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Fact check: Marvel let white males know in no uncertain terms that they were not the target audience for The Marvels. Then when they learned that majority of the audience was comprised of the white males they hadn't managed to chase off, demonized those who declined to financially support the film.
1. Summary of the results
1. Summary of the results:
The data shows "The Marvels" actually had a predominantly male audience (61%), with 45% being men over 25. The film's underperformance appears linked to multiple factors including the SAG-AFTRA strike limiting promotion, superhero fatigue, and brand overextension, rather than any deliberate audience targeting strategy.
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:
- The film's audience was notably diverse, with 58% identifying as Latino/Hispanic, Black, or Asian
- Director Nia DaCosta reported positive interactions with middle-aged white male crew members
- Brie Larson's previous statements about diversity were misquoted and taken out of context - she explicitly stated "I don't hate white dudes" and was advocating for additional perspectives, not replacement
- Marvel's overall fanbase is nearly equally split between male (53%) and female (47%) viewers
- Other diverse Marvel properties like "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" performed well ($120.7M), challenging the "go woke, go broke" narrative
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:
The statement presents two unsupported claims:
- It suggests Marvel deliberately excluded white males, when no marketing materials or official statements support this
- It claims Marvel "demonized" non-supporters, but no evidence of this exists in the provided analyses
- The statement ignores multiple documented factors affecting the film's performance (strike impact, superhero fatigue, brand overextension) in favor of a simplified narrative about demographic targeting
This appears to be part of a larger pattern where calls for increased diversity are mischaracterized as attacks on existing audiences, benefiting those who profit from creating controversy around cultural issues, including certain social media influencers and political commentators.