Does Marketing Ruin Marvel Shows And Movies?

When I walked into Thor: Ragnarok, I knew I would love it. There are very few Marvel movies that I actively dislike (though the first Thor does fall into that category), and I will watch Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston do just about anything. Plus, Jeff Goldblum has a substantial role in Ragnarok, and few actors can make good things great as often as Jeff Goldblum.

I had exactly the positive, joyous experience I expected to have seeing Thor: Ragnarok. But it could have been so much better.

There’s a twist in Ragnarok that anyone who’s seen even a minute of promotional material for the movie knows is coming. While trapped on Sakaar under the rule of the Grandmaster (Goldblum), Thor (Hemsworth) learns that he has to fight to the death against his new master’s ultimate warrior. A third of the movie builds up to this revelation. After a lot of head scratching and green-themed foreshadowing, the giant twist that changes the entire course of the movie is revealed — Thor has to fight the Hulk!

Only if you’ve seen the movie’s trailer or any toys for the film, you already know that epic fight is coming. Not only that, but you’ve also likely guessed that Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is back, and he’s playing a substantial part in the movie:

“He’s a friend from work” ranks among the funniest MCU lines of all time. However, walking into the theater knowing it was only a matter of time before I saw Ruffalo’s pouty face dampened the experience for me. I had fun watching the movie, but if the Hulk’s emergence had been a surprise, I would have absolutely lost it. This isn’t the fault of the film itself, its source material, or director Taika Waititi. There are several other twists Ragnarok successfully hides that add to the movie’s excellence, including Thor’s connection to Hela (Cate Blanchett) and a jaw-dropping cameo. But thanks to marketing, we all walked in knowing arguably the movie’s most exciting twist.

This isn’t the first time Marvel’s marketing department has soured my enjoyment of its shows and movies. Because of Captain America: Civil War‘s trailer, I walked into that movie knowing that Spider-Man would be making an appearance and that I should look out for an airport fight. The trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron spoiled the Iron Man vs. Hulk fight (I’m noticing a pattern), and we all knew about baby Groot long before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. made it into theaters. These were all incredible moments that I enjoyed watching, but if I would have discovered them in-theater with no warning? I would probably never stop talking about them.

That’s certainly the case with the Marvel movies and shows I saw with low or no expectations. To this day, Captain America is my favorite MCU Avenger. Why? Because I wrote off Captain America: The First Avenger as a boring period piece and never did any research on it. When I finally saw the sweet, emotional treat that was Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) hero’s journey, it felt like I was discovering something special that few had never witnessed before. Of course, that feeling was an illusion. Millions have now felt Cap’s sad, old-world pain. But that feeling has translated to my favorite Marvel properties. And coincidentally all of my favorite Marvel movies have been the ones I’ve known next to nothing about.

If I had known about the feminist neo-noir mystery surrounding Marvel’s Jessica Jones or the horrors of Killgrave (David Tennant), I don’t think I would have had as much fun discovering the layers of this anger-filled character (Krysten Ritter) on my own. Spider-Man: Homecoming was such a joy because, even though I already knew Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) story, seeing it told through the unexpected lens of John Hughes nostalgia was made a coming-of-age tale even more relatable. FX’s Legion is by far the most extreme example of the in-the-dark advantage for me. I walked into David Haller’s (Dan Stevens) story only knowing that he maybe he had something to do with the X-Men. Now it’s indisputably my favorite show. Knowing any of the series’ many twists would have made a special thing a little less so.

I know that a lot of the fault lies with me. If I don’t want plot details to be spoiled, I shouldn’t seek out information about a show or movie before a premiere. Likewise, I acknowledge that it’s difficult to market something without giving away all of the juicy twists that would make viewers want to tune in. However, there has to be a middle ground between leaving viewers completely in the dark and telling them every huge twist in the trailers.

This is a problem movies as a whole have struggled with for years, but in Marvel’s case, it doesn’t make much sense to me. You’ve already earned our trust. Why do you have to give everything away? You know we’ll show up. Take the trailer for Black Panther:

I barely know what that’s about, but I will absolutely see it in theaters.

Marvel, your movies are wonderful. They have made approximately all the money in the world, and they will likely continue to do so until we one day forget they were based off something called “comic books.” Please trust that your billions of dollars, well-made trailers, developed characters, and incredible creators will sell your movies for you. We’re almost a decade into your universe. There’s no reason for you to bait your audience with twists when you know we’re already going to show up.