Nia DaCosta Says ‘The Marvels’ Wasn’t The Film She Intended To Make

Two years since its release, Nia DaCosta is finally talking about her experience directing “The Marvels,” and she’s quite frank in acknowledging that the released version is not the film she intended to make.

“It was interesting because there was a certain point when I was like, ‘Ok, this isn’t going to be the movie that I pitched or even the first version of the movie that I shot,’” she admitted, speaking at Storyhouse

“So, I realized that this is now an experience, and it’s a learning curve, and it really makes you stronger as a filmmaker in terms of your ability to navigate.” 

DaCosta had to actually bow out of post-production work on “The Marvels” to start prep on her next film, “Hedda,” and that caused a bit of controversy via trade reporting, but she explains that the film had been behind schedule, and she she had no other choice.

“They had a date, and they were prepping certain things, and you just have to lean into the process hardcore,” she explained during the conversation. While the filmmaker seemed open to the process, she doesn’t sound like she was happy with the final process or final product, regardless.

“The way they make those films is very different to the way, ideally, I would make a film,” she said. “So you just have to lean into the process and hope for the best. The best didn’t happen this time but you kind of have to trust in the machine.”

“The Marvels” lives in infamy as the biggest box office bomb in MCU history with losses reported to be in the $300M range. The film, plagued by reshoots and rewrites, ultimately failed with audiences and critics. A rather odd circumstance since 2019’s “Captain Marvel” had, its predecessor, had grossed well over $1 billion worldwide.

DaCosta’s “Hedda,” starring Tessa Thompson, and Imogen Poots, releases in October. She’s also shot “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” and that’s set for January 16, 2026 release.