The version ofThe Marvelsthat fans got wasn’t the director’s original plan, and it’s fascinating to think about what could’ve been for theMCUfilm. After the incredible success ofCaptain Marvelin 2019, the titular hero received a sequel. This time, Carol Danvers would team up with two other young heroes, Kamala Khan andMonica Rambeau, showing off a side of Captain Marvel that had yet to be seen. Directed byCandymandirector Nia DaCosta,The Marvelshad all the makings of a promising film.
Unfortunately, the film would end upbreaking MCU recordsfor the wrong reasons. It was a massive box-office flop that brought in a slew of bad reviews, making itthe lowest-grossing film of the entire MCU. There are plenty of elements inThe Marvelsthat could’ve made for a great film, but it was ultimately plagued by a jumbled storyline and unfortunate press. DaCosta recently revealed that she actually had another direction in mind for the film that didn’t make it to the final release, and it brings the question of whether it would have performed better.
The Marvels' Director Discussed The Changes That Happened To The Original Plan
Nia DaCosta’s Original Vision For The Marvels Was Never Realized
At the screenwriting festival Storyhouse in Dublin,director DaCostaspoke on a panel about writing for genre films. She was able to provide some new insight intoThe Marvels’ production process, saying that the reality of working in the MCU was different than she expected. The director said that"The way they make those films is very different to the way, ideally, I would make a film, so you just have to lean into the process and hope for the best.“Fans have accused Marvel films of being formulaic many times, but sometimes it’s not entirely in the directors’ hands.
“It was interesting because there was a certain point when I was like, ‘Ok, this isn’t going to be the movie that I pitched or even the first version of the movie that I shot,' so I realized that this is now an experience and its learning curve, and it really makes you stronger as a filmmaker in terms of your ability to navigate.” (viaComicBookMovie.com)
DaCosta talked about how the MCU has a rigorous system in place when it comes to their projects, and directors are usually expected to adapt their plans to fit. What’s particularly interesting is how she saysthe final movie wasn’t the movie she pitched, let alone the first version of the film that she shot. Marvel clearly had a lot of input in DaCosta’s vision, so much so that they inadvertently changed the final product completely. While Marvel ultimately has the last say with MCU films, it’s tough for a director to still be tied to an underperforming project.
The Marvels' Divided Reception Raises Big Questions About How The Original Plan Could Have Done
Would The Marvels Have Been A Success If It Followed Nia DaCosta’s Vision?
With this new insight intoThe Marvels’production, the obvious question is what the film could’ve been if it had followed DaCosta’s original plan. Unless she directly addresses it one day, it’s obviously impossible to know what the director had in mind and whether it would have performed better with fans. However, with how big of a failure the film ended up being, it’s safe to assume that a lot of different directions could’ve been a better option.
The Marvelsis a decent film quality-wise, and a lot of the pushback it got has to do with an unfortunate press run. There was barely a press tour because of the SAG-AFTRA strike, andmany of the bad reviews were rooted in blatant sexism and racism. These were things that neither DaCosta nor Marvel could’ve controlled, which somewhat softens the blow of the film’s failure. It’ll remain a mystery whetherThe Marvelscould’ve performed better under DaCosta’s original vision, or whether the project would’ve been plagued with unfortunate circumstances regardless.
