After a four year drumroll, The Avengers has arrived and it's a hit. Marvel now has the commercial leverage it needs to pursue further films within the Cinematic Universe, and in stand alone series like the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man. That clout puts Marvel producers in a rather unique and unprecedented position. They can produce multiple films in the same universe at the same time and release up to several per year. While it may sound cool for fans, Marvel faces a danger of going too far too fast with their films. Multiple films means a longer investment in the characters and a risk of formulaic stagnation. Then there's the difficulty in adaptation that the writers are already facing, and which will only get worse. If Marvel isn't careful, their franchise could run away into multiplicity, and then, oblivion.
Normally, a film franchise functions film-to-film, with some support of other mediums like comics or television. The process is simple. If a film is successful, there will probably be another one. If not, the franchise dies down or gets rebooted. Now, as more films get produced, more superficial changes are made, while the core concept gets locked into a specific formula. This time honored approach is still relevant to Marvel's quickly growing reel. Though the current six films are connected, each series is drawn around a different character and superpower. This is an excellent way to introduce some controlled variety into the franchise and keep things fresh over a long haul. If one character line begins to fail, it can easily be dropped while the others carry on and more are introduced.
Now here's the tricky part. Comic book superheroes are often ageless (and sometimes deathless). Most of these characters have been around since the 60s or earlier. The illustrators and writers changed, but the heroes stayed the same and retcons started piling up to accommodate their forced longevity. If the Marvel producers go this route, the popular characters will become distorted by talent and production changes that will water down the films until all that's left is a meaningless formula. (Think James Bond.) When this happens, the universe will devolve into episodic stories and probably die out from diminishing returns. It's just a matter of time before the best parts of the source material are used up. Writers will have to rely on more obscure elements if a vain effort is made to keep things going.
While, from a writing standpoint, it seems there is a rich mythology to draw material from, the idea well isn't as deep as it appears. When filming an adaptation, there is a creative line that exists when what works on a comic page does not work on screen because it's just too ridiculous. Remember Arnold Schwartzenegger running around spouting ice puns and freeze rays? It was too much. How about Frank Castle cutting up paper-mache body doubles into bloody pulps? Too gory, right? And who can forget Peter Parker's emo dance? Enough said. How far can the Marvel Universe go on it's current course before it crosses this line? Keep in mind, we've already seen gods battle aliens, archers take down spaceships, and Nazis shoot laser guns. Many ideas are in the pipeline, and the more movies they make, the closer they get to that self-crippling line. A few writers have already expressed difficulty in bringing some of the signature elements of the comics onto the screen (Ex. Iron Man's nemesis, the Mandarin). Hopefully the demand for trademark won't outweigh the need for quality.
My greatest fear is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will continue until it becomes tired and fizzle out, with fans hoping for more "someday." There is a solution to this and, ironically, it came from a DC film line. Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises is expected to be a finale; as in no more films in that line of continuity. A story has been built up beyond expectations, and now, while the going is still good, it's time for the curtain call. Marvel should prepare to do the same at some point, perhaps over a slightly longer haul. Give each character that about 1-4 films each and then close out with a final Avengers film. Make the universe conclusive instead of continual. Go for bang instead of buck. Superhero films are very in right now, but that won't last forever. Marvel's heavy production schedule will create a glut of superhero films and DC will soon push back into a mutually destructive competition. Eventually, the public will grow tired and move on. If Marvel is wise, they will graciously close the book on themselves before the tides turn against them.
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