Captain Marvel: Movie, Powers, and the Two Marvels

Original Captain Marvel: Mar-Vell, introduced in Marvel Super Heroes #12 in 1967 · Current primary Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers, introduced in 1968 and taking the mantle in 2012 · MCU actress: Brie Larson · Captain Marvel release date: March 8, 2019 · Worldwide box office: $1.128 billion for Captain Marvel (2019)

Here’s a quick reference on the core facts about Carol Danvers and Captain Marvel.

Why are there two Captain Marvels?

The short answer is that the title is a legacy, passed from an alien soldier to a human pilot who earned it. The character with the strongest claim on the name today—Carol Danvers—is not the person who originally created it.

Who is Mar-Vell?

Mar-Vell is the original Captain Marvel, a Kree warrior introduced in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 in 1967, according to Marvel Comics’ editorial team on the fan wiki. In Marvel’s official character history, Mar-Vell is an alien sent to Earth as an observer, but he betrays his people to help humanity, and his heroism sets the standard for the title. He is not a woman, not human, and, in the comics, he dies of cancer decades before Carol Danvers picks up the mantle.

Who is Carol Danvers?

Carol Danvers first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 in 1968, a year after Mar-Vell debuted. She began as an Air Force pilot and CIA agent before a confrontation with Mar-Vell’s enemy, Yon-Rogg, and a bomb called the Psyche-Magnitron fused her DNA with Mar-Vell’s, giving her powers according to Wikipedia’s character summary. For decades she flew as Ms. Marvel. In 2012, after Mar-Vell’s death and the resurrection of the title, Carol Danvers officially took the name “Captain Marvel” in a new ongoing series.

Why did they change Captain Marvel to a woman?

The title was not changed from a male to a female character. Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, is male and remained so. Carol Danvers is a separate person who inherited the title years after Mar-Vell was gone. Marvel’s choice to hand the book to Danvers was a story decision, not a retooling of the existing male hero. As Wikipedia’s Captain Marvel page explains, Carol Danvers assumed the title in 2012 after Mar-Vell had been dead in the comics for decades, and the film adaptation simply follows her.

Was Captain Marvel a hit or flop?

The 2019 film was a massive commercial success. The Numbers, a box-office data firm, tracks the worldwide gross at $1.128 billion. CBC News reported that the film opened to $153 million in North American theaters and $455 million globally over its first weekend. The Indian Express cited the same figures from studio estimates.

“I have nothing to prove to you.” — Carol Danvers (Brie Larson)

How much did Captain Marvel make?

The film grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide. Wikipedia’s box-office data records $426.8 million in the United States and Canada, $701.6 million in other territories, for a $1.128 billion total. Entertainment Weekly reported on April 3, 2019, that Captain Marvel had crossed $1 billion, becoming the seventh MCU title to do so.

How were the reviews for Captain Marvel?

Professional reviews were overwhelmingly positive. The film holds a high aggregate score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Wikipedia’s reception section notes that critics praised the performances and the visual spectacle. The same page notes that audience scores were significantly lower, a pattern comic-book analysts at CBR have linked to organized review-bombing campaigns.

“I don’t know what you are, but I’m willing to bet you’re not from around here.” — Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)

What happened with The Marvels?

The sequel, The Marvels (2023), did not match the first film’s box-office performance by a wide margin. While Captain Marvel crossed $1 billion, its sequel became one of the lowest-grossing MCU films, reflecting a polarizing reception among audiences who had embraced the first film. The comparison is not a footnote to the story; it is the clearest evidence that the online backlash did less to hurt the original film than it did to wound the sequel.

Why don’t people like Brie Larson as Captain Marvel?

The backlash against Brie Larson is a story of internet outrage colliding with a $1 billion box office. The film was not a flop by any measure, yet the conversation around it was dominated by a vocal minority.

What did Brie Larson say about Captain Marvel?

In an interview with Time ahead of the film’s release, Brie Larson commented on diversity in film criticism, noting that she wanted to close the gap between the people who see her movie and the people who are paid to review it. Her comments were framed by entertainment reporters at Screen Rant as a call for more inclusive perspectives. The internet response was immediate and toxic. Comic-book analysis site CBR documented that the controversy was amplified by organized review-bombing on Rotten Tomatoes.

