Secret Invasion demonstrates that the Marvel Cinematic Universe faces a similar issue as DC's The Flash. Marvel Studios' latest addition to Disney+, Secret Invasion, centers around Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson. The cast of Secret Invasion includes familiar faces from the MCU like Cobie Smulders and Ben Mendelsohn, along with newcomers Olivia Colman, Emilia Clarke, and Kingsley Ben-Adir. The series follows Fury's efforts to thwart a Skrull invasion on Earth, which proves challenging as the Skrulls can mimic anyone on the planet.
Secret Invasion strives to bring a fresh perspective to the MCU, darkening the overall tone compared to other Marvel productions. The Disney+ series features some of the most intense and violent scenes in the MCU, dispelling concerns that the Daredevil reboot would be overly sanitized under Marvel Studios, a trend also seen in Deadpool 3. Despite pushing boundaries for the MCU and finally giving Nick Fury a prominent role, Secret Invasion highlights Marvel Studios' inability to overcome a problem that affected DC's The Flash.
Secret Invasion's Ratings Show It Deals With A Problem The Flash Did
Both Marvel's Secret Invasion and DC's The Flash face an issue of audience apathy. Despite Marvel Studios' attempts to introduce new elements, Secret Invasion has received significantly low ratings, making it one of Marvel's least-viewed shows on Disney+ since the studio expanded its streaming content. According to Samba TV, a platform that tracks viewership, Secret Invasion had the second-lowest viewership for its premiere among all Marvel shows on Disney+, with only 994,000 viewers in its first five days of release. It only surpassed Ms. Marvel, which had 775,000 viewers. In contrast, Loki had the most successful debut among MCU series, attracting 2.5 million viewers.
The Flash encounters a similar lack of audience interest, resulting in underwhelming premiere numbers. DC had high expectations for The Flash, with executives and popular celebrities, as well as the DC Universe's new creative chief James Gunn, praising the movie before its release. However, The Flash has proven to be a significant box office disappointment, projected to incur a massive $200 million loss. Both projects have failed to attract audiences as anticipated.
Why The Superhero Genre Is Dealing With An Audience Apathy Problem
DC has experienced a series of box office losses recently, and this can be attributed to audience apathy towards superhero movies. With an overwhelming number of superhero films and TV shows being released each year, audiences have become more selective in choosing which projects they invest their time and money in. Additionally, the declining quality of these projects due to rushed production schedules has further contributed to audience disinterest. Superhero projects that fail to captivate viewers, whether it's because they belong to a defunct universe like The Flash or because they focus on more personal narratives like Secret Invasion, are being left behind. However, there is hope for improvement. James Gunn's successful revival of the DC universe with Superman: Legacy and the new DCU, as well as Marvel's plans to incorporate the Fantastic Four and the X-Men into the MCU, indicate a renewed commitment from both studios to prioritize quality over quantity. This shift in focus may help combat the audience apathy that has impacted The Flash, Secret Invasion, and other superhero projects.
