Nia DaCosta is a solid filmmaker with a strong vision for her work, but even she couldn’t handle the Marvel Studios machine. Now, a few years after the release of The Marvels, the filmmaker has addressed what happened.
While speaking at Dublin’s second annual screenwriting festival, Storyhouse Ireland, The Playlist shared DaCosta’s feelings on the fallout of the film, stating: “It was interesting because there was a certain point when I was like, ‘Okay, this isn’t going to be the movie that I pitched or even the first version of the movie that I shot.’ So, I realized that this is now an experience, and it’s a learning curve, and it really makes you stronger as a filmmaker in terms of your ability to navigate.”
DaCosta also clarified the drama with the film’s post-production, stressing that she did not exit the movie and began work on her new film Hedda: “They had a date, and they were prepping certain things, and you just have to lean into the process hardcore. The way they make those films is very different to the way, ideally, I would make a film. So you just have to lean into the process and hope for the best. The best didn’t happen this time, but you kind of have to trust in the machine.”
The Marvels made $206 million worldwide against a production budget of $374 million, leaving it the lowest-grossing film in the MCU. Meanwhile DaCosta’s Hedda is set for release this October, and she’ll helm 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple set for January 2026.
Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.”
Directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman), The Marvels stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Originally published April 8, 2025. Updated April 9, 2025.
