The Marvels is the 33rd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The budget for The Marvels was around $270 million according to a report from Forbes, making it the fourth most-expensive MCU movie and the highest budget for a non-Avengers film. With just an $80 million gross at the domestic box office, “The Marvels” is the only MCU film to fail to cross the $100 million mark—falling more than $50 million behind the $134 million grossed by the domestic box office’s second-worst performer, “The Incredible Hulk.” Now The Marvels is featured on Disney+.
The director of The Marvels, Nia DaCosta (“Little Woods,” “Candyman”), who co-wrote the screenplay with Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik is going to find it difficult to direct another MCU movie with the poor showing of this film.
Brie Larson plays Captain Marvel a.k.a. Carol Danvers, a former Air Force pilot who inadvertently picked up superpowers. Marvel should have just stuck with Captain Marvel instead of adding Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel,to an over-plotted, overextended, overstuffed movie.
Part of the problem of The Marvels is the necessity of taking a lot of time on the screen to bring the audience up-to-date on all the backstories necessary to explain what the heck is going on. The Kree attack The Skrulls and Captain Marvel and her two buddies need to fix the disaster affects before the Universe is damaged.
Did The Marvels need a dance number? Why do all the fight scenes seem lame? Why does this $270 million movie look like it was made for TV?
As one of those Marvel fans who has seen all 33 MCU movies and watched the Ms Marvel TV series as well as WandaVison, I found The Marvels tedious. Maybe this is one of reasons Disney stock is down. GRADE: C
Marvel seems to be trying to monetize even the least of its properties by incorporating them wider arena of past winners, never realizing that there is a reaon why some franchises are minor franchises. Plus, the effort to incorporate them all into one big Marvel universe is exhausting. I would not be surprised if we soon see a Rawhide Kid – Howard the Duck mashup.
Jerry, you’re right. MARVEL overplayed its hand and it cost them dearly. The casual super-hero viewer is tossed into a maelstrom of Freaky-Friday switches and confusing plot antics at the start of THE MARVELS. It goes down from there.
Jerry, that sounds more fun than this.
I was surprised when I saw that Brie Larson was in this one, and now that it’s out and the reviews have been scathing, I wonder if she’s having second thoughts.I mean, she has an Academy Award. Why this crap? I know, money talks, but still…
Jeff, Brie Larson is the best thing about THE MARVELS. If the movie just focused on Captain Marvel, it might have been successful. All the added baggage just weighs it down.
“Over extended” seems to be the norm. I guess the studio reckons it needs a long movie to justify the high costs and ticket prices. As some critics noted, having an all-female lineup probably riled the misogynists. If they’re going to highlight the junior-string Marvel heroes, how about bringing back the goofy junior-string villains like Paste-Pot Pete, the Red Ghost, the Ringmaster, the Purple Man, and the Human Top?
Fred, to use a football example on SUPER BOWL WEEKEND, if you have an All-Pro player in Brie Larson/Captain Marvel, why would you clutter the movie up with rookies like Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel? I think Disney+ is the place for MARVEL series about The Red Ghost and The Purple Man and other fringe MARVEL characters.
I think the notion leaned into having Vellani in to help the Indian boxoffice. Haven’t looked at international returns.
The Purple Man was the villain in the first season of JESSICA JONES. David Tennant was terrifying in the role.
I’m pulling for a full-blown, action-packed, self-referential, gazillion-dollar, CGI-laden Squirrel Girl epic!
Jerry, I’d watch a SQUIRREL GIRL movie but I’m guessing that after THE MARVELS debacle, Disney is not going to Green Light that project.