The Marvels star Iman Vellani says the failure of her franchise debut as the series’ first Muslim superhero is Disney CEO Bob Iger’s problem.
After a record drop in grosses between its first and second weekends, the film is on track to become the biggest flop in the studio’s history.
Featuring a trio of female leads, Vellani, Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris, the film has been dismissed by critics as “endless” and has made less money than all 32 Marvel films that came before it.
But 21-year-old Vellani, who plays Kamala Khan aka Ms Marvel, said it had ‘nothing to do with me’ and suggested her embattled studio boss should take the blame.
“I don’t want to focus on something I can’t even control because what’s the point?” she told Yahoo Entertainment.
“That’s for Bob Iger.”
Vellani seen left with co-stars Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris has dismissed criticism of the film as ‘nothing to do with me’ after a record drop in box office takings
Vellani stars as Kamala Khan – aka Ms. Marvel – an American teenage Muslim from Jersey City, New Jersey, gifted with extraordinary powers
“It has superheroes, it’s set in space, it’s not that deep and it’s about teamwork and sisterhood,” Vellani said in an interview
Under fire Disney’s CEO is under fire again as the film is on track to post the biggest loss in the Marvel franchise’s 34-film history
Iger, who last week announced a third sequel in the Frozen franchise, was said to be “overwhelmed and exhausted” last month after extending his contract for another three years.
The mogul, who retired in 2020 to return to the business, has been dogged by battles with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the long-running actors’ strike and challenges to his leadership amid a slippery stock price.
He warned this summer that Marvel had spread itself too thin with offshoots including the Disney+ series in which Vellani made her debut.
“Not only did they increase their film production, but they also ended up making a number of TV series,” he told CNBC.
“Frankly, it diluted the focus and attention.”
Canadian Pakistani actress Iman Vellani, 21, was a childhood comic book fan before she was cast as Marvel’s first Muslim superhero Kamala Khan in The Marvels
The plot sees the three co-stars trying to save the universe after Zawe Ashton’s Dar-Benn gets his hands on some ‘quantum bonds’ and uses their power to rip open a ‘jump point’ in space.
Marvel editor Sana Amanat said the character was originally going to be a mutant before they turned her into an Inhuman
Disney spent more than $275 million on the production of The Marvels, but during its first weekend in the US it only made $46.1 million, a record 78 percent drop to $10.2 million during its second weekend.
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes calculated an approval rating of just 62 percent based on 318 reports.
And a CinemaScore survey found the film tied with Eternals and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as the worst of the 33 Marvel Cinematic Universe films produced to date.
Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro blamed the poor reception on “Disney’s overexposure to the Marvel Cinematic Universe brand on Disney+.”
“The crossover with Marvel streaming series makes it seem more like a project to be viewed at home rather than in a theater,” he added.
But Sam Thielman from Slate said that the film, “with two fantastic musical numbers, three compelling leads, at least four really fun action scenes, and a lot of junk CGI,” could actually benefit the Marvelverse if the studio “reconsiders taking such a heavy hand” . ‘ about the franchise.
The film took just $46.1 million in its first weekend in the US, a record 78 percent drop to $10.2 million in its second weekend.
Legendary horror author Stephen King stepped in to defend Vellani and her co-stars, despite not being a fan of Marvel films
Now 19, Vellani was originally cast in the Disney+ TV series on her last day of high school when she received a call from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige while driving with friends. She has been pictured on The Tonight Show Starring Jiimmy Fallon
Samuel Jackson stars as the trio’s nemesis, Nick Fury, in the character’s eleventh Marvel film
Legendary horror author Stephen King stepped in to defend Vellani and her co-stars, despite not being a fan of Marvel films.
“Part of the rejection of The Marvels may be the hatred of adolescent fanboys. You know, ‘Yuck! GIRLS!’ he tweeted.
“I find this thinly masked gloating about The Marvels’ low box office very off-putting. Why gloat about failures?’
“It’s pretty awesome to have Stephen King in someone’s corner,” Vellani said Yahoo.
“I’m happy with the end product and the people I care about enjoyed the film.
“It’s a really good time to watch this movie, and that’s all we can ask for from these movies.
“It has superheroes, it’s set in space, it’s not that deep and it’s about teamwork and sisterhood.
“It’s a fun movie and I’m so happy to be able to share it with people.”