Can Other Franchises Surpass Marvel and Conquer the Entertainment World?

Published February 22nd, 2021 - 12:21 GMT
The company’s progression throughout the years has been incredibly admirable, but can they sustain it?
Al Bawaba
Highlights
The company’s progression throughout the years has been incredibly admirable, but can they sustain it?

Since 1939, Marvel’s grasp on entertainment has continued to tighten. The company’s progression throughout the years has been incredibly admirable. After escaping business-threatening financial issues during the early 1990s, they're now industry leaders in the 21st century. In recent times, the studio has dominated the market, which once seemed impossible because of the existence of DC. But, are Marvel there to stay at the pinnacle of the sector? Well, let's consider whether other franchises can surpass them. 

Marvel Has Entertainment Shortages  

First and foremost, there can be no doubts that Marvel has weaknesses within the world of entertainment. Of course, from a cinematic standpoint, their superhero focus has enabled them to become a dominant force, with many of their releases captivating global audiences. However, their grasp, or lack of, on other entertainment streams, such as television and video games, has left the franchise’s fans wanting more. 

Unfortunately for the 82-year-old organization, breaking into TV hasn’t been a straightforward task. While creations like Legion, The Punisher, and WandaVision have been well received, they’re entering a highly-populated market. Not only that, but the sector is already dominated by much-loved shows, including Stranger Things and The Mandalorian, for example. 

Marvel also faces the same issue in the world of gaming, as other entertainment-based options have long dominated this sector. Currently, franchises such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto are in control of the market, making it increasingly troublesome for Marvel creations to establish themselves. Furthermore, the online casino industry is also ruled by original IPs (intellectual properties). At Genesis Casino online, franchises such as Book of Dead have a grasp on the market that Marvel will struggle to break. The Play’n Go development is a leading title within the iGaming sector, with its five-reel format and Free Spins feature capturing the attention of gamers. 

Their Dominance Eased In 2020 

Having cemented their status within the film industry over the past decades, Marvel took a back seat in 2020. Although the company had scheduled numerous releases last year, their plans later changed, and they endured a quiet period. Both Black Widow and Eternals should have hit the big screens in 2020, but they’ve since been pushed back to 2021.

In turn, these delays had a knock-on effect on Marvel’s anticipated Phase Four project. This next period in the franchise’s existence also consists of Morbius, Spider-Man 3, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and many other releases. 

With such fascinating plans in the pipeline, it remains to be seen if either DC or Star Wars can capitalize on Marvel’s slower period in 2020. In December of last year, Disney announced that Patty Jenkins will direct the 2023 Star Wars film, Rogue Squadron. Moreover, DC also has ambitions of surpassing Marvel, and it's not out of the question that they succeed, particularly with the long-awaited Robert Pattinson Batman title scheduled for March 2021

Can Others Compete? 

To Marvel’s credit, they flourish at creating and releasing top-quality content at a high volume. This year, a wide array of their creations will hit the big screen, and that will make it incredibly difficult for rivals to compete. As such, it appears that Marvel’s step back in 2020 has set them up to strengthen their grip on the world of entertainment in 2021.