Stan noted that Marvel plays a critical role in the entertainment industry, saying, "If Marvel was gone, it’d be such a big hole to try and fill up." He urged critics not to attack the studio without offering better alternatives, emphasizing Marvel's contribution to the film business.
In 2023, Marvel faced a tough year as movies like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels performed poorly at the box office, with the latter becoming the studio's lowest-grossing film. Additionally, renowned directors like Martin Scorsese have criticized Marvel for negatively impacting smaller films.
However, Stan believes that despite the criticism, Marvel is essential to Hollywood's ecosystem. He acknowledged the challenges of consistently making high-quality films, explaining, "It’s just fucking hard to make a good movie over and over again."
Marvel rebounded with the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which grossed $1.3 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film ever. With no further MCU releases scheduled for this year, Stan’s character, Bucky Barnes, is set to take the spotlight in next year’s Thunderbolts. Stan also expressed his excitement about the possibility of sharing a scene with Robert Downey Jr., who will be portraying Doctor Doom.