‘The Marvels’ officially claims the title of the lowest-grossing instalment, amassing a mere $197 million globally after four weeks in theatres.
Despite a $220 million-plus budget, the superhero movie, while still in theatres until New Year’s, is anticipated to conclude its run with lacklustre revenues in December putting it at a loss.
Variety revealed that Disney, acknowledging the diminishing box office, declared an end to weekend reporting for ‘The Marvels.’
The film’s underwhelming trajectory began with the worst MCU debut, raking in $46 million domestically on Nov. 10. Subsequent weeks saw a staggering 78% decline in ticket sales, solidifying its place in history with the biggest second-weekend drop in the franchise.
Notably, ‘The Marvels’ is the first Marvel film to miss the $100 million mark domestically, signalling a departure from the success of its predecessor, ‘Captain Marvel.’ Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, attributes the film’s subpar performance to pandemic-related production challenges.
Backstory
As the movie nears the end of its theatrical run, it falls short of surpassing the 2008 entry, ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ previously holding the record for the lowest-grossing MCU film.
This disappointment contrasts with Marvel’s otherwise stellar track record, boasting a global revenue of $29.8 billion across 33 films.
Despite ‘The Marvels’ setback, analysts dismiss the notion of superhero fatigue, citing recent hits like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ and the anticipated success of ‘Deadpool 3.’
However, the film spells out one thing, that the interest of fans is waning when it comes to comic-inspired stories from Marvel studios.
With upcoming MCU releases postponed due to production delays, including ‘Captain America: A Brave New World,’ ‘Thunderbolts,’ and ‘Blade,’ Disney faces the challenge of redefining the future of superhero movies.
‘Deadpool 3’ remains the sole Marvel movie on the 2024 calendar, offering hope for the MCU’s resurgence.