"The Marvels," the 33rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is projected to have the lowest box office opening weekend ever for an MCU movie. According to reports, the action sci-fi film had a $21.5 million Friday performance, which is considerably lower than previous MCU debuts. The film is expected to generate between $47 million and $52 million for its opening weekend.
Despite its poor projection, "The Marvels" could help boost the domestic box office, which experienced one of its worst performances last weekend. The film currently has a 62% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audience scores are more favorable, at 85%. Some reviewers suggest that the movie's low box office numbers do not reflect its quality.
It is worth noting that most box office weekends in the last two months have generated less than $100 million domestically, indicating a significant decline compared to the summer months. In July, the box office brought in $310 million, with the releases of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer."
One possible explanation for the underperformance of "The Marvels" is Disney's overexposure of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Disney+. The streaming platform is home to several spin-off shows featuring popular characters and new additions to the MCU. These shows, which have similar budgets to Marvel movies, have received criticism for their quality and reliance on film executives rather than experienced showrunners.
"The Marvels" was released shortly after the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, which limited the lead actors' promotional opportunities. Brie Larson, who portrays Captain Marvel, made an appearance on "The Tonight Show" to promote the film. Additionally, two main characters in "The Marvels," Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau, were introduced to audiences in separate Disney+ series.
In conclusion, "The Marvels" is expected to have a disappointing box office opening weekend compared to previous MCU films. The film's lower-than-expected performance could be attributed to various factors, including audience fatigue with the MCU and the impact of Disney+ spin-off shows.