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| Avengers Assemble Poster |
NEWSLINE PAPER,- Resurfacing as the one-year anniversary of "Avengers: Endgame" draws near, recollections of the thrilling theatrical reactions to iconic moments like Captain America gripping Thor's hammer serve as a sentimental reminder of shared experiences that are now lost in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.
While in the made-up universe five years had gone since the catastrophic events of "Infinity War," in real life five years had gone since "Endgame" broke box office records and signaled the pinnacle of Marvel Studios' filmography. But even if the film business has somewhat recovered, Marvel and its fans are still dealing with the fallout, which is made worse by the pandemic, the growth of streaming, character departures, and an abundance of material.
Even if "Endgame" shot to previously unheard-of heights, earning over $2.8 billion globally, it will be extremely difficult to duplicate. Marvel's recent losses, which include disappointing shows like "The Marvels," reflect similar issues within the superhero genre and spark conversations about "superhero fatigue" and the direction of the business.
Back when Kevin Feige was running Marvel, the idea of exhaustion would have looked foreign. The common excitement of Marvel and "Star Wars" fans throughout the epidemic brought people together and demonstrated the lasting importance of shared experiences in a society growing more individualistic.
"Russo Bros. Pizza Film School," founded in 2020 by Joe and Anthony Russo, encourages fans to interact with great movies during lockdown, so promoting a sense of community. For the Russos, seeing the widely shared "Avengers" video brought up strong feelings and served as a painful reminder of previous audience reactions.
When the world reopens, changing consumption patterns that favor at-home entertainment pose a threat to the allure of shared cultural moments. The appeal of group gatherings around a screen fades in a world molded by convenience and personal tastes as screens get bigger and more individualized.
The problems facing the film business resist simple fixes, unlike the cinematic beauty of "Endgame." But for many who remember the exuberant theater responses to key Marvel events, the yearning for these kinds of shared experiences goes beyond nostalgia, highlighting the ongoing attraction of common cultural phenomena.
(Newsline Paper Teams)