The series, which was co-produced by Imax, kicked off with a theatrical IMAX release for the first two episodes, then moved to ABC (see "IMAX, ABC, Marvel Collaborate on New 'Inhumans' TV Series"). IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond addressed the disappointing reaction to the theatrical release (see "'Marvel's Inhumans' Nets Negative Reactions With IMAX Screenings") by noting that customers that were expecting a Marvel movie got a TV show, according to Deadline. "Customers expected a production akin to a mega-budget blockbuster movie, rather than pilots for a television show," he said. The experience was so profound that Imax is unlikely to participate in similar projects in the future, Gelfond said.
Meanwhile, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige dodged the question when asked whether he regretted not making a movie based on the property given how the show is doing (an Inhumans movie was originally scheduled for 2018, see "'Black Panther,' 'Captain Marvel,' 'Inhumans' Movies”). He laughed and told Uproxx, "You’re breaking up, Mike. I can’t hear you, you’re breaking up."
And Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb and co-head Jim Chory walked away after being approached by Deadline with a question about the series.
Ratings for the show declined for five weeks in a row, then bounced slightly last week to 2.1 million viewers, according to Deadline. To put that in context, AMC’s The Walking Dead’s ratings for the latest season premiere were considered disappointing, with only 11.4 million viewers (see "The Bloom Is Off the Corpse").
While Inhumans has never been a powerhouse property for Marvel, overshadowed by numerous more popular superteams, the behind-the-camera talent may also be an issue; the showrunner for Marvel’s Inhumans is Scott Buck, who was also the showrunner for the Marvel Netflix misfire Iron Fist (see "'Iron First' Showrunner Takes on 'The Inhumans'").
Marvel has not yet announced whether the series will continue beyond Season 1; two episodes of the eight-episode season remain to be aired.