The age of the shared cinematic universe is over; Hollywood has now moved on to the idea of transmedia universes instead. In 2008, Marvel Studios released its first independently-financed and produced movie, Iron Man. It was seen as a tremendous gamble - but it had a lasting impact on Hollywood.
Then-president/chief operating officer David Maisel believed in the potential of a shared cinematic universe, loosely inspired by the Star Wars franchise. As Maisel told The Avengers it was clear it had been a massive success. One other studios desperately attempted to duplicate.
Most studios underestimated the difficulty in building a coherent cinematic universe, because a single change in one film has a ripple effect on numerous franchises. This caused power struggles at Marvel, with a high-profile Justice League, leading to an incoherent start for the cinematic universe. Still, as difficult as it may be to coordinate a cinematic universe, things are about to get a whole lot more complicated - because Hollywood is moving on from the cinematic universe to something quite different.
Franchises' Futures Lie In Transmedia
Again, Marvel Studios is a trailblazer. The next few years will see the Marvel Cinematic Universe change shape, with tie-in TV shows launching on the Disney+ streaming service. These will feature actors from the movies themselves, including the likes of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, Tom Hiddleston's Loki, Anthony Mackie's new Captain America, and Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier. What's more, not only will these TV series be considered canon in the MCU, they'll also be required viewing for anyone who wants to experience the full story. Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch will co-star in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, while new characters like Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, and Moon Knight will be introduced on Disney+ and go on to appear in the movies.
This is no longer a "cinematic" approach; rather, this is "transmedia." This refers to an approach to storytelling that transcends any one form of media, and there's a sense in which it is nothing new. Star Wars was one of the forerunners, swiftly expanding off the big screen to a characters and backstories were introduced in novels and then dismissed as a result of the prequels. Marvel Studios used to operate the same way, with Marvel Television producing TV shows ostensibly set in the MCU, but with a decidedly one-way relationship; they were affected by the movies, but they would never have an impact upon them in turn.
The "new," truer transmedia franchises take a different approach. They are far more tightly-woven, with stories jumping from one medium to another, with creative consultants attempting to minimize conflict or - more wisely - with a single person's vision driving them. Lucasfilm committed to this approach after they were acquired by Disney in 2012, and the impact can clearly be seen in the transmedia success surrounding Darth Maul's cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story - only understandable to people who've watched various animated series as well. Marvel Studios is now following Lucasfilm's lead - and they're not the only ones.
All The Transmedia Universes In The Works
Star Wars and Marvel Studios are embracing the potential of a rich, well-woven transmedia world. In the case of Lucasfilm, the studio is taking advantage of the sprawling timeline of the galaxy far, far away to launch distinct transmedia initiatives set at different periods. Next year will see the launch of the so-called "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. This tale will be told in novels, young-adult books, and comics published by both Marvel and IDW. Interestingly, although there are a number of writers involved in the project, Charles Soule appears to be the guiding light - the man with the vision, not to mention author of the first book.
Marvel's main rival, Warner Bros., appear to be recognizing the potential of transmedia as well. Matt Reeves' a new Batman universe across multiple platforms." All signs are that, just as Marvel Studios is now guided by Kevin Feige and Project Luminous appears to be headed by Charles Soule, Matt Reeves stands at the center of this shared universe. He is both writer-director of The Batman and producer of this spinoff series, ensuring a consistent narrative and style.
Even TV networks are beginning to recognize the potential of transmedia. Take, for example, Star Trek - another historic transmedia franchise, whose stories were traditionally told in films and TV shows - has finally started considering tie-in books as fully canon. This has been possible because showrunners worked unusually closely with publishers IDW and Simon & Schuster throughout production of the tie-ins, and even slipped in a couple of subtle references in Star Trek: Discovery.
Why Hollywood Is Switching To Transmedia Universes
A transmedia universe has one major advantage over a cinematic one; it's immersive. With a cinematic universe, a viewer heads to the cinema every few months to watch the latest movie, and that's it. In contrast, a transmedia universe is one that can be continually experienced, with audiences developing an ever-deeper relationship with it. This is particularly important given we are entering an age where studios understand the importance of streaming services. Note that almost all these transmedia universes depend on streaming to some extent; Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm are tying in with Disney+, The Batman's spinoffs will stream on HBO Max, and modern Star Trek shows are on CBS All-Access. By encouraging a deeper relationship with the franchises, studios and networks also hope to engender the same kind of relationship with their streaming services.
It's too soon to say how well this transmedia approach will work, because in truth it's only just becoming mainstream now. It's likely success will depend upon whether there is a singular vision in play; as with cinematic universes, issues will arise if showrunners, producers, and execs are pulling in different directions. With more people involved, the potential for that to happen is far more notable. But, so far, most of the transmedia franchises do appear to have leads; the likes of Kevin Feige, Charles Soule, or Matt Reeves. That's a promising sign, and it suggests these projects may well work out - and prove to be true trailblazers.
