Disney has officially ended the box office run of The Marvels after just four weeks in theaters, marking a premature end to the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) release.
Despite not being the worst MCU installment, The Marvels struggled at the box office, becoming the lowest-grossing MCU movie of all time within a short span.
The decision comes as The Marvels worldwide box office gross hovers just below $200 million against a hefty production budget of $275 million.
Numerous theories attempt to explain the film’s underwhelming performance, ranging from superhero fatigue to a lack of interest in the main characters. The SAG-AFTRA strikes are also cited, as they significantly curtailed marketing efforts before the movie’s release.
Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted at the impact of filming during the pandemic, claiming it played a significant role as executives faced challenges overseeing production efficiently. This assertion has garnered its fair share of criticism for seemingly deflecting blame away from Disney.
Despite the official end to box office reporting, The Marvels will continue to play in cinemas, with Disney projecting that its earnings won’t be substantial enough to warrant reporting. The movie’s troubles were exacerbated by its second week in theaters, breaking another record with the largest drop in second-week attendance of any Marvel movie.
The dismal fourth weekend, earning just over $2 million, seems to have led Disney to conclude that the holiday season won’t revive the movie’s fortunes. However, the studio plans to continue screening The Marvels until 2024, suggesting a lack of intention to migrate it to Disney Plus before the New Year.
