‘Captain Marvel, we need you’: Marvel doubling down on Brie Larson’s MCU importance as ‘Loki’ season 2 disappoints speaks volumes

Right now is an all-important time for the MCU, as it is up to both Loki season 2 and The Marvels to turn Phase 5’s fortunes around and end what’s otherwise been a rocky 2023 on a high. Unfortunately, our hopes have been shaken somewhat by the Tom Hiddleston show’s sophomore run hardly receiving the most glowing reviews — don’t worry, it’s not Secret Invasion bad, but the fact it’s not too far from She-Hulk will probably come as a bad omen to most people.

Given this, it’s notable that the latest promo for The Marvels leans in hard on the healing power of Brie Larson. In a new TV spot titled “Fight,” it ironically falls to Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury — who recently starred in the aforementioned Disney Plus show that stunk up streaming — to implore Carol Danvers to return to Earth and rescue the franchise’s failing health. “Captain Marvel,” Fury intones in the trailer (above). “We need you to save the world.” Whether he’s referring to just Earth-199999 or the entire MCU is up to us to speculate.

“Then let’s do this,” is Carol’s gung-ho reply, which maybe we can take as a sign that Marvel is confident in The Marvels‘ ability to make a splash this November. And why not, given that Captain Marvel brought home over $1 billion at the box office, making it the last MCU movie not called Avengers: Endgame or Spider-Man: No Way Home to do so. As I’ve argued before, the uber-success of Barbie can surely only aid in Marvel’s own blockbuster about female power.

Brie Larson’s certainly having a moment right now, with the recent birthday girl also starring in Apple’s Lessons in Chemistry, which debuts this Oct. 6, shortly following Loki season 2’s own premiere. Whether that will translate into The Marvels being the MCU-saving smash it needs to be, it remains to be seen.