Teyonah Parris has offered a few words of advice to anyone who hasn’t watched The Marvels yet: “give it a fair shot” — despite its underwhelming box office performance.
In an interview with People, Parris, who portrays grown-up Monica Rambeau in The Marvels, recalled her disappointment at not getting to participate in “a full press run” before the movie hit theaters because the actors’ strike prevented the cast from speaking about it, leaving most of its publicity down to word of mouth.
“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,” Parris said, but she also asked people to “show grace,” considering there are “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,” Parris added, urging people to give it chance. “If you don’t like the first 10, 15 minutes, fair enough. Your time is precious. But we make these films so that it can be an escape from your real world in a moment for levity and joy and fantasticalness.
“You do not have to like something, but give it a chance by actually seeing it and forming your own opinion,” she said, suggesting it is then “fair” to comment.
The Marvels landed in theaters on Nov. 10, one day after the actors’ strike came to an end. The film underperformed at the box office, ending its theatrical run with a worldwide gross of around $205 million (against a production budget of approximately $270 million), making it the lowest-grossing MCU movie of all time.
Some put its financial failings down to “superhero fatigue,” as 2023 was an altogether challenging year for the genre, while others, namely Disney CEO Bob Iger, felt The Marvels underperformed because there were not enough executives. Parris, however, thinks there is an audience for these stories, so long as they are good.
“It’s easy to just say, ‘Oh, superhero fatigue,’ but I think we want — because I watch them as well — I want good stories with great characters, and that mean something and have something to say,” Parris explained, adding that there will always be “people who have something to say about everything.”
Parris doesn’t know “anything officially” about whether she will return to the MCU again, but her co-star Iman Vellani hopes to reprise her own role as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. She would like to see future team-ups, especially after The Marvels’ ending, where they could establish “the next Avengers” and regain Endgame-level hype.
2024 will be a quieter year for the MCU, with Deadpool & Wolverine as the only movie on the slate. It has attracted lots of attention and more than a few spoilers, set leaks, and photos in recent months, but its trailer offered fans a first official look at the “raw, audacious, very much R-rated” adventure that is coming to theaters this July.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter @AdeleAnkers.
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