Marvel Studios reveals Doctor Strange 2 barely turned a profit
Though Marvel Studios usually keeps its production cost receipts close to the chest, a newly released tax report has revealed they spent way more on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ production than was previously known.
It was previously reported that the studio spent $294 million on the movie production, but Forbes obtained Marvel’s UK tax filings which proved they actually spent closer to $415 million on the sequel.
In contrast, Doctor Strange 2 was previously seen as a huge box office success as it made $955.8 million worldwide but, with this new production cost, the studio only made about $477.9 million back as the box office revenue is split 50/50 with theater owners.
This new information only came to light because Disney, Marvel’s parent company, is required to disclose for productions filmed in the U.K. and the entire movie was shot in London.
The high production cost could also be a consequence of the movie being filmed during the global shutdown, so Marvel had to shell out more money to keep the sound stages in London booked for filming.
But, despite all the moving parts, it’s not surprising to find out that Doctor Strange 2 actually did worse at the box office. Many viewers were disappointed by the movie as a whole, even with the inclusion of horror thanks to director Sam Raimi.
One critic referred to the movie as a “gorgeous but ultimately forgettable, chaotic film” while another wrote, “Once you pare out the scary stuff and the fan service, the story is — to coin a phrase — a nothingburger. Raimi reportedly began shooting with only a half-finished script, and it shows.”
There’s no way to confirm that Marvel will reign in the production costs for its upcoming shows and movies but, as its new release schedule has confirmed that less projects will be coming out each year, they could find a better balance with their box office earnings.
For more, check out our guides to Spider-Man 4, Fantastic Four, and the best superhero movies.