Cancel Culture Strikes Brie Larson, MCU Film Delayed

in Entertainment, Marvel

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel in 'The Marvels'

Credit: Marvel Studios

For several years now, Brie Larson has played a valuable role in the development of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t faced with scrutiny.

In 2019, Brie Larson stepped into the shoes of Carol Danvers, a former U.S. Air Force pilot who becomes Captain Marvel, a powerful superhero with cosmic abilities. She made her first appearance as Captain Marvel in the film Captain Marvel (2019), which is set in the 1990s and explores the origins of the character. Larson’s portrayal of Captain Marvel was celebrated for its strength, charisma, and representation of a strong female superhero in the MCU.

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel
Credit: Marvel Studios

Captain Marvel’s introduction was crucial to the overarching narrative of the MCU, as her character played a pivotal role in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Her character was instrumental in helping the Avengers defeat the formidable villain Thanos, solidifying her place as one of the central figures in the MCU.

As the MCU said goodbye to iconic figures like Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man/ Tony Stark) and Chris Evans (Captain America / Steve Rogers), the expectation from Disney was that performers like Brie Larson would carry the storyline successfully moving forward. That, unfortunately for the company, hasn’t come without its fair share of challenges. Since putting a bow on the original cast of The Avengers four years ago, the company has experienced some trouble in introducing new characters to the screen, both in theaters and on Disney+.

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel in 'Captain Marvel' (2019)
Credit: Marvel Studios

Outside of Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (2023) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), the last couple of films and television shows to be released by Marvel have been considered failures, even by the most optimistic of fans. They’ve been hit with controversy and, like it or not, have given the company something to think about as it moves forward with the MCU, regardless of previously announced plans.

In a world full of social media trolls, it should come as no surprise that Brie Larson has been under attack by many in the fanbase. “Cancel Brie Larson” was one of the trending hashtags several days ago on Twitter (X), and many fans have called for the actress– who also just starred in Fast X (2023)– to be replaced in the franchise. Others have expressed their distaste for her portrayal in the role.

Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel confused about how she is in Ms. Marvel's room in the Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels
Credit: Marvel Studios

Despite her last movie earning over $1 billion at the box office, Critical Drinker placed Larson front and center in its discussion over the “death of the superhero,” which has since received well over 1 million views.

Critical Drinker has Captain Marvel front and center, yet her film made $1.131 billion

In addition, the trailer for her new movie, The Marvels (2023), was named the “most disliked trailer in MCU history.”

With a legion of fans who are against her and an already highly questionable future as far as the next MCU films are concerned, this gives us insight as to why Disney chose to delay the release of The Marvels, which was originally supposed to be in the summer.

Though the company has never given any kind of confirmation, it would make sense that Disney and Marvel Studios would choose to move Larson’s film out of the heat of summer and into the November 10, 2023 release that it has been granted, especially considering the amount of backlash that Larson has received online and the failures that Marvel as a whole has seen over the last year. Putting the release in November takes The Marvels out of competition with several top summer blockbusters and, instead, gives it a prime position with theater audiences who may have chosen to see a different movie had the film stayed on its original release date.

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel
Credit: Marvel Studios

It was an intriguing move at the time when Disney made the announcement, but the more we see on social media and the backlash that both the film and Brie Larson have received, the more it makes sense that the company would move the release back and give it the best chance to be successful at the box office.

Will you be seeing The Marvels in theaters this November? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!

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