Summary
- Iman Vellani, who stars in the movie, is not concerned about the box office performance and is happy with the finished product.
- The actress expresses gratitude for being able to share the movie with audiences and highlights the positive reception from those who are important to her.
- Factors contributing to The Marvels’ underperformance include the SAG-AFTRA strike, negative early reviews, and growing dissatisfaction with the MCU and superhero movies in general.
Iman Vellani weighs in on The Marvels‘ box office failure. The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie has underperformed at the box office over two weekends since its release, earning $65 million domestically for a total worldwide take of $161 million. Considering The Marvels budget is reportedly around $270 million (though Disney received a subsidy of $55 million), the Marvel movie has not yet earned back its budget, let alone turned a profit. A movie is considered profitable if it earns more than double its production budget, so The Marvels needs to earn roughly $430 million.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Vellani, who stars in the movie as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, was asked about The Marvels‘ box office performance and the focus on the MCU movie’s earnings. She responded by saying, “That’s for Bob Iger,” referencing Disney’s CEO, before going on to say she’s “happy with the finished product.” Vellani concluded that it’s a “fun movie” and she’s happy to share it with audiences.
I don’t want to focus on something that’s not even in my control, because what’s the point? That’s for Bob Iger. [The box office] has nothing to do with me. 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.
Why The Marvels Is A Box Office Bomb
There Are A Number Of Contributing Factors
Perhaps the biggest factor contributing to The Marvels‘ box office performing below what might have been expected is the SAG-AFTRA strike, which only concluded a few days before the movie’s release. As a result, Vellani and co-stars Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris were unable to promote the MCU movie. Instead of the stars’ voices, the main promotion for The Marvels prior to its release were the middling-to-negative early reviews, which criticized the movie’s villain and plot among other aspects.
The Marvels currently holds a 62% fresh critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 83% audience score.
Beyond The Marvels reviews and lack of cast promo, there are larger factors at play, like the growing dissatisfaction with the MCU and superhero movies in general. Marvel Studios’ output in recent years has been wildly varied in terms of its quality, with some movies and shows excelling while others have earned the studio some of their lowest earnings and ratings. It’s not necessarily a problem exclusive to Marvel, as Warner Bros. Discovery and DC saw when The Flash bombed at the box office this summer. However, it does prove that audiences are more discerning about what superhero content they’re willing to consume.
All told, Vellani certainly shouldn’t be concerned with the box office of The Marvels. She turned in an excellent performance as Kamala Khan — and has largely been touted as one of the best parts of The Marvels. The rest is up to director Nia DaCosta in terms of creating the best movie she can, and Marvel Studios to position The Marvels to be as successful as possible. It remains to be seen what Marvel or Disney will do following The Marvels‘ underperformance, but hopefully the right lessons will be learned.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment