The Marvels was released during the final weeks of 2023's Hollywood strikes. Despite mostly positive reviews (it's "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with a so-so 62%), the Captain Marvel sequel only grossed $206.1 million worldwide.
That makes it one of Marvel Studios' biggest box office flops, and much has been said about where things went wrong for the Captain Marvel sequel. The trailers didn't really sell the movie as an event, and with the cast unable to promote the movie, awareness was low.
Ultimately, how a follow-up to a $1 billion blockbuster and critically acclaimed shows like WandaVision and Ms. Marvel fell so short of expectations remains something of a mystery.
Like Captain America: Brave New World, however, it was another movie that underwent major changes before, during, and after shooting. Despite the mixed response, The Marvels should still be pivotal to Avengers: Doomsday, seeing as Monica Rambeau was left stranded on Earth-10005 (the home of the X-Men).
Today, insider @MyTimeToShineH has shared one of Marvel Studios' scrapped ideas for its Captain Marvel follow-up.
"The original plan for The Marvels was to cast a well-known name (they were looking at Clive Owen and George Clooney) to play a big Marvel hero from the comics who we think will have a big role in the movie, but then dies at the end of the first act," they wrote on X. "That was scrapped."
We can only speculate about who that might have been, though one of the most popular theories we've seen on social media is the original, male Captain Marvel, Mar-Vell. Ultimately, The Marvels would have benefited hugely from an A-list star being front and centre in trailers, even if they were destined to bite the dust in Act One.
Reflecting on her MCU experience, filmmaker Nia DaCosta previously said, "They had a date, and they were prepping certain things, and you just have to lean into the process hardcore. The way they make those films is very different to the way, ideally, I would make a film, so you just have to lean into the process and hope for the best. The best didn’t happen this time, but you kind of have to trust in the machine."
"It was interesting because there was a certain point when I was like, 'Ok, this isn’t going to be the movie that I pitched or even the first version of the movie that I shot,'" she continued, "so I realised that this is now an experience and it’s learning curve and it really makes you stronger as a filmmaker in terms of your ability to navigate."
As of now, there's nothing to suggest The Marvels will get a sequel. Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica aren't confirmed for the Avengers movies, but should make an appearance.
Beyond that, Carol Danvers MCU future will almost certainly be as a member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes rather than as a solo player.