” The Marvels ,” the latest superhero sequel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is experiencing a disappointing box office performance, officially becoming the lowest-grossing installment in MCU history. Despite being on screens for four weeks, the film has garnered only $80 million in North America and $197 million globally. While optimism might typically surround a potential rebound during the holiday season, Disney seems to doubt this possibility. In a press note on Sunday, the studio announced, “With ‘The Marvels’ box office now winding down, we will stop weekend reporting of international/global grosses on this title.”
Although the film, with a budget of over $220 million, will continue playing through New Year’s, the studio’s memo suggests a lack of expectation for substantial earnings in December. Over the weekend, the movie fell to 11th place on box office charts, earning just $2.4 million in its fourth outing.
The Incredible Hulk and its record
The Marvels faced a challenging start, opening on Nov. 10 with $46 million domestically, marking the worst debut in MCU history. The downward trend continued, with a 78% drop in ticket sales during its second weekend, setting a new record for the biggest second-weekend decline in the series. As the theatrical run nears its end, box office revenues are unlikely to surpass the 2008 film “The Incredible Hulk,” which previously held the record for the lowest-grossing MCU entry with $264 million (not adjusted for inflation).
This level of disappointment is uncommon for Marvel, known as the most commercially successful film franchise globally, grossing $29.8 billion across 33 films. Despite mixed reviews, less-popular entries like February’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” managed to generate $214 million domestically and $476 million worldwide.
Directed by Nia DaCosta, “The Marvels” features Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel. The film follows this trio of heroes tasked with saving the universe. Beyond mixed reviews, a significant issue for “The Marvels” is its position as a victim of audience burnout toward the ever-expanding Marvel franchise, which spans both the big and small screens. In 2022 alone, Marvel released two other movies and three Disney+ TV series.