Iron Man & Guardians Of The Galaxy Both Avoid A Major MCU Sequels Trend
The Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy franchises avoid a big Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel trend thanks to having no subtitles. Marvel Studios has launched roughly a dozen successful franchises over the last 15 years. Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy will always hold a special place in the MCU's history thanks to what the first solo films meant for the larger franchise. Iron Man kicked off the shared universe with a grounded introduction to Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark. Meanwhile, Guardians of the Galaxy sent the MCU into the cosmos as James Gunn turned obscure characters into household names.
The success of the first films in the Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy franchises allowed multiple sequels to be made for each. Marvel prioritized making the Iron Man trilogy, resulting in the franchise wrapping up just five years after it began. Guardians of the Galaxy's sequels have taken a bit longer, especially when it comes to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 due to the various delays that James Gunn's movie encountered. The Guardians of the Galaxy and Iron Man sequels were not only massively successful for Marvel Studios, but they avoid a major trend for MCU sequels.