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The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated Marvel's decline. Disney ramped up a significant amount of superhero content designed for streaming platforms, hoping to maintain viewer engagement during lockdowns. Yet, as vaccination programs rolled out globally, audiences returned to theaters, and streaming habits shifted. This disrupted the cycle of Marvel content consumption, causing audiences to miss films like Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel, ultimately leading to disengagement.
From a global perspective, the pandemic's impact was uneven, but the process of audience attrition was universal. Missing a single Marvel movie often turned into a reluctance to catch subsequent releases, initiated a vicious cycle of disinterest and reduced box office performance.