Was there a review-bombing campaign?

Yes. Multiple outlets, including CBR and Screen Rant, reported that the film’s audience score was targeted by users who left negative reviews before the film’s release. This is a documented pattern that affected the film’s “Rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film still opened strong, which led CBC News to frame the box office as evidence that the backlash did not deter general audiences.

Did the backlash hurt the box office?

Not in the film’s opening weekend. The film opened at $153 million domestically and $455 million worldwide, per CBC News. It went on to cross $1 billion. The film’s legs were strong. However, the online negativity likely contributed to the softer reception of The Marvels in 2023, as a portion of the audience had already decided the character was “too political.”

Is Captain Marvel the strongest Avenger?

The MCU has never published an official ranking of the strongest Avenger, and any conversation about “the strongest” is a power-scaling debate. Wikipedia’s character comparison page notes that Carol Danvers is among the most powerful, but the shared universe has not confirmed a single “best.”

Who is the strongest Avenger on paper?

In terms of raw power, Carol Danvers and Thor are the top-tier candidates. Screen Rant’s power-scaling analysis ranks Captain Marvel near the top of the MCU’s power hierarchy. In the comics, she has, at various times, absorbed energy and projected it as photonic blasts, and she is generally depicted as faster and more durable than the average Avenger. But “strongest” depends on the metric. Thor and Hulk have far more destructive feats on screen.

Can Captain Marvel lift Thor’s hammer?

This is a question of worthiness, not strength. Mjolnir’s worthiness is an enchantment, not a power test. Carol Danvers has never attempted to lift Mjolnir in the MCU, so there is no canonical yes/no answer on screen. The comics, however, have shown that Captain Marvel is not deemed worthy of the hammer in any main continuity story. Comic-book analysts at CBR note that this is one of the most confusing fan questions because it conflates strength with worthiness.

Who is stronger, Captain America or Captain Marvel?

There is no contest. Screen Rant’s breakdown places Captain Marvel at a cosmic power level, whereas Steve Rogers, even with the Super-Soldier Serum, is a peak human. In a fight, Captain Marvel’s energy absorption and flight give her a decisive edge. Captain America himself is aware of the gap; when asked who the strongest Avenger was in Avengers: Endgame, his response was “not him.”

Here’s a comparison of the two characters’ abilities:

Are there limits to her power?

Yes. The MCU has been, if anything, careful to show limits. In Endgame, Captain Marvel is not invulnerable—she gets hurt by Ebony Maw’s attack, and she is tied up in the battlefield. Marvel’s official character page outlines that her powers are energy absorption and projection, but that is a far cry from omnipotence. If she can be hurt, she can be beaten.

Who is the strongest Avenger? A timeline of the discussion

The question has a long history, and the answer has shifted with the comics and the films.

A brief history of who has been called the strongest

In the comics, the title has been applied to characters as diverse as She-Hulk, Hercules, and Thor at various points. In the MCU, the question became a topic of fan debate after the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015. Screen Rant’s power-scaling analysis notes that the debate intensified with Captain Marvel’s arrival, as her energy absorption is frequently ranked as the most versatile power in the MCU.

1967: Mar-Vell debuts as the original Captain Marvel in Marvel Super Heroes #12. (Wikipedia)

1968: Carol Danvers debuts in Marvel Super Heroes #13. (Wikipedia)

2012: Carol Danvers assumes the Captain Marvel name in Marvel Comics. (Wikipedia)

March 8, 2019: Captain Marvel releases in theaters, starring Brie Larson. (Wikipedia)

April 26, 2019: Captain Marvel appears in Avengers: Endgame. (Wikipedia)

November 10, 2023: The Marvels, the sequel featuring Captain Marvel, releases. (The Numbers)

Frequently Asked Questions

Final takeaway: Brie Larson’s portrayal of Carol Danvers launched a billion-dollar franchise, but the character’s legacy remains tied to both comic-book history and the polarizing fan debates that followed.