Marvel fans have been eagerly awaiting more female-led superhero flicks to highlight the powerful women of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a world where male superheroes predominate. However, recent reports have suggested that the future of such projects could very well be at risk, making fans frustrated and disappointed.
Teyonah Parris’ character Monica Rambeau would have had her own solo MCU series if Brie Larson’s The Marvels had not been met with such dismal critical reception. Although Monica Rambeau made a fleeting appearance in Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels (2023), the character made her official debut in Disney+’s WandaVision.
However, it’s been alleged that Marvel scrapped her solo project after the Larson-starrer flick underperformed at the box office, triggering an enraged discussion among viewers regarding the challenges faced by female-driven superhero flicks.
The Development and Demise of Teyonah Parris’ MCU Series
The intended Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau series has been shelved as a result of the audience’s lackluster response to The Marvels, according to a post from Cosmic Marvel that featured information from renowned industry insider DanielRPK.
“A project for Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau was reportedly in the works at Marvel Studios. It got scrapped due to ‘THE MARVELS’ underperforming at the box office.”
The WandaVision actress, 36, reprised her role in Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels, which also starred Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Zawe Ashton.
While Parris remained confident despite the negative reviews surrounding The Marvels, she was aware of the backlash the film received. The Candyman actress revealed via IGN:
“I can’t say that I really felt the hate because we were in a very disconnected time. I was surrounded by people who were excited for me, people who wanted and were waiting to see me, and these other women get up here and kick butt. So I felt a lot of love.”
The Marvels, which had a $274.8 million budget, made $206 million in box office revenue (according to Box Office Mojo). Being one of the few MCU movies to not make a profit during its theatrical run, it also happens to be the lowest-grossing flick in the franchise.
Teyonah Parris Fans Speak Out: Reactions to the Alleged Project Scrapping
The box office triumph of films such as Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman and Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck’s Captain Marvel indicates that there is a market for female-driven superhero flicks. However, given that some are not doing well at the box office, could this be the license for the upcoming projects to get shelved?
The potential shelving of Teyonah Parris’ project comes after Brie Larson’s The Marvels did not hit those sky-high box office targets, leaving fans with a cocktail of feelings. And this erupted into intense online debates and discussions.
Let us take a look at some of the remarks left by fans via X:
It sucks that female led Marvel movies aren't doing well
— ReelTalker (@TalkerReel92) April 26, 2024
Teyonah is a dope actress, and this would be one that people would watch. They shouldn't base its possible success because of the box office failure of the Marvels. If we're doing that, then base it on the success of Wandavision. pic.twitter.com/pjWsnJY8mP
— Bryan Chimney (@19bigdaddy87) April 27, 2024
How about we blame the weak scripts, they turned Ant Man into a Comedy, they put out Eternals and couldn’t give a clear explanation of the plot. Marvels was good, not great but good, for some reason they decided to lighten the tone from the original.
— Cowboy 88 Ph.D (@Cowboyvxl65703) April 27, 2024
Hope they’ll find a way to reunite Monica with her right universe, somewhere in Secret Wars
— Freemaker Things (Atsushi Lokison) (@d4thbwthu) April 26, 2024
I liked her in wandavision
her character in The Marvels was forgettable
still unsure why she couldn't close to tear from the other side 🤷🏽♂️I just hope her next appearance is better pic.twitter.com/afju7hMfzy
— AthleticGam3r 🏃💨🎮 (@AthleticGam3r13) April 26, 2024
they jumped the gun on the Marvels. Monica has barely had any screen time, doing her story before the Marvels would have been a better move.
— Mr. Schadenfreude 🐀, Anonymuncule (@mrschadenfreud4) April 27, 2024
But despite the setbacks, fans are not giving up hope. They are calling for more diversity and representation in the MCU, urging Marvel to give female superheroes the spotlight they deserve.
Parris discussed in an interview with People how she thought The Marvels’ box office performance might have been impacted by pre- and post-release criticism. She also advised viewers to form their own opinions about films before hearing unfavorable remarks from others. To quote her:
“I think there was a lot of talk, and people hadn’t seen it. So that’s frustrating, when people comment on things they haven’t actually experienced. There’s a lot of people who put a lot of their time, spirit and talent into bringing this forward… I would hope that people would give it a fair shot by just seeing it or trying it…”
The actress is clearly not asking anyone to change their mind, nor is she pushing others to enjoy The Marvels. Parris made it apparent that she believes viewers should form judgments about a film after seeing it, rather than before it has even been released.
Stream The Marvels on Disney+.
