The Marvels lands a streaming release date, but it's not coming to Disney Plus yet
The Marvels takes to the digital skies on January 16
The Marvels only flew into theaters last November, but it'll be making its streaming debut this month, as well as receiving DVD and Blu-Ray releases in the weeks ahead.
If you were hoping to stream it on Disney Plus, though, you'll need to wait a little longer. As confirmed by Marvel Studios on X/Twitter, The Marvels' streaming release is for rental and purchase options, meaning it'll only be available to watch on digital video-on-demand (VOD) services, such as Apple TV and Prime Video. It'll arrive on such platforms from January 16, with its physical editions landing in stores from February 13.
Experience #TheMarvels. Be the first to watch at home. Buy it on Digital January 16. Pre order now: https://t.co/roDRn1zK35Own it on Blu-ray February 13. pic.twitter.com/nC0F0Gx09bJanuary 8, 2024
Despite being a somewhat entertaining and often funny addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), The Marvels failed to capture audiences' attention upon its November 10 release. In fact, the Marvel Phase 5 flick was the biggest box-office bomb in MCU history, with the superhero film generating just $205.6 million in ticket sales globally. Given its budget was reported to be circa $275 million, it was a critical and commercial failure, so don't expect to see it on our best superhero movies list ever.
In truth, it's not that the film was a total mess; it's just the fact it was another MCU movie and, as we've seen in the past couple of years, film fans want something more from their superhero-based movies. The fact that The Marvels was also the subject of endless online attacks didn't exactly help put bums on cinema seats, either. Flawed though it might be, however, The Marvels takes itself a lot less seriously than many of its peers. Hopefully, its online release will help it to find a wider audience
Where can you stream The Marvels online?
As mentioned, The Marvels will be available to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video from January 16 – that's a week away, at the time of writing – before it's released on DVD and Blu-Ray on February 13. To find out when it could make the jump to Disney Plus, aka one of the world's best streaming services, read our guide on when we expect The Marvels to launch on Disney Plus.
So, is it worth watching? Some reviews say yes, albeit with qualifications. Time Out's Olly Richards wrote: "Brie Larson leads a super-trio that works hard to blast some fun into this confusing adventure," while The Chicago Reader praised the fact that "the titular Marvels make for an endearing, women-centric found family" before adding "the film’s hyperawareness of its role in a larger universe is its downfall."
Empire gave the movie four out of five stars, saying it's "the zippiest and paciest film the studio has made in some time... a welcome surprise, especially for a film that has been relentlessly attacked online prior to release, and for a cinematic universe that has been groaning under the weight of its own lore."
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However, fellow Future-owned website Total Film wasn't so impressed, remarking: "'What the hell is going on?!' splutters Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury early on in The Marvels. It’s a sentiment certain to be shared by more than one audience member during Nia DaCosta’s film, a follow-up to 2019’s Captain Marvel... that struggles to stay coherent for a good deal of its relatively brief running time."
A quick look at The Marvels' Rotten Tomatoes page suggests audiences enjoyed it far more than critics, too, with its 82% viewers score burning bright against its 62% critics rating. In short: watch the MCU film for yourself to see if it's as good or bad as others have said.
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Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind.
- Tom PowerSenior Entertainment Reporter