegoers. Films like *Civil War*, *Bob Marley: One Love*, and *The Beekeeper* have led the box office this year, indicating a shift towards original stories.
For screenwriters, this is a golden opportunity. Even as studios move away from riskier, big-budget gambles, original screenplays remain crucial. Having a well-crafted original script in your portfolio could be your ticket, especially now that Hollywood might be more open to new ideas that are economical to produce but rich in narrative appeal.
What do you think about Disney’s move to cut back on Marvel output? Could this be the renaissance for original storytelling that Hollywood so desperately needs? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let’s keep the conversation going! Don’t forget to share this article if you found it insightful!
*[Source: Deadline](https://deadline.com/2024/05/disneys-bob-iger-reducing-marvel-output-balancing-sequels-original-films-1235907057/)*
