THE MARVELS: 5 Reasons The Upcoming Sequel Is Tracking To Be A Box Office Disappointment

The Marvels is tracking to be a box office disappointment, news which has left analysts scratching their heads after Captain Marvel's success. Here, we look at what might have gone wrong for the sequel...

By JoshWilding - Oct 16, 2023 12:10 PM EST

Filed Under: The Marvels

While early tracking is notoriously unreliable, it still serves as a solid indicator of how well - or not - a new movie is likely to do during its opening weekend. In the case of The Marvels, the Captain Marvel sequel is currently eyeing a so-so $50 million - $75 million debut.

That's significantly behind the likes of even Eternals and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, but where did it go wrong for a movie which looks set to put the focus on Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), and Photon (Teyonah Parris)?

In this feature, we're breaking down some of the most likely reasons The Marvels is tracking for such a disappointing debut. These numbers may well rise in the weeks ahead, but with less than a month to go, a subpar marketing campaign and surprisingly short runtime looks to be the lead of this sequel's worries.

To read through this breakdown, simply click on the "Next" button below.

5. "Captain Marvel" Should Be In The Title

MV5-BODlh-OGM4-MGMt-Yj-Bj-Mi00-MWQ2-LTk4-OWUt-Yz-Q2-Yz-E0-NWZk-ODlk-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QW1yb3-Nz-ZXI-V

This seems obvious to us but when you're making the sequel to a movie, Captain Marvel, which grossed over $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office, would it not be a smart move to include "Captain Marvel" in the follow-up's title?

The Marvels isn't a bad moniker but it also isn't one which really means anything to casual fans or even longtime comic book readers. On the surface, it does nothing to remind moviegoers Carol Danvers is returning here and fails to even mention Ms. Marvel, the star of Marvel Studios' best-reviewed Disney+ TV series.

Should it have been called Captain Marvel & Ms. Marvel: The Rise of Photon? We're not paid to come up with titles and that's admittedly too wordy, but we'd argue highlighting those two popular heroes might have gone some way in increasing interest.

4. It Should Be An Epic Adventure Not A Fun Team-Up

Captain Marvel was a tad convoluted; taking place in the 90s, the movie decided to put a weird new spin on the Kree/Skull War where the shape-shifters were the good guys. Even so, it felt like a big movie and, despite not being a conventional origin story, the stakes were undeniably high.

Based on what we've seen from The Marvels thus far, it doesn't look or feel particularly epic. Instead, we're clearly getting a goody team-up with a silly body-swapping (well, place-swapping) premise which is sure to lead to all sorts of hijinks when the trio assembles to battle a Kree villain most fans have never heard of.

Like the Skrulls, the Kree aren't particularly interesting and there are plenty of other, far more exciting cosmic baddies Carol, Kamala, and Monica could have faced off with. Instead of feeling like The Avengers, the movie - expected to be the MCU's shortest movie yet - comes across as a fun diversion and little more.

3. The MCU Is Going Through A Rough Patch

How-MODOK-Ended-Up-In-Ant-Man-2-Culture-copy

The idea of superhero fatigue is being blown out of proportion but after an incredibly busy few years for the MCU, fans and regular moviegoers alike would quite like a break from the seemingly never-ending deluge of content.

Marvel Studios movies and TV shows no longer feel like an event and the likes of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Secret Invasion have done little to help matters. The latter really should have teed up The Marvels but instead feels wholly unconnected and, if anything, has just soured people on Nick Fury and the Skrulls.

We believe the MCU can, and ultimately will, bounce back. It may be a rocky few years before we reach that point and The Marvels could be another casualty of so-called "superhero fatigue" and the fact Marvel Studios is more hit-and-miss now than it has been in the past.

2. It's Been Too Long Since The First Movie

MV5-BZjlh-ZWQ3-N2-It-NGI3-Ny00-MWVh-LTg5-NDct-OTI1-OGEy-ZWI4-Mj-M3-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-MTgx-OTIz-N

Marvel Studios arguably dropped the ball on Captain Marvel's MCU introduction from the start. With the Infinity Saga racing towards its conclusion, Brie Larson's scenes in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were shot prior to her solo outing, resulting in the hero playing a much smaller role in those movies.

We've already touched on what proved to be a somewhat convoluted way to add Carol Danvers to this shared world (there was really no reason for her to be introduced in the 90s) but four years on...well, Captain Marvel has largely been overshadowed.

With only sporadic cameo appearances since 2019, expecting fans and regular moviegoers to have maintained interest in the character...well, it's asking perhaps too much. Four years between sequels is too long and that could ultimately play a role in the sequel struggling to find box office success.

1. The Online Vitriol

MV5-BN2-U1-Yz-Jj-Mjct-NWQ4-My00-Mjhj-LTkx-OGEt-Zj-Fk-Y2-U1-YTdk-NGZi-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-Nj-Y1-MTg

Some MCU fans love Captain Marvel and others don't really rate it. That's the case for any number of superhero movies, of course, but none of those have had to put up with the sheer level of trolling the 2019 blockbuster endured.

Believe it or not, many "fans" claimed Larson wasn't smiling enough in the trailers and posters and the fact the Oscar-winner is an outspoken feminist...well, the incels had a field day. Review bombing followed, as did vile online abuse, and even the actress herself seems disinterested in still playing the character.

This sort of negativity radiates outwards and is bound to have at least a minor impact on interest. Hopefully, Marvel Studios can turn things around in the weeks ahead, but the marketing campaign really needs to move up a gear, especially with the cast unable to help promote the movie.

