The MCU’s problems have been pinned on Kevin Feige for years, but that might not be the full story.
As I previously reported, my insiders at Comic-Con overheard a heated exchange between a former Marvel executive and a prominent Hollywood VFX artist. Both were in agreement that Disney corporate is to blame for the MCU’s decline.
The conversation was intense. While I didn’t catch every word, the message was clear. They backed comments from James Gunn suggesting Disney leadership pushed mandates that hurt the brand. The frustration wasn’t aimed at Marvel’s internal team. It was directed squarely at Disney.
Tom Rothman Defends Kevin Feige
Now Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman is echoing a similar sentiment.
Appearing on The Town with Matt Belloni on YouTube, Rothman made it clear he still has full confidence in Kevin Feige, whom he first met while at Fox on the X-Men movies, while Feige was an assistant.
“Never bet against Kevin Feige. He knows what he’s doing,” Rothman said.
Rothman continues by confirming that Marvel is undergoing a course correction, something I also first told you with the news that Daredevil: Born Again is being retooled.
“Certainly they’ve engaged in course correction. Less television,” said Rothman. “I think it was really the television and the elaborateness of that interconnection that made you have to be so inside or else you felt excluded.”
Rothman then dropped the key detail: “That was a mandate that he was given by a prior administration at Disney. And he’s a good corporate soldier. So he did what he was asked to do.”
That lines up with what I was told. The explosion of Disney+ shows and heavy interconnectivity across film and television wasn’t necessarily Feige’s creative choice, it came from above.
According to Rothman, Disney handed down the mandate, Marvel followed it, and Kevin Feige executed the plan as instructed, possibly even if there were concerns about how it would all play out. Since then, reports say Feige has fired producers tied to the MCU’s underperforming shows and films, signaling a clear shift in direction.
Disney Mandates Hurt The MCU, But No Worries For Avengers
Phase Four and Five saw the MCU expand rapidly onto Disney+.
Characters introduced in streaming series became required viewing for theatrical films, with the content in question. Casual fans felt lost. Long-time fans felt alienated. VFX teams were stretched thin. Production timelines tightened.
According to Rothman, that strategy came from Disney’s previous leadership. Feige executed the plan because that’s what corporate wanted. Now Marvel Studios is scaling back.
“Less will be more,” Rothman added. “Have no worries for Avengers, guys.”
