People Are Looking At "The Marvels" In A Whole New Way Following The Release Of "Madame Web"

This past week, Madame Web hit theaters, and well, let's just say it's not exactly the best superhero movie of all time. It's definitely entering the category of a film that is apparently so bad you just have to see it for yourself to believe it.

Since reviews for Madame Web began hitting the internet, everyone was quick to point out that this movie was not good. With critics calling it "more hilarious than everyone predicted" and saying, "Dakota Johnson can't save this Spidey spinoff."

And fans are making so many jokes about the movie, that each one is better than the last. Seriously, the entire internet has come together to remark on how hilariously bad Madame Web is.

Michael Benjamin / Warner Bros / Via x.com

However, alongside all of the Madame Web discourse, I think there's an important discussion to be had about Madame Web vs. The Marvels. Two female-centered superhero movies, with one being treated as a bad movie you should see to believe, while the other was unfairly scrutinized, in my opinion.

Jessica Kourkounis / Marvel / Sony / Columbia Pictures / Everett Collection, Marvel / Disney / Everett Collection

In comparison, The Marvels holds a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 82% audience score. It made headlines when it opened in November 2023 for having a "disappointing" opening weekend when it only cracked $47 million in the US, the lowest for an MCU movie.

Meanwhile, Madame Web currently holds a 13% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 56% audience score. It made only $26.2 million in domestic sales during its opening weekend, which was six days because it opened on a Wednesday, thus hitting a reported record low for a Sony produced Spider-Man movie.

Mind you, The Marvels was released on Nov. 10, one day after the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike ended, meaning the actors did no promo leading up to the release. Whereas Madame Web has undeniably capitalized on the "chaotic" press tour led by Dakota Johnson.

Corey Nickols / Getty Images for IMDb, MTV / Via x.com

Also from the very start, The Marvels was battling review bombing, namely unnecessary hate toward Brie Larson's Captain Marvel, and backlash from right-wing critics, who accused the movie of being "woke" as it featured several actors of color in leading roles.

Prior to release, Madame Web just had to deal with people making a meme out of this line from the trailer, which wasn't even used in the final movie.

@Straughan87 / Sony / Via Twitter: @Straughan87

Following The Marvels, there were numerous pieces written about its box office failure, with the phrase "superhero fatigue" being thrown around as a reason why it bombed. Even Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly said that The Marvels suffered from a "lack of supervision on the set."

As for Madame Web, it's still a little too early for pieces about the end of the superhero movie era to come rolling in as a result, but Sony has reportedly scrapped plans for a new franchise following the release.

For the failure of The Marvels, many people brought up director and co-writer Nia DaCosta, with one piece about the future of the MCU even calling out Nia for reportedly starting work on another project while The Marvels was in postproduction. Later, Nia had to set the record straight saying Marvel knew about her prior commitment.

With Madame Web, director and co-writer S.J. Clarkson has not been called out in a similar manner, with one viral tweet simply stating that it was wild she directed both Madame Web and an episode of Succession.

Now, in my opinion, The Marvels is a solid comic book movie, and I do not think it's the worst MCU movie. Yes, I think The Marvels suffers from a villain who needed to be fleshed out more. And, yes, it's not my favorite MCU movie, but it's fun.

I mean, the first action sequence alone where Monica (Teyonah Parris), Kamala (Iman Vellani), and Carol (Larson) are switching places as they use their powers is incredible and makes you feel like you are in the pages of a comic book.

Meanwhile, Madame Web, I'm sorry, is just not good. The writing is comical, the ADR is something that needs to be studied because I don't know how it happened, and not even this cast, who I do love, can save anything about the film.

And yet, Madame Web is being seen as comical and a fun kind of bad, while The Marvels was basically put into the category of "don't waste your time."

All of this being said, many fans are now pointing out that following Madame Web, well, maybe The Marvels was not as bad as a corner of the internet wanted everyone to believe.

@blurayangel / Marvel / Via Twitter: @blurayangel

And even BEFORE Madame Web dropped, fans who were watching The Marvels once it started streaming on Disney+ realized that it was actually a solid superhero movie.

@NatePMMA / Marvel / Via Twitter: @NatePMMA

@wandasitcoms / Marvel / Via Twitter: @wandasitcoms

@_EMMinem / Marvel / Via Twitter: @_EMMinem

@ImanVellaniEn / Comedy Central / Via Twitter: @ImanVellaniEn

So, I guess what I'm trying to say here is The Marvels is, and always was, worth a watch. Somewhere along the way it was suddenly the prime example of why superhero movies are over. When in reality, I don't think the superhero genre is done, I think we need to step back, stop churning out so much content for the sake of content, and get back to grounding these movies in really compelling characters. I mean, that is why Iron Man worked so well in the first place.

And, Hollywood, with regards to both Madame Web and The Marvels, let's not take this as a sign that female-centered superhero projects don't work. They do. My friends and I LOVE them and will throw money at them, I swear.

Marvel / Sony / Columbia Pictures / Everett Collection, Marvel / Disney / Everett Collection

What did you think of Madame Web and/or The Marvels? Tell us everything in the comments below!

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