The first trailer for She-Hulk is generating a lot of conversation. Unfortunately, not to introduce a new heroine to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but because the CGI looks terrible. Debates and, above all, many memes, led to a snowball on the internet. It is evident that the series, at least at this moment, does not presume a good quality in computer generated images, but it is also true that it is not the only recent Marvel production that suffers the same .
Strangely, the CGI in the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn't always maintain a high standard of quality. While it is possible to find some flaws in the Phase 1 movies, they were not as recurrent as they are now. Before the She-Hulk trailer, we had the opportunity to see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, who also has problems in his CGI during specific moments. For example: the creatures that accompany the Scarlet Witch on the mountain. Let's face it, they looked bad.
Eternals is not far behind; Pip the Troll (Patton Oswalt) looked like a character out of an old video game cinematic. In fact, those responsible for the visual effects recognized The Wrap for the low quality of the CGI. The reason, as they explained, is that initially his appearance in the post-credit scene with Eros (Harry Styles) was not contemplated. Their debut was decided at the last minute and they didn't have enough time to do their job.
“We did it pretty quickly in the end…let's be honest. It was a bit difficult to get it done on time, but we did what we could. It turned out well.”
Stephane Ceretti, Eternals VFX Supervisor Loki, despite being a fantastic series from start to finish, also had some complications when introducing the Guardians of Time. Of course, not in such a worrying way as She-Hulk or Pip the Troll.
Another film that suffered criticism in this regard was Shang-Chi and the legend of the ten rings. It is a duty in some sequences in which the CGI predominates —such as those that take place underwater, for example—, although it also surprises positively in others.
In the same way we could mention the unfortunate CGI of the Chitauri in Avengers or the final confrontation between Black Panther and Killmonger. There are varied examples due to the fact that the films and series of the Marvel Cinematic Universe depend, perhaps excessively, on CGI.
What is the reason?
In the case of the most recent productions, it is very likely that everything is due to the pandemic. COVID-19 has disrupted the release schedules of all film companies, including Marvel Studios. On the other hand, it was not possible to work in the usual work environments, so surely many visual artists had to practice their profession from home.
Likewise, it is not ruled out that it is due to limited resources. Although it might seem ridiculous to associate these terms with Disney, the company with the strongest economic muscle in the entertainment industry, the reality is that they take care of their investments to the smallest detail. Every dollar that can be saved gives them a higher profit margin.
Therefore productions must operate with a limited budget. Of course, the figure will depend on the importance of the film and its ability to generate income. Spider-Man: No Way Home had $200 million at its disposal, while Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was able to sustain itself with $150 million. With the Disney Plus series these numbers are considerably reduced.
An almost inevitable problem for Marvel
This complex situation will continue to happen for two reasons. First, because Disney will hardly increase the budget to improve a section that, to be honest, does not have much influence on the economic performance of a production. It is even possible that many viewers do not even notice when a poor quality CGI appears on the screen. And if the current strategy continues to be so successful in the monetary field, even fewer will make changes.
Secondly, because the Marvel Cinematic Universe relies heavily on computer generated effects. Obviously, its history and setting require it, so in this sense they cannot be blamed. In spite of everything, at Marvel they must be aware that, when the effects of all their productions do not follow the same quality standard, movies and series are not going to age well.
