This post was updated Jan. 9 at 7:44 p.m.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is back from the blip, and it is time to get excited.

It has been a rough five years, but from this day forward, the MCU is back. The epic conclusion of the Infinity Saga in 2019, “Avengers: Endgame,” has been soured by “superhero fatigue,” a resulting phenomenon caused by the oversaturation, poor CGI and lackluster scripts of recent superhero titles such as “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.” However, viewers should look to the future with a sense of purpose because of the upcoming release of “Deadpool 3” and other new developments in the structure of the Marvel Studios system.

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Firstly, there are two new developments that are sure to build excitement for the MCU among viewers. While “The Marvels” was not great because of its massive tonal swings from silly musical numbers to global destruction, it confirmed future projects that fans have been clamoring for. Audiences have been eagerly waiting for X-Men to show up in the MCU ever since Disney acquired the rights back in 2019. Sources have now reported that writing for an “X-Men” film taking place in the MCU is in early development.

One of the most highly anticipated releases is “Deadpool 3” due to the rumors surrounding its cameos. Audiences will get to see the original X-Men reunite with Hugh Jackman reprising his fan-favorite role as Wolverine, as well as Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen hinting at their returns as Professor X and Magneto. The return of Jennifer Garner’s Elektra from 2003’s “Daredevil” and Owen Wilson’s Mobius from “Loki,” will surely excite both longtime and newer fans. Even non-Marvel fans are getting excited about the rumors surrounding the megastar Taylor Swift’s appearance as the mutant music icon Dazzler.

Rampant speculation on this level is often what gets audiences more interested in comic book movie adaptations. Before the release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the leaks and rumors of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returning as the web slingers built more excitement than any trailer ever could. These rumors are what eventually allowed “Spider-Man: No Way Home” to become the seventh-highest grossing film of all time.

Another beacon of hope is that the Marvel Studios’ in-house VFX team has unionized. Variety reported back in September that the in-house VFX team at Marvel Studios unanimously voted to unionize and is now represented under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. While this is only a small group of people, it is a step in the right direction. If other VFX houses follow suit, this will lead to collective bargaining and new industry-wide standards that will ensure better working conditions, pay and hours for VFX artists so they can produce a better end product and hopefully end the bombardment of “Is CGI Getting Worse?” videos.

This goes along with the last and probably most significant reason that can reenergize audiences, which is the return of quality over quantity. President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige is the secret sauce that makes the MCU work. Under former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, however, Feige was spread too thin, being forced to pump out content for Disney+ on top of a full slate of theatrical films. Now, with Bob Iger reinstated as CEO of the company, Feige has regained control of Marvel Studios and began slowing down production so it can deliver a better product.

As of November, TV shows such as “Wonder Man” and “Vision Quest” have undergone no recent developments, leading fans to suspect they have been canceled so Feige and the VFX teams can focus on more important projects like “Fantastic Four.” After filming nine of its 18 episodes, “Daredevil: Born Again” is being born yet again under new showrunner Dario Scardapane, who was also one of the writers and executive producers for Netflix’s “The Punisher.” The fact that Feige is willing to do this shows that the days of pumping out lackluster shows such as “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” for the sake of content are now over. “Blade” is moving forward with an R rating and new director, Yann Demange, after going through several rewrites and directors, proving how important it is to Marvel Studios that it gets this project right.

However, the MCU is still not out of the woods. “The Marvels” failed financially on its opening weekend, only grossing $21.5 million on a $220 million budget. Additionally, most of Marvel’s 2024 theatrical slate has been delayed, with “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Blade” and “Thunderbolts” all being pushed to 2025 – not to mention that these movies are still tainted by the “Marvel Studios Parliament.”

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This committee reviews each movie in post-production, demanding rewrites, reshoots and more VFX shots. These rewrites may muddle the film’s story to set up the next MCU installment, and the reshoots are not always executed by the same director, leading to tonal inconsistencies throughout the film. This short turnaround between reshoots and release is the leading reason the VFX in Marvel movies looks underdeveloped. But the days of the “Marvel Studios Parliament” are looking to be a thing of the past because of the aforementioned changes in the Marvel studio system. Since Marvel is slowing down production, it can properly develop upcoming movies like “Deadpool 3,” “Fantastic Four” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”

While these delays are a bummer, there is still glorious potential for the MCU.