MCU Boss Kevin Feige Comments About Kang and Thunderbolts Make Zero Sense

by

In a recent roundtable conversation, the head of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Kevin Feige, shared insights about the future of this popular franchise. It’s common knowledge that the MCU once reigned supreme at the box office with each new film being an undeniable success. However, while there are still blockbuster movies, the franchise doesn’t hold the same clout as it previously did.

As a fellow fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, be aware that this piece may reveal key plot points from the movies and series. Proceed with caution if you don’t want any surprises spoiled!

The epic Infinity Saga concluded with the film “Avengers: Endgame,” a production that bid farewell to several prominent actors and beloved characters within the franchise. This movie served as the conclusion of more than a decade’s narrative journey for many fans, and it largely met expectations built up by the hype surrounding it. However, following “Endgame,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) seemed somewhat lacking in direction. Despite venturing into three phases of the Multiverse Saga, it has yet to shake off this sense of uncertainty.

Get ready for thrilling developments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This week marks the theater release of “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and “Avengers: Doomsday” is set to hit screens in December 2026, making it the first Avengers film since “Endgame” in 2019. Another Avengers movie, “Secret Wars,” is slated for release in December 2027, with more projects such as a fresh Tom Holland “Spider-Man” movie also in the pipeline. In a recent interview, Feige provided insights into the MCU’s future while also acknowledging some of the franchise’s recent setbacks, like the lackluster reception to Kang the Conqueror.

Kang Could Have Been a Thanos-Level Threat, But the MCU Didn’t Really Try

As reported by Deadline, Feige mentioned that prior to the actor’s situation, it was becoming clear that Kang was not identical to Thanos.

In the premiere of Loki, when character Kang made an entrance, there was a sense of weight and significance about him. Since he’s responsible for creating the Sacred Timeline, Kang has been set up as one of the most crucial characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Actor Jonathan Majors delivered an outstanding performance that infused Kang with a captivating presence. While debuting Kang on Disney+ might not have been the optimal choice looking ahead, there is still opportunity to develop Kang into a threat as formidable as Thanos.

The issue lies in how quickly the MCU appeared to abandon the Kang character development. Although Kang was introduced in Loki Season 2, he was portrayed as a comical variant named Victor Timely. Furthermore, the Kang version shown in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania fell flat. Many critics consider Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania one of the weakest MCU films, and part of that assessment stems from its mishandling of Kang. Instead of utilizing the movie to solidify Kang as the main antagonist for the Multiverse Saga, they had him defeated by Ant-Man effortlessly – a character who is relatively weaker among the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s heroes. Had Kang either defeated or even killed Ant-Man, it would have significantly bolstered his character’s intimidation factor, comparable to Thanos.

A key point to consider is that although Kang, as portrayed in the comics, might not be on par with Thanos, a large portion of the audience had no prior knowledge of Kang before his appearances in Loki and Quantumania. Similar to Thanos’ introduction at the end of the first Avengers film, where most cinema-goers were unfamiliar with him, too. However, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) worked diligently to depict Thanos as a formidable adversary. Although comic book enthusiasts had some understanding of Thanos, many MCU viewers didn’t care about or know him until the movies sparked their interest in the character. The same approach could have been applied to Kang, but unfortunately, it wasn’t. In simpler terms, while Kang may not be as powerful as Thanos in comics, most people didn’t know who he was before his appearances in Loki and Quantumania, just like they didn’t know Thanos before the first Avengers. The MCU made Thanos seem important, which made viewers care about him. A similar strategy could have been used for Kang, but it wasn’t.

According to Feige, discussions about shifting focus from Kang to Doctor Doom had already started before the legal troubles with actor Jonathan Majors arose and before “Quantumania” hit theaters. This suggests that the Marvel Cinematic Universe may have abandoned Kang as a main character before giving him a fair chance, which could explain his underdeveloped portrayal in “Quantumania.” Regardless of the reasons, Kang didn’t fit well within the MCU not because he wasn’t like Thanos, but due to a lack of genuine efforts to make him work beyond his initial appearance on “Loki” Season 1.

Thunderbolts‘ Connection to Disney+ Shows Likely Had Little Impact

According to Variety’s report, Feige expressed that he found the film “Thunderbolts” to be excellent. However, the title wasn’t well-known, and several of the characters were from a series that wasn’t widely recognized.

The film titled “Thunderbolts” received positive reviews, yet it didn’t draw the same number of viewers at the cinema as some other films within the franchise. Some attribute the poor box office performance of “Thunderbolts” to an oversaturation of superhero movies, but Feige cited two additional factors. One was that audiences were not acquainted with the Thunderbolts team, and the other was that several characters in the movie originated from Disney+ series. It’s plausible that a lack of familiarity with the comic book version of the Thunderbolts could have impacted the film’s box office performance, but it’s worth noting that the Guardians of the Galaxy were not household names when their movie debuted in 2014 and still managed to earn $773.4 million compared to “Thunderbolts'” $382.1 million.

In terms of characters from the movie who were originally introduced through Disney+ shows, only John Walker, introduced in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (released in 2021), fits that description. Julia-Louis Dreyfus’ character Valentina Allegra de Fontaine also made her debut in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” but she was previously seen in “Black Widow” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The box office for “Black Widow” suffered due to a simultaneous release on Disney+ during the pandemic, while “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” earned an impressive $859.2 million.

Over the past few years, the box office earnings for Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films have noticeably decreased since the release of “Endgame.” Despite movies like “Deadpool” and “Wolverine” being major successes, there have also been several MCU productions that fell flat with audiences, some even bombing at the box office. The extensive release of MCU content during the Multiverse Saga could be a significant factor in this trend, but it’s unlikely that the characters originating from Disney+ shows are responsible for “Thunderbolts” underperforming.

The upcoming MCU film is titled “The Fantastic Four: First Footsteps.” Set to premiere on July 25, this movie has garnered mainly favorable feedback and generated considerable excitement. It promises to be quite intriguing as it takes the stage amidst the bustling summer blockbuster season, where it will square off against films like “Jurassic World: Reborn” and James Gunn’s “Superman.

Read More

2025-07-23 22:35