"There’s always this moment of awe"- Kevin Feige reflects on the vast Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is easily one of the biggest and most profitable franchises of all time, having already spawned 31 movies and 25 TV shows, making over $30 billion in the process. This began with Disney's purchase of Marvel, which opened the doors for huge blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame, which remains one of the most popular and successful films of all time.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been led by Kevin Feige, CCO of Marvel Entertainment and president of Marvel Studios, who began his production credit with X-Men, one of the first hit movies from the studio.

The MCU still has a long way to go, with so many projects planned and so many upcoming. Kevin Feige seems to be just as enthusiastic as he was decades ago about bringing more and more superheroes to life.

Reflecting on the long and fruitful journey, Feige said to Variety:

"I feel so lucky that I get to do this job ... Every costume fitting, when we see the actors transform for the first time, there’s always this moment of awe. It’s so incredible to take these characters and bring them to life on the screen."

Kevin Feige also went on to note some intangible aspects of the MCU and some things that have never changed since the universe kicked off with Iron Man (2008).

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"Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would have the kind of impact it did"- Kevin Feige on the long Marvel-ous journey

Kevin Feige is one of the few people who have been associated with almost all the projects of the popular MCU, which has seen unprecedented popularity leading to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. This came from years of hard work behind the scenes.

Looking back at some aspects of the studio that remained the same, Feige noted:

"We’ve had a tradition at [the studio] that started with the very first ‘Iron Man.’ For every new release, the cast, producers, director, and I will drop in on an opening night showing and watch the movie with the fans. Feeling the excitement in the theater, hearing cheers or gasps from the audience, is always a reminder of what these movies and characters mean to fans,"

He continued:

"Being there on opening night of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ hearing the crowds, is something I’ll never forget. Also, the feedback we received after ‘Black Panther’ came out. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would have the kind of impact it did ... The great thing about MCU truly is how many wonderful, interesting characters we have in the comics — they’ve been at it for 85 years. Even after 32 movies, it feels like we’ve barely scratched the surface."

Of course, there are even bigger things supposedly coming to the MCU, with another set of proposed Avengers movies, more new superheroes, and a new generation of heroes replacing the older ones.

As of now, the next release is The Marvels, which will premiere on November 10, 2023.

There is also ample excitement surrounding the upcoming Deadpool 3, which is set to premiere in early 2024. It will also bring Kevin Feige's Marvel career to a full circle with Hugh Jackman returning as the iconic Wolverine in Deadpool 3.