Ms. Marvel actor Iman Vellani has responded to Spider-Man: Brand New Day's box office record – and what it means for the eternal debate surrounding superhero fatigue.
Speaking on the Revenge Of podcast, Vellani – who last played Ms. Marvel in 2023's The Marvels – commented on Spider-Man: Brand New Day's historic box office success, which saw it overtake Avengers: Endgame as the biggest US domestic opening on record.
"People showed up on the first week," Vellani said of the fourth Spider-Man MCU movie, which is well on its way to grossing $2 billion worldwide.
"Nobody really believed in superhero fatigue. Nobody really believed that this movie was going to fail and they were over [superhero movies]. They wanted it to succeed. I think we’re so used to being cynical and assuming that everything new coming out is going to suck and it’s all propaganda, or people’s attention spans are low. No, we can appreciate a good thing when we see it."
Whether the myth of superhero fatigue has dissipated is still unclear. After all, we're only a few months removed from Supergirl stumbling at the box office. Last year's Marvel efforts, including Thunderbolts, were well-received but also failed to ignite with audiences.
Thankfully, the MCU has big names in its future. Two Avengers movies, an X-Men title, Black Panther 3, and a Ryan Gosling-starring Ghost Rider are all on the schedule for the next few years. As Marvel Studios gets set to turn 20, that will be the real test – especially as Spider-Man appears to have the Midas touch at the cinemas regardless.
For a web-tastic breakdown of Brand New Day, swing on over to our guide to the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending.
If you're playing catch-up ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, you'll need to look at how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