THE MARVELS Ended Up Losing More Money Than THE FLASH After Disappointing 2023 For Superhero Movies

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114 Comments

1 2 3

JobinJ - 10/16/2023, 12:11 PM

This is literally the dumbest list/opinion Josh has posted yet.

supermanrex - 10/16/2023, 12:23 PM

@JobinJ - clickbait because brie larson and her opinions are low hanging fruit for hot take trolls to be divisive and start fights.

McMurdo - 10/16/2023, 12:34 PM

@JobinJ - he only has 16 opinion lists a week

naaaateman - 10/16/2023, 3:30 PM

@JobinJ - lol at the number 1 reason. of course JW has the insider scoop on the incel community.

Battabingg - 10/16/2023, 3:40 PM

@supermanrex - Has Brie Larson even had an opinion in 10 years?

TheNewYorker - 10/16/2023, 6:00 PM

@JobinJ - yeah. Simply.. people just seemingly don’t care.

Izaizaiza - 10/16/2023, 12:16 PM

Marvel has lost a lot of its luster, superhero fatigue is real, and perhaps Brie's detractors have hurt the property a bit.

Regardless, I think it looks great. I'll be there opening weekend with the kids

VictorAlonzo - 10/16/2023, 2:47 PM

@Izaizaiza -

Ryguy88 - 10/16/2023, 7:15 PM

@Izaizaiza - I dont think Brie was ever a draw to begin with. That first movie was given the cushiest spot in the entire MCU lineup.

MotherGooseUPus - 10/16/2023, 12:16 PM

oh look, another dumb list:

bobevanz - 10/16/2023, 12:17 PM

Lol for once I agree with Josh, and watch the others clutch pearls

DarthAlgar - 10/16/2023, 12:19 PM

It's a Josh Wilding post.

What do you expect from a guy who was called a "mediocre journalists" by an IGN journalists after referencing one of his articles?

OptimusCrime - 10/16/2023, 1:24 PM

@DarthAlgar - thats disgusting!

Where?

Amuro - 10/16/2023, 12:23 PM

I don't think Josh Wilding is understanding why people are so indifferent toward this movie. He gives five reasons but only one of them is appropriate (the third one).

The problem with The Marvels is that the movie just doesn't look interesting enough. It's the same basic superhero movie formula we've seen lately with Ant-Man 3 and Shazam 2 and those movies bombed hard. Sure, it looks like a decent entertainment without trying too hard, but people are BORED from that now.

But to the point that The Marvels could actually do worse than The Flash and become the lowest grossing superhero movie ever, who would have thought ?

Waifuslayer - 10/16/2023, 12:26 PM

5. It looks [frick]ing boring

4. It looks grating and insufferable

3. It looks cheap

2. A cast of nobodies

1. The MCU is dead

marvel72 - 10/16/2023, 12:49 PM

@Waifuslayer -

FireandBlood - 10/16/2023, 12:32 PM

1. They didn’t have a story to tell and it shows

McMurdo - 10/16/2023, 12:35 PM

@FireandBlood - nah you hate women.

😉

Ryguy88 - 10/16/2023, 7:18 PM

@McMurdo - possibly an incel too

😉

HashTagSwagg - 10/16/2023, 12:37 PM

Top gun Maverick proves that your number 2 excuse is absolute BS.

MarvelousMarty - 10/16/2023, 12:41 PM

It looks Shazam level of shi*ness and almost no one cares about most of the 3 leads. The fatigue is definitely real so unless these movies are top tier they are gonna be a box office disappointment.

BillyBatson1000 - 10/16/2023, 12:43 PM

Can we stop pretending this gender-swapped version of Captain Marvel is any kind of feminist triumph? The character exists in a film universe (her part of it) that is barely even a sketch. There's nothing in it to raise a fight against. The reason the first film felt so weak (aside from its generic, cookie-cutter laziness) was its lack of any real-world depth. Drama needs credible conflict. The Skrull element was completely negated, the Kree were dismal and there's nothing here to suggest that things have improved.

Patient2670 - 10/16/2023, 12:44 PM

Did Josh write this? There's not a single mention of the Flash bombing.

Amuro - 10/16/2023, 12:47 PM

@Patient2670 -

Because The Marvels is expected to do worse than The Flash according to early trackings.

Patient2670 - 10/16/2023, 10:08 PM

@Amuro - Which is frightening in and of itself.

Taonrey - 10/16/2023, 12:49 PM

Honestly think the 5th reason doesn't matter, definitely in a franchise like the MCU. People know this is a captain marvel film

OmegaDaGrodd - 10/16/2023, 12:52 PM

@Taonrey - Agreed. Absolutely no sizable group of people are deciding on whether to buy a movie ticket because a sexist Youtuber named 'Critical Drinker' hates a movie he never wanted to like.

Ryguy88 - 10/16/2023, 7:19 PM

@OmegaDaGrodd - you sound upset

Ha1frican - 10/16/2023, 12:49 PM

I’m at the point now where I just wait for digital for a lot of MCU stuff. Any Avengers, Spiderman, or Captain America sequels I’ll check out in theaters but the rest I’ll mute all the keywords and buy them when they come to digital for $20 and watch it with my fancy lightstrip with a full meal in front of me

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THE MARVELS: 5 Reasons The Upcoming Sequel Is Tracking To Be A Box Office Disappointment

The Marvels is tracking to be a box office disappointment, news which has left analysts scratching their heads after Captain Marvel's success. Here, we look at what might have gone wrong for the sequel...

5. "Captain Marvel" Should Be In The Title

4. It Should Be An Epic Adventure Not A Fun Team-Up

3. The MCU Is Going Through A Rough Patch

2. It's Been Too Long Since The First Movie

1. The Online Vitriol

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