10 Tough Truths About Rewatching Marvel’s 2024 Film Releases

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) encountered considerable challenges in 2024, as multiple viewings of its recent offerings highlighted a range of underlying issues. Consequently, this year has emerged as a mixed bag for the entertainment behemoth, as the quality and relevance of Marvel’s 2024 releases varied significantly. Regardless of the positive or negative aspects, each installment exhibited some shortcomings that became more apparent with additional viewings.

Compared to previous years, Marvel’s release calendar was notably sparse in 2024. Alongside Deadpool & Wolverine, the only other live-action films to prominently feature Marvel’s brand were the final three entries from Sony’s alternate Spider-Man universe. The majority of the franchise’s content throughout the year came in the form of television series, including live-action offerings on Disney+ like Agatha All Along and animated projects such as X-Men ’97.

10 What If…? Fails to Deliver Its Full Potential

The series has consistently let down viewers

In 2024, What If…? made its mark as the first animation directly linked to the MCU to achieve a third season. Unfortunately, the show has repeatedly missed the mark for many viewers hoping that its inventive premise could open new narrative avenues within the MCU—perhaps even bringing in new characters or addressing longstanding fan questions related to the complex lore.

Yet, after three seasons, What If…? has largely offered familiar storylines, such as featuring the Avengers in mechs facing a colossal Hulk and introducing the Red Guardian into plots where he never appeared in the core MCU films. These story arcs often felt like rearrangements of existing characters in new scenarios without sufficiently expanding the rich world-building that characterizes the franchise. It’s disappointing that season three didn’t elevate the show beyond its conventional roots.

9 2024 Marks the MCU’s Scarce Year for Releases

The MCU experienced a noticeable slowdown

Spider-Man with Kraven the Hunter — Custom image by Yeider Chacon

Since Avengers: Endgame, questions surrounding the MCU’s diminishing impact on the cinema landscape have abounded. Disappointing releases in 2023 like The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania forced Marvel to reevaluate its creative direction, contributing to the dearth of content seen in 2024. Consequently, only one feature film, Deadpool & Wolverine, joined the MCU this year—an unprecedented first since The Avengers premiered in 2012.

While it is true that many of the delays causing 2024’s movie drought were external factors like the COVID-19 pandemic’s aftereffects and the recent SAG-AFTRA strikes, the minimal number of released projects undeniably dampened the franchise’s momentum.

8 X-Men ’97 Demands Extensive Background Knowledge

The series continues directly from the 90s classic

A highlight of Marvel’s offerings this year was the animated series X-Men ’97, which serves as a continuation of the beloved 90s X-Men: The Animated Series. Although it revitalizes the classic animated universe, it is marketed as being accessible to newcomers. In practice, however, the show is laden with references that may impede new viewers.

X-Men ’97 frequently recalls prior events, heavily catering to returning fans. While it summarizes previous episodes, new viewers might find it challenging to navigate the intricate narrative reintroduced after so many years. Ultimately, the lack of accessibility could hinder broader audience engagement despite the series’ high quality.

7 Deadpool & Wolverine Suffers After Initial Shock of Cameos

The humor-heavy film hinges on first-time surprises

Wesley Snipes' Blade with Deadpool — Custom image by Nicolas Ayala

Reviewing Marvel’s 2024 lineup, Deadpool & Wolverine stands out as a significant success. It quickly set records as the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, bringing the Fox mutants into the MCU and referencing Marvel’s cinematic history. While these surprise appearances are breathtaking initially, subsequent viewings reveal a loss of impact.

Essentially, Deadpool & Wolverine is best enjoyed on a first watch, shared with an enthusiastic audience that appreciates the excitement of the cameos—like the long-awaited return of Wesley Snipes’ Blade. However, as the novelty wears off, the lingering moments and awkward transitions become glaringly apparent, echoing criticisms aimed at other films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, but perhaps even more pronounced here.

6 Kraven the Hunter Marks a Lackluster Finale for Sony’s Universe

Sony struggled to engage fans and audiences alike

Kraven the Hunter speaking to his brother

2024 marked the disappointing conclusion of Sony’s attempt at a Spider-Man spinoff universe, culminating in Kraven the Hunter. Initially buoyed by the success of the first Venom films, the franchise began to falter with the disastrous release of Morbius in 2022. This year represented one last effort to make an impact before closing the chapter with Kraven.

