Advertisement
The Marvels was a tough ride for Marvel Studios, and it didn’t quite live up to expectations, failing to even break even at the box office. However, director Nia DaCosta is opening up about her initial vision for the film, offering insight into how she pitched it and how it evolved along the way.
In an August 2023 interview, before the movie’s release, DaCosta described The Marvels as “wacky and silly,” hinting at a tone that was fun and a bit out there. But as the film progressed, things changed. Speaking later at the Storyhouse Screenwriting Film Festival in Ireland, DaCosta admitted, “It was interesting because there was a certain point when I was like, ‘Okay, this isn’t going to be the movie that I pitched or even the first version of the movie that I shot.’” She explained that the process of adapting to challenges made her stronger as a filmmaker, calling the experience a “learning curve” that tested her skills.
Originally, Disney had planned for Captain Marvel 2 to release on July 8, 2022, and brought DaCosta onto the project in August 2020. But after several delays, the sequel was moved to November 11, 2022, then swapped release dates with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, finally landing on November 10, 2023.
DaCosta, known for her indie work like Little Woods and the 2021 Candyman sequel, noted that the filmmaking process at Marvel Studios was very different from her usual approach. The sequel brought together a huge ensemble cast: Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), one of the most powerful Avengers; Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), the teenage superhero from the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel; and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), who fans had previously seen in WandaVision.
Despite the challenges, DaCosta’s experience on The Marvels has added to her growth as a filmmaker, and though the film didn’t hit the mark for many, it’s a step in her evolving career in big-budget filmmaking.