One of the stars of The Marvels has dismissed concerns about the film’s disappointing box office performance, saying it is only a concern for studio bosses.
Iman Vellani, who reprises her role of Kamala Khan in the film, having previously played her in the miniseries Ms. Marvel, was asked about the relatively poor performance of the film in an interview with Yahoo Entertainment.
“I don’t want to focus on something that’s not even in my control,” she said. “Because what’s the point? That’s for [Disney CEO] Bob Iger.”
“It has nothing to do with me,” she continued. “I’m happy with the finished product, and the people that I care about enjoyed the film. It’s genuinely a good time watching this movie, and that’s all we can ask for with these films. It has superheroes, it take place in space, it’s not that deep and it’s about teamwork and sisterhood. It’s a fun movie, and I’m just so happy that I can share it with people.”
Following its release on November 10, The Marvels made just $47million (£38m) in its opening weekend in the US – the lowest opening ever for a movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
The box office struggles of The Marvels has been making multiple headlines, with Stephen King criticising people for “gloating” over its low numbers.
It has been reported that the franchise might also be losing its appeal to Gen-Z audiences, with just 19 per cent of its opening weekend audience being between the ages of 18 and 24, and only 8 percent between 13 and 17.
That compares with 40 per cent of the audience for the 2019 predecessor Captain Marvel being between 18 and 24.
Some have pointed to possible extenuating circumstances for the drop-off, including the fact that the cast were also unable to promote the film due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, which concluded earlier this month. Considering Marvel films now regularly release only a few months later on Disney+, audiences might also be more reluctant to catch them in the cinema.
Additionally, The Marvels could prove to be an isolated case when you consider the success of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3, which has become the fourth highest-grossing film of the year.
This was preceded, however, by the box office disappointment of Ant Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, which failed to break even in its theatrical run (via Variety) earlier this year.
If superhero fatigue is an issue, the eight-month gap until the next MCU instalment, Deadpool 3, might help build anticipation. The sequel, led by Ryan Reynolds, also sees Hugh Jackman reprise his role as Wolverine.
Deadpool 3 is scheduled to be released on July 26, 2024.
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