Was Jamie Lee Curtis Right About Marvel Movies Being in Phase ‘Bad’?

This year’s SDCC came with a few new announcements with regards to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chief among these was updates on their upcoming film slate, a stunning reveal regarding Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU, and a scathing remark from scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.

Jamie Lee Curtis’ MCU Controversy

Jamie Lee Curtis is a veteran of the entertainment industry, best known for her role as Laurie Strode in the Halloween movies that introduced horror icon Michael Myers in 1977. Curtis has been featured in subsequent films in the franchise, with the latest coming out in 2022, and also stars in 2003’s Freaky Friday and the upcoming Borderlands, an adaptation of the video game series.

While attending the SDCC festivities in promotion of her latest film project, Curtis was asked a number of rapid fire questions by an interviewer from MTV. When the actress was asked “What phase is Marvel in right now?” her surprising response was “bad,” sending shockwaves throughout the fan community.

Curtis has already issued a response to the controversy via a tweet on Twitter/X. Although her response is not technically an apology (she never uses any variation of the word apologize), it is an admission that her comment was “stupid” and that she would “do better.”

“My comments about Marvel were stupid and I will do better. I’ve reached out to Kevin Feige and will no longer play in that mud slinging sandbox of competition we call the internet nor will I engage in the toilet paper promotion or game play that is designed for clicks not content or conversation.”

Ryan Reynolds’ Hilarious Response to Jamie Lee Curtis

Never one to shy away from anything ridiculous (or step out of his role as the wisecracking, fourth wall-breaking Deadpool) Ryan Reynolds himself responded to Curtis’ comment by not only retweeting her post but adding his own comment to the mix. The titular star of Deadpool & Wolverine asked a question as poignant as it was hilarious in his tweet: “Wait, is everyone expected to apologize for slamming Marvel post-Endgame?”

Reynolds’ comments are no doubt related to his role as Deadpool in the latest film opposite Hugh Jackman, in which several fourth wall breaking jokes are made regarding the current state of the MCU. These jokes include him referring to himself as “Marvel Jesus” sent to save the cinematic universe, and also telling Wolverine that he joined the MCU at a “low point” after congratulating him for crossing over. In this way, Reynolds seems to actually be defending Curtis in a way by reminding the world that she’s not the only one who has expressed these kind of sentiments in regards to the current state of the MCU.

Was Jamie Lee Curtis Wrong to Criticize the MCU?

At the end of the day, was Jamie Lee Curtis wrong to openly criticize the MCU the way she did at SDCC? I believe the answer to this is both yes and no.

On the one hand, there is a such thing as professional courtesy among creatives. To be fair, there are a few films in the Halloween franchise that weren’t exactly blockbusters, but no one’s calling out Curtis for her role in those films. It is this that I believe led Curtis to course correct by way of the statement she posted online, in which she clearly stated that she had reached out to Kevin Feige and would no longer participate in “mud slinging.” Even if she does personally believe that the MCU is “bad” there is no reason to not extend professional courtesy to her peers.

On the other hand, there was a certain amount of truth in what the actress said about the current state of the MCU. Fans have been very aware of the recent troubles Marvel Studios has had since the epic success of Avengers: Endgame, and has suffered on both the big and small screen with lackluster entries such as 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder and the following year’s Secret Invasion. So while Curtis’ platform and delivery may have left something to be desired, there’s still no denying the studio’s downward spiral – and fans’ hope for a drastic course correction in the near future.

Is the MCU Really in Phase “Bad”?

There is no doubt that the MCU has entered into a somewhat concerning phase. However, I also think that it may be somewhat premature to call the whole thing “bad” per se.

Marvel’s cinematic universe has certainly gone through a number of changes lately. Chief among these was the departure of Jonathan Majors’ Kang as the central villain of the phase, as well as the new announcement of Doctor Doom stepping in to take his place. Additionally, several flagship heroes will not be present going forward, such as RDJ’s Iron Man (who was the first hero of the franchise) and Steve Rogers’ original Captain America.

While these are major changes to the franchise, it should also be remembered that greatness often comes as a result of change. The original comics that inspired the films are no exception to this rule, as even they saw similar changes taking place. Both Steve Rogers and Tony Stark were replaced as Captain America and Iron Man in the source material; yet Marvel was still able to put out compelling and memorable stories in the midst of these stories.

Perhaps instead of saying the MCU is in a “bad” phase, fans should instead opt for saying it is in a “changing” phase, not dissimilar to a caterpillar entering a cocoon only to emerge later as a butterfly. Sure, new heroes are taking center stage – but how boring would it quickly become if we had to look at the same heroes doing the same things over and over again?

We should also remember that the Russo Brothers are returning in the midst of the changes happening in the MCU to helm the next two Avengers movies, subtitled Secret Wars and Doomsday. The idea behind these two premises is amazing, and I for one am still excited to see both this epic story and one of Marvel’s best villains make the transition to the big screen. The involvement of the Russos makes this even better, as they have been responsible for many of the best moments seen in the MCU thus far. They are clearly fans of this world, and we would do well to trust that they still have big plans in store that are sure to both dazzle and wow fans.

Every story worth telling has to consist of both high and low points, which then work together to bring about change and a transition into something great. I believe that this is where we are currently in the MCU, in the midst of a great transition and on the verge of something epic. As fans, the time has come to be patient, and trust that although things may currently be a little different than we expected, marvelous days may still be on the horizon.