The 33rd installment in the MCU managed less than a third of the $153.4 million its predecessor « Captain Marvel » launched with.
Since 2008’s « Iron Man, » the Marvel machine has been one of the most unstoppable forces in box-office history. Now, though, that aura of invincibility is showing signs of wear and tear. The superhero factory hit a new low with the weekend launch of « The Marvels, » which opened with just $47 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The 33rd installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a sequel to the 2019 Brie Larson-led « Captain Marvel, » managed less than a third of the $153.4 million its predecessor launched with before ultimately taking in $1.13 billion worldwide.
Sequels, especially in Marvel Land, aren’t supposed to fall off a cliff. Yet « The Marvels » debuted with more than $100 million less than « Captain Marvel » opened with — something no sequel before has ever done. David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Research Entertainment, called it « an unprecedented Marvel box-office collapse. »
The previous low for a Walt Disney Co.-owned Marvel movie was « Ant-Man, » which bowed at $57.2 million in 2015. Otherwise, you have to go outside the Disney MCU to find such a slow start for a Marvel movie — releases like Universal’s « The Incredible Hulk » with $55.4 million in 2008, Sony’s « Morbius » with $39 million in 2022 or 20th Century Fox’s « Fantastic Four » reboot with $25.6 million in 2015.
But « The Marvels » was a $200 million-plus sequel to a billion-dollar blockbuster. It was also an exceptional Marvel release in numerous ways. The film, directed by Nia DaCosta, was the first MCU release directed by a Black woman. It was also the rare Marvel movie led by three women — Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani.
Reviews weren’t strong (62% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and neither was audience reaction. « The Marvels » is only the third MCU release to receive a « B » CinemaScore from moviegoers, following « Eternals » and « Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania.
