Disney’s juggernaut, Marvel Studios, is starting to show signs of superhero fatigue.
US box office receipts for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumaniawhich sets up a critical upcoming event in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, suffered the worst one-week drop for a film set in the MCU.
According to the latest figures, the third installment of the small titular protagonist took home only $32 million during the second weekend, falling 70% that exceeds the drop. Black widowwhich debuted during the pandemic two years ago.
Those ticket sales didn’t bode well for Disney’s interim CEO Bob Iger, who came out of retirement to announce 7,000 company-wide layoffs and $3 billion in content cost cuts earlier this month.
It could also dampen interest next month in the Warner Bros. sequel. Discovery is a sleeper hit superhero Shazamwhich was projected to take its first weekend cut by 17% by market researcher Box Office Pro.
The third Ant-Man is as ‘integral’ to the MCU’s future as Captain America: Civil War
Due to the interwoven nature of Marvel Studio’s narrative, The plunge in interest presents a distinct problem for the overall franchise going forward.
Quantum introduces viewers to the Conqueror, the supervillain at the center of the MCU’s Phase 5, which begins with the debut of this film.
Any viewer who is eager to follow the storyline should watch the Ant-Man threequel to understand the upcoming events.
“We want to start Phase 5 with a third film of a character we’ve loved and used,” studio head Kevin Feige said earlier this month. The film’s producer, Stephen Broussard, called the film “important and integral” to Marvel’s future as of 2016. Captain America: Civil War.
It came as no surprise then that Disney trumpeted the first week’s performance last Tuesday, acknowledging the $250 million global draw as evidence of the film “conquering the global box office”, pun in nodding reference to the villain’s sobriquet.
By extension, this past weekend’s low receipts suggest audiences may not be connecting with Kang, despite actor Jonathan Majors’ well-received performance. The character replaces Thanos as the main baddie in the future Avengers: Dynasty Kang.
Disney is out of reach fortune for comments.
The pressure is on now in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel
Word of mouth also did not help for the third installment of Ant-Man, as critics have panned it Quantum to use computer-generated imagery instead of conventional production design and practical effects that feel more original and immersive.
“We didn’t just lose track of the characters, we stopped caring about them,” said veteran film critic Peter Travers, calling the digital effects “substandard”.
Atlantic derided the Marvel machine as an “increasingly creaky machine that keeps grinding, dropping superstar performers into CGI glop because the show must go on.”
Quantum roll the record to raise the pressure Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to deliver the goods for Disney and reignite interest in the MCU when it hits theaters nationwide on May 5.
In the past, Marvel has consistently delivered hits after being influenced by two charismatic anchors, Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. and Captain America Chris Evans, both fan favorites now gone after the conclusion of the Infinity War saga.
Currently, the only reliable box-office picture wearing tights is Tom Holland Spider-Manwhich Marvel movie rights actually shared with Sony Pictures, and was critically acclaimed Black Panther series from director Ryan Coogler, who received five Oscar nominations.
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