The Marvels had the poorest start ever at the US box office in MCU history, and it continued to underperform in its second weekend as well. According to Variety, the superhero film featuring Brie Larson only earned $10.2 million in its second weekend in the US, experiencing a steep 79% drop from its $46 million opening.
Prior to The Marvels, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania held the record for the biggest second-weekend decline (69%) in MCU history.
The domestic box office earnings for The Marvels currently stand at $65 million. In comparison, Captain Marvel, released in 2019, amassed $153 million during its first weekend alone. There are doubts regarding whether The Marvels will be able to achieve this total during its entire theatrical run.
On a global scale, The Marvels has generated $161 million in revenue. It is important to note that the movie had a reported budget of $220 million, which does not include expenditures on marketing and advertising.
The Marvels was released immediately after the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA strike, resulting in the unavailability of the film's stars for promotional activities leading up to its release, as they typically would. Additionally, it is not entirely accurate, comprehensive, or fair to compare it to the original Captain Marvel, as the circumstances during its release did not involve a pandemic.
Nevertheless, The Marvels is anticipated to be regarded as the lowest-performing film in the entire history of the MCU, encompassing 33 films released thus far. It remains uncertain whether the concept of "superhero fatigue" played a role in this outcome. However, it is definite that Marvel intends to release only one film, Deadpool 3, in the year 2024.
Our Website's The Marvels review scored the film an 7/10 and called it "meaningless fun."
Editor's P/S
As a passionate fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), I am deeply saddened and concerned about the box office performance of "The Marvels." The fact that it has set a new record for the lowest box office figures in MCU history during its first and second weekends in the US is disheartening, and it raises questions about the future of the franchise.
While it is true that "The Marvels" faced some challenges, such as the unavailability of its stars for promotional activities due to the SAG-AFTRA strike and the ongoing pandemic, these factors alone cannot fully explain its poor performance. It is also important to consider the possibility of "superhero fatigue" setting in among audiences, as well as the fact that "The Marvels" may not have resonated with viewers in the same way as previous MCU films.
Despite the disappointing box office results, I believe that "The Marvels" is still a solid film with a lot to offer fans. The cast is talented, the action sequences are thrilling, and the story is engaging. I hope that audiences will give it a chance and that it will find success on streaming platforms and home media.
Overall, I am disappointed by the box office performance of "The Marvels," but I remain optimistic about the future of the MCU. I believe that Marvel Studios will learn from this experience and will continue to produce high-quality films that audiences will love.