This isn't the first time it’s been said, nor will it be the last, but Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have long asserted that Marvel Studio follows a perfect formula for making movies. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there is a certain uniformity from one movie to another.

Doctor Strange's origin story is a perfect example, as it appears to be a carbon copy of Iron Man's, right down to the goatee. So what gives, besides the comic book origin? Why do Marvel movies all feel as if they follow a safe formula?

During an interview with Uproxx, Kevin Feige answered that question without even mentioning the comic book storylines on which the movies are based:

I think it's just the way we make the movies. I think all the movies are relatively different. I think there's a narrative that people like to write about because they're all produced by the same team and they all inhabit the same fictional cinematic universe. That we look for common similarities. And I'm not saying there aren't common similarities throughout it, but I think Thor: Ragnarok and Spider-Man: Homecoming are two totally different types of movies. They're both fun. People enjoy them. Is that a similarity? If so, I'll take it. If that's a criticism, I'll take that, too. But really, yeah, Homecoming, Ragnarok, Panther, into Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp after that. And a '90s-set Captain Marvel after that; these are six very different movies. If what they have in common is they're all really enjoyable and fun to watch, then I'll take it.

And this is a satisfactory answer, although Feige could have explained why the creative team seems to continue repeating the same tropes, and isn’t more…well, creative.

But yes, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and Infinity War do seem to expand on the themes presented up until now.