Captain Marvel is heading to cinemas later this week on a wave of positive reviews, excellent pre-sales and impressive opening weekend projections, but with the internet being how it is, there’s also been a fair amount of online backlash. And while you wouldn’t think that these objections would be nearly enough to derail Carol Danvers’ run in the MCU, a new rumor is now drawing a surprising amount of attention for claiming otherwise.
As reported by Cosmic Book News, a YouTuber named Film Gob claims to have heard it from sources that Disney CEO Bob Iger is unhappy with producer Kevin Feige for backing Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson to play Carol Danvers, and that “there is now an uncertainty about Captain Marvel’s future in the MCU.” On top of that, it’s alleged that Larson’s fellow MCU cast members feel that she’s not the right fit for the part, and that she’s going to be “found out” when the film is released.
The most dubious part of the report, however, is the suggestion that Elizabeth Olsen – a 30-year-old professional actress – is particularly upset that Scarlet Witch is being sidelined for the sake of a new female character who’s now being hyped up as the MCU’s most powerful hero.
So, that’s the rumor, and it’s one that’s been met with a big response, both from Captain Marvel detractors who are happy to see their opinion reinforced, and from those who dismiss it as cynical pot-stirring. Which is more likely? Well, let’s put this into perspective.
More than two weeks before the release of Captain Marvel, Fandango reported that the film had already outsold Aquaman and Wonder Woman in pre-sales. Since then, it’s received some promising opening weekend projections, ranging from Researcher Exhibitor Relations’ forecast of $118 million domestically, to Box Office Pro’s figure of $160 million. As of today, both Larson and the movie as a whole have also been met with of a positive critical reception, with the feature currently holding a score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 73 reviews.
In short, Captain Marvel seems on course to do just fine when it arrives in theaters on March 8th, but hey, maybe the James Woods crowd will have a bigger influence on this film’s box office haul than the signs indicate.
