Expert Calls ‘The Marvels’ Opening a 'Disaster' After $47 Million Debut, MCU's Lowest Ever

It was a disastrous weekend for the MCU as The Marvels debuted to the lowest-grossing opening for any of the studio’s films. It amassed just $47 million in North America and $63 million overseas for a total of $110 million, against a budget of nearly $275 million. Per Variety, that’s the worst opening since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, which opened to $55.4 million just a few weeks after Iron Man launched the universe.

The Marvels’ paltry sum comes well below expectations. A few weeks ago, the film was tracking at $80 million. Even at the start of the weekend, figures were thought to land in the $60 million range.

“It’s a disaster,” Bruce Nash, founder of box office tracking website The Numbers, told Men’s Journal. “There’s no other way to put it. It’s very disappointing. We’ve seen a decline in interest in the MCU since Endgame, but this is a really, really steep drop.”

The Marvels is a sequel to 2018’s Captain Marvel, which grossed $1.1 billion worldwide. This latest film has no chance of recouping that kind of cash, but Captain Marvel also opened between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Positioned as a semi-conclusive chapter to that storyline, that film had a much easier time drawing audiences.

Nash believes The Marvels tanked because it was “not an event," and due to fan fatigue from too many TV shows. According to him, Marvel would be best advised to go back to releasing one or two tentpole movies every few years.

“They have to think, ‘How do we make one or two movies that are going to be real events?’ Because that’s clearly what people are looking for now,” Nash said. “Everyone is [at the theater], everyone is posting their experience on social media and getting excited around this thing. That’s what they need to get back with these movies.”