The opinion that huge crowd-pleasing movie franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe are impacting the quality of films being produced in Hollywood has been ongoing for a number of years. The latest star to give their view on the subject is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Lupita Nyong’o, who believes that if any media means something to a large audience, then it should be recognized for that.

There have been many opinions on the dominance of Marvel Studios in cinemas, something that is currently set to continue for several more years of announced projects, and while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Nyong’o explained why she believes that any art loved by many has the right to exist and should be seen as having a significant impact. She said:

"It becomes a philosophical question about what is art and what is its purpose. I believe that art plays a role in moving the people that experience it, and a lot of people are moved by Marvel. Is you being moved by this thing less important than me being moved by Picasso?

I think to be culturally prosperous, to be artistically prosperous as a people, is to have options. In Kenya, sugar was sugar, it was brown or it was white. You come to the [United States], and a whole section in the supermarket is dedicated to sugars. So many different sugars. That is a symbol of prosperity, when you have options. So I personally love a good Marvel movie, but it doesn’t take me away from really wanting the little character-driven film. I believe in the fight for those things to be kept alive because the one thing we always want, the ultimate privilege, is choice.”

Related: Kevin Smith on Martin Scorsese's Marvel Criticism: 'You Should Not Be Surprised That's His Response'

Is the MCU Getting Too Big?

Marvel Studios characters in the MCU featuring Ant Man, Loki, Ms. Marvel, and more
Marvel Studios

There are hundreds of movies released each year, but other than during the early part of the Covid pandemic, it is hard to go more than a few months without a new Marvel release hitting theaters on multiple screens. This comes as a double-edged sword for a number of reasons. Theaters need big money-making blockbusters to stay a viable outlet for movies, and this has never been more important than ever following the devastating closures during the pandemic, which are still being felt now. However, with Marvel movies and other similar superhero movies taking up many screens at multiplexes around the world, other movies find themselves with limited release options.

Some would say that the MCU is simply growing too big, especially with Disney+ TV shows also forming part of the constantly expanding narrative that Marvel Studios have been crafting since 2008. When Iron Man was released as the first movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, no one knew whether the future plans for the franchise would work or if there would be enough money available to make it work. Of course, once the Walt Disney Company put its financial backing into the project, things changed dramatically. Now, the MCU is the biggest franchise in the world and almost a guaranteed crowd-puller. Is it getting too big? Millions of cinemagoers would say no.