"Beginning, Middle and End" of story telling. Is that concept dying due to universe building movies?

[Dizchu]

The Marvel cinematic universe is episodic if anything. Each film has a "beginning", "middle" and "end" and are self-contained stories but they link to other stories that may or may not have definite conclusions. The same can be said for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Alien, pretty much any series of films (even The Lord of the Rings continued with the Hobbit films).

Movies aren't art anymore. They're a product.

I have to disagree with this. Films have always been about making money, the first few decades of film were all about novelty and wowing audiences with new technology. I'd say that things reached a nadir during the 90s and 00s when everyone just wanted to show off their CGI.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I'd say most movies (even the universe forming blockbusters) have beginnings, middles and ends. Whether or not they're done well is another story.

Take BvS for example. The story was pretty awful IMO, but I'd say it does have a beginning (basically lots of backstory and setting everyone up), middle (BvS), and end (Doomsday). It's a clunky mess, but's there.

 

[sanquin]

It's how big industry works these days. Some company comes up with a new daring idea. (In this case marvel) It becomes hugely successful. Other companies go "Omg, that's where the money's at now!" and rush to do the same thing, copying and cannibalizing each other until everyone is sick of it. Then some other company comes up with a new daring idea...and the cycle continues. It's kind of sad really.