The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, thanks to new releases in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall that there have been some struggles at the box office post-Endgame, and The Marvels is on that list. Now director Nia DaCosta explained one big issue the blockbuster had.
The Marvels was a box office bomb, despite its connection to a number of previous projects like Captain Marvel, WandaVision, and Ms. Marvel. DaCosta has also worked on some of the best horror movies from recent years, and spoke to THR about why 28 Years Later was easier to pull off as a director. In her words:
Making the 28 Years Later sequel was one of the best filmmaking experiences I’ve had. One of the issues I had with Candyman and Marvels was the lack of a really solid script, which is always gonna just wreak havoc on the whole process. But Alex Garland hands you a script, and you’re like, ‘This is amazing.’ You don’t really have to change it, although I did, I basically asked for more infected. [Laughs.] That was, like, my big contribution.
Honestly, this makes a great deal of sense. Filmmaking is a monumental job, and having a great script is no doubt helpful when one is trying to steer the ship. Add in the pressure and budget of The Marvels, and it sounds like not having that baseline helped create a stressful experience.
Ultimately the title is somewhat infamous at this point, and it's unclear when we'll see the trio of heroes back in upcoming Marvel movies. Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris weren't included in the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement.
Personally I really enjoyed both The Marvels and the new Candyman, but clearly there were script problems happening behind the scenes. I'd love to know more about what went down on the MCU blockbuster, especially since it a number of risks throughout its runtime. I need the details, Ms. DaCosta!
From the interviews of various filmmakers, it does sound like making a Marvel movie is a fluid process. Case in point: Black Widow's reshoots greatly changed the movie's villain. In juxtaposition, it sounds like the script for 28 Years Later was locked in from the start, and DaCosta was able to methodically tell that story.
CinemaBlend's 28 Years Later review praised the flick as "worth the bloody wait", once again cementing DaCosta as an accomplished horror director. I still maintain The Marvels is great, but I have to wonder if we'll see her return to the genre.
The Marvels is streaming on Disney+, and the next MCU movie hitting theaters is Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list.
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