The Marvels: Disney CEO Bob Iger Addresses Why Film Performed So Poorly

The Marvels has been in theaters for a handful of weeks now, and the Marvel Studios blockbuster has been the subject of a lot of conversation. The film made headlines for having the biggest box office drop in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and many have speculated about the elements that led to that performance, from the recently-wrapped SAG-AFTRA actors' strike to missteps in the film's marketing. New comments from Disney CEO Bob Iger might suggest one possibility — the film's lack of oversight from Marvel Studios executives.

"The Marvels was shot during COVID, and there wasn't enough supervision on set [from executives,]" Iger argued during the NYT DealBook Summit 2023.

Will There Be a Captain Marvel 3?

While a third Captain Marvel film has yet to be officially confirmed by Marvel Studios, franchise star Brie Larson recently told Entertainment Tonight that "there is definitely something" for Carol even beyond the events of The Marvels.

"I don't want Marvel to come for me, but there is something," Larson explained. "There is definitely something, to answer your question, that I would want to say, but I am not going to so."

How Long Is The Marvels' Runtime?

The Marvels has the shortest runtime yet in the MCU, with the film clocking in at 1 hour and 45 minutes. For frame of reference, the title of shortest film in the franchise was previously held by both Thor: The Dark World and The Incredible Hulk, with a total of 1 hour and 52 minutes. Even then, director Nia DaCosta has hinted that the film will deliver on a lot of elements.

"I really wanted it to be under two hours," DaCosta explained in a recent interview. "I always think about the runtime actually, when I go into a film. I just feel like there's no need to have it long if you don't need to, because 1 hour 45 minutes is pretty average for a movie, so we were all really excited, I just think you do what's right for the movie. I didn't even know about this runtime thing until I think it was reported on. You have to do what's right for the movie."

What Is The Marvels About?

In The Marvels, which arrived in theaters on November 10th, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol's estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as "The Marvels." The Marvels will also see the franchise returns of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Saagar Shaikh as Aamir Khan, Zenobia Shroff as Muneeba Khan, and Mohan Kapur as Yusuf Khan. New cast members include Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, and Shamier Anderson. Produced by Marvel Studios, The Marvels is directed by Nia DaCosta with a script from DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik.

What do you think of Bob Iger's new comments about The Marvels? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!