‘The Marvels’ melts down at the box office, marking a new low for the MCU

By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Since 2008’s “Iron Man,” the Marvel machine has been one of the most unstoppable forces in box-office history. Now, though, that aura of invincibility is showing signs of wear and tear. The superhero factory hit a new low with the weekend launch of “The Marvels.” It opened with $47 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The 33rd installment in the MCU managed less than a third of the $153.4 million its predecessor “Captain Marvel,” launched with. Sequels, especially in Marvel Land, aren’t supposed to fall off a cliff. The previous low for a Walt Disney Co.-owned Marvel movie was “Ant-Man,” which bowed with $57.2 million in 2015.