While Kraven the Hunter doesn’t stand as Sony’s worst release in this universe, it failed to deliver the blockbuster success needed to resurrect interest in their cinematic endeavors, resulting in flatlining performance at the box office alongside its predecessors. It is regrettable that the final chapter in Sony’s ambitious but ultimately futile experiment ended on such an unremarkable note.

5 Echo’s Power Development Was Accelerated

Changes to her abilities diverged significantly from the comics

One unexpected entry into the MCU in early 2024 was the miniseries Echo, which spotlighted Maya Lopez, a deaf assassin. The series traced her journey from vengeance-driven antihero to a skilled superhero. However, it struggled to adequately develop Maya’s transformation.

In the comics, Echo possesses abilities akin to Taskmaster, enabling her to precisely mimic her opponents’ movements. For the series, this concept was discarded in favor of emphasizing her Native American heritage, which bestowed her with vaguely defined healing powers. Unfortunately, these new abilities were underexplored until the very end of the series, with most of the narrative focusing on a gritty crime drama rather than truly developing her character as a superhero.

4 Agatha All Along As a Classic Example of MCU Filler

While enjoyable, Agatha’s series might suffer from pacing issues

In comparison to Echo, Agatha All Along was a significantly more notable addition to Disney+’s MCU catalog, enriching the franchise’s lore while examining the character of Agatha Harkness. However, the series is not immune to pacing issues that have affected previous MCU shows.

The core of Agatha All Along revolves around Agatha’s journey down the mystical Witches’ Road, presenting her and her coven with personalized challenges that lead to several deaths. Unfortunately, these trials feel like filler—essentially padding the story before diving into the significant aspects of Agatha’s narrative, a common issue across numerous MCU series. It seems that Agatha’s story could have perhaps benefitted from being presented as a special event, similar to Werewolf by Night.

3 Madame Web Represents a Decisive Low Point for Marvel Films

An outright failure in many respects

While most of Marvel’s 2024 transitions were either satisfactory or outstanding, Madame Web stands out as an unfortunate blemish on the Marvel legacy. This film breaks ground as the first superhero feature focusing on a character without her own dedicated comic series, which casts a shadow over the film’s viability from the outset.

Indeed, Madame Web presents a chaotic and convoluted narrative laden with questionable choices and eye-roll-inducing nods to the broader Spider-Man mythology. Dakota Johnson’s peculiar performance, coupled with her seemingly uncomfortable promotional tour, raises questions about the film’s production and overall efficacy. This project may become a lesson for Marvel to internalize as it moves forward.

2 Deadpool & Wolverine Presents Subpar CGI Quality

Hugh Jackman was unrecognizably animated

The quality of CGI in MCU productions is often a contentious subject. Generally, the franchise excels in creating immersive fantasy environments and showcasing superhero abilities through impressive visual effects. However, several projects like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and even Black Panther have exhibited their share of visual failures. Upon revisiting Deadpool & Wolverine, it becomes apparent that the MCU has not successfully addressed these visual shortcomings.

In particular, there are moments where the CGI stands out, such as during a key battle sequence when a visibly rubbery-looking Wolverine crashes through a bus. The camera lingers long enough to reveal the awkward digital creation, which culminates in an uncomfortable pause as Deadpool quips while the character appears ill-defined and poorly animated.

1 Venom: The Last Dance Squanders the Potential of Knull

Sony failed to capitalize on an exciting opportunity

The trailers for Venom: The Last Dance built up considerable excitement, primarily due to the anticipated presence of Knull, the antagonist who is an alien deity and the creator of the symbiotes. Knull ranks among the most formidable villains in the Marvel universe, rivaling Thanos’ significance; thus, his inclusion was eagerly anticipated. Initial glimpses of Knull presented in the trailers seemed promising in terms of faithfulness to his source material.

Regrettably, this thrilling promise was a bait-and-switch, with Knull barely making a significant appearance throughout the film. Instead of being a central figure, he largely functions as a veiled threat, sending his monstrous minions against Eddie and his symbiote while remaining on his home world of Klyntar. It is truly unfortunate that Sony missed the opportunity to create an impactful adversary that could have elevated the narrative.

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