AceShowbiz - The Marvel Cinematic Universe has experienced a slump in recent years, with some of the most criticized movies being released, such as Eternals and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. However, a film can still be crucial to the franchise's success despite poor box office numbers. A 2023 entry, The Marvels, is a prime example of this, as it has proven to be the most important Multiverse Saga movie to date in several ways.

The Marvels is the MCU's biggest box office bomb, grossing a disappointing $206.1 million, which is lower than The Incredible Hulk's $265.6 million. With a reported total cost of $374 million, The Marvels lost the studio millions. The movie's financial situation is even more dire when compared to the first entry in Brie Larson's MCU franchise, Captain Marvel, which grossed a massive $1.13 billion in 2019.

Despite its poor box office performance, The Marvels will still have a significant impact on upcoming MCU releases. The movie's story has set the stage for the franchise's biggest events, and it has done a few things that more Multiverse Saga entries should have used. For example, The Marvels' X-Men post-credits scene is a game-changer, introducing a version of Fox's original X-Men and leaving Monica Rambeau trapped in another universe. This will directly connect The Marvels to one of the MCU's biggest releases ever, Avengers: Doomsday.

The film's exploration of another universe could also impact the Avengers movie in another big way. If an incursion pits the X-Men's Earth against the main MCU, Earth's Mightiest Heroes have a reason not to destroy them. This is because the X-Men's universe is the home of a variant of Monica Rambeau's mother, Maria. As such, Monica, Captain Marvel, and Ms. Marvel will have a personal stake in the outcome of the incursion, making The Marvels a crucial part of the Multiverse Saga.

In conclusion, The Marvels may have been a disappointment at the box office, but its story and impact on the MCU make it the most important Multiverse Saga movie to date. With its introduction of the X-Men and its exploration of the multiverse, The Marvels has set the stage for the franchise's biggest events, and its influence will be felt in upcoming MCU releases.