The Marvels Will Avoid A Major Superhero Movie Problem Says Director Nia DaCosta
Of the numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe efforts to arrive recently, many haven't hit the right notes with fans. Titles like "Eternals," "Thor: Love and Thunder," "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," and "Secret Invasion" haven't performed the best with general audiences or critics, for that matter. Couple this with the fact that DC offerings like "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" and "The Flash" have underperformed as well, and it seems that general audiences are losing interest in superhero movies. "The Marvels" from director Nia DaCosta is up next, and she feels her film remedies that glaring issue facing superhero movies.
"It's really wacky, and silly. The worlds we go to in this movie are worlds unlike others you've seen in the MCU. Bright worlds that you haven't seen before," DaCosta said of her Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani-led feature during a conversation with Total Film, hopeful that the film's tone will somewhat combat mounting superhero fatigue. Executive producer Mary Livanos added that unlike "Avengers" movie team-ups, "The Marvels" keeps things relatively small-scale, giving audiences a relatable and fun adventure between three strong heroines.
Based on promotional material, there seems to be a lot for MCU fans to love in "The Marvels," but at this stage in the game, is wacky and silly really the right way to go?
Will keeping things fun and goofy really benefit The Marvels?
At their core, superhero comics are goofy, cheesy, and funny by virtue of being about fictional characters in bright, gaudy costumes with all sorts of strange abilities. While this should be reflected in superhero movies, there is such a thing as going overboard. Marvel productions like "Thor: Love and Thunder" and, to some extent, "Moon Knight," for example, were widely criticized for their excessive use of humor or general mishandling of it. Jokes can be too plentiful, placed in improper scenes, or just overall not funny, making it hard for viewers to engage.
Thus, some MCU fans might be hesitant to embrace "The Marvels" upon hearing that it leans into the wackiness of the source material and takes a less serious approach to storytelling. Then again, it's certainly possible that the "Captain Marvel," "WandaVision," and "Ms. Marvel" spiritual sequel can make great use of goofiness, as many other MCU projects have. Examples of humor and zaniness done right are "Thor: Ragnarok" and the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy, which both pour the humor on heavily while still bringing in plenty of heart and emotion.
We'll just have to see how "The Marvels" presents its oddball nature and if it manages to avoid the effects of superhero fatigue when it arrives in theaters on November 10.