Despite much anticipation, The Marvels, the most recent release from The Walt Disney Company's (NYSE: DIS) Marvel Cinematic Universe, has seen an unexpectedly low turnout at the box office. Over the opening weekend, the film could only muster up $47M, marking the lowest-grossing start for any Marvel Studios' production.
What Happened: As reported by Deadline on Saturday, the star-studded The Marvels did not manage to captivate audiences as hoped. Despite a promotional boost featuring lead actress Brie Larson, the film could only garner a global gross of $110M, significantly falling short of the projected $140M.
The disappointing performance of The Marvels is not due to the film's length, which at 97 minutes, is considerably shorter than other MCU films that typically exceed two and a half hours. It appears the film failed to strike a chord with moviegoers, resulting in a poor turnout.
Despite this setback, Marvel Studios remains optimistic about its future endeavors. The film industry will be keeping a close eye on how the studio recovers from this unprecedented slump.
Why It Matters: Marvel was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2009, and since then, the franchise has been a key driver of box office success and original programming for Disney's streaming platform, Disney+.
The Marvels was one of the most anticipated movies of 2023, forming a part of Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As reported by Benzinga earlier in April, a new trailer had Marvel fans speculating on the storyline and its implications for other films and series in the franchise.