Why The Marvels Flopped
6. We Haven't Seen Carol Danvers In Almost Five Years
Another big problem with this sequel is Carol Danvers' utter lack of presence in the MCU as of late, given that she hasn't made a major big-screen appearance since Avengers: Endgame, save for seconds-long cameos in Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel.
That's four and a half years without one of the most powerful characters in the entire franchise doing anything of significance.
Even though the MCU often waits many years between sequels, this is generally mitigated by the heroes in question appearing in other movies in the interim.
Take Doctor Strange, who waited six years for a sequel, yet was featured prominently in two Avengers films and a hugely popular Spider-Man sequel in the meantime.
Similarly, the Guardians of the Galaxy had a six-year wait for Vol. 3, but in addition to their Avengers appearances, they also showed up in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Yet Carol Danvers has been near-radio silent since Endgame, which hasn't hurt the perception that general viewers simply don't identify much with the character.