This Just In: Never-Ending Stories

In a world of uncertainty, it’s time we don’t take our storytelling too seriously.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is twenty-three movies strong, with another seven on the way. As the pandemic moved us indoors ( more so than usual), Carla and I began a chronological rewatch of the entire series. Thanks to Disney+, Netflix, and a Starz free trial, we re-watched all 23 films over the last five months.

When Marvel released Iron Man in 2008, it was a huge gamble. At the time, comic book movies were less than stellar. With the exception of Batman Begins, most comic book films were campy at best. Marvel sought to change the expectation by hiring top-tier talent to create and star.

It worked.

With the exception of The Incredible Hulk ( which we didn’t watch because it’s basically been scrubbed from existence), each movie in the MCU was a massive success. The films grossed a combined $22.5 billion in global revenue. To put that into context, Disney purchased Marvel in 2009 for $4 billion. Talk about a return on investment.

Marvel’s cinematic success comes not only from well-made films but from the ability to weave together connected storylines spanning multiple films. Granted, this is something Marvel has been doing in comic books for…