Shawn Robbins, an analyst at industry tracker Boxoffice Pro, says that Marvel “is, quite simply, miles away from the zeitgeist-capturing interest and enormous goodwill that for a time helped every film achieve automatic blockbuster status”.
On Nov 10, Marvel will release the 33rd film in its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), The Marvels — a cocktail of intergalactic combat, superhuman powers and man-eating kittens with tentacles for tongues. It is the sequel to Captain Marvel, the 2019 picture starring Brie Larson in the lead role that made more than US$1 billion at the box office.
But The Marvels, which cost more than US$200 million ($271 million) to produce and millions more to market, is already looking challenged. Opening weekend is expected to pull in less than half the US$153 million in ticket sales Captain Marvel did in its debut, raising existential questions about the future of the Marvel franchise.
