We’re officially into release week for The Marvels, and it’s becoming abundantly clear that there doesn’t seem to be a silver lining incoming for the blockbuster superhero sequel’s box office prospects.
At the top end of projections the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 33rd feature will barely manage to earn half as much in its domestic opening weekend as predecessor Captain Marvel, but coming in at the low end could see it land the franchise’s worst-ever three-day debut, something that can’t be taken off the table in the face of dismal pre-sale numbers.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, Brie Larson’s second solo outing as Carol Danvers has set yet another unwanted benchmark for the struggling MCU, having posted its lowest-ever pre-sale figures in China. As much as Kevin Feige’s outfit has been failing to make much headway in the country as of late, it’s well worth remembering that Captain Marvel hauled in a whopping $154 million from Chinese theaters back in 2018, and the follow-up is even being marketed as the more straightforward Captain Marvel 2.
According to analyst Luiz Fernando, Nia DaCosta’s incoming epic has shifted less pre-sale tickets than any post-pandemic comic book adaptation other than Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which notched a dismal $4.3 million debut and a grand total of $6 million earlier this year. By comparison, Captain Marvel opened to $89.3 million in China, just to give you an indication of how steep the drop-off really is.
It’s crunch time without a doubt, but things are looking pretty bleak for The Marvels taking off on a level anywhere close to the original.