The MCU kicked off 15 years ago with Iron Man, but Marvel Studios' franchise is nearly unrecognizable after all this time thanks to various changes.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe began 15 years ago, and the massive franchise is nearly unrecognizable after all this time compared to where it began. Marvel Studios kicked off the phenomenon that would become the MCU with the release of Iron Man on May 2, 2008. The film starring Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark managed to be the launching point for an unprecedented run that saw the MCU rise in popularity over the years.
The MCU wasn't able to lean into crazier concepts or characters without risking alienating general audiences when it began 15 years ago, but Marvel Studios has fully embraced that side of the comics now. After finally tackling Thanos and the Infinity Saga, the MCU's future rests with the multiverse. This includes stretching the limits of what audiences can follow and introducing increasingly powerful, and sometimes wacky, characters.
Marvel Studios Is No Longer The Superhero Underdog Marvel Studios is also in a very different place within Hollywood on the MCU's 15-year anniversary than where it was in 2008. The release of Iron Man and hopes of launching a shared universe were not guaranteed to be a success. X-Men and Spider-Man represented examples of successful Marvel movies starring the comics' biggest characters, but Marvel Studios had to use heroes most considered to be C or D-list.
The MCU Has Lost Interest In Solo Movies Over Time Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk helped launch the MCU 15 years ago with a focus on solo movies. Audiences met Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America in origin films that helped set the stage for The Avengers as the culmination of Phase 1. As the franchise has continued, though, there has been less of a focus on true solo movies and origin stories.
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