Q: Is Marvel losing its box office magic? Why aren’t audiences showing up like they used to?
Once upon a time, Marvel was untouchable. From Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame, each new film felt like an event, a historical moment in pop culture that you didn’t want to miss. Grossing over a billion dollars at the box office was expected.
But lately the numbers tell a different story. While Marvel’s films still pull respectable earnings, the box office dominance that defined the 2010s has cooled. Marvel released two films in the past six months: Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. Brave New World pulled over $415 million globally, making it one of the lowest grossing films in the Captain America series. A lot of people had hoped Thunderbolts* would turn things around. It received positive reviews from audiences and critics yet only it made $378.4 million globally against a budget of $280 million.
In comparison, the average Marvel film would make an average of $800 million globally. 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide. So what happened? Why aren’t Marvel’s recent movies packing theaters like before?
1️⃣ Superhero Fatigue Has Set In 🦸♂️💤
After more than 15 years of nonstop superhero stories, both in theaters and on streaming platforms, has led to oversaturation. With The Boys, Invincible and various projects from Marvel dominating entertainment, “superhero fatigue” has set in. Even glowing reviews haven’t done enough to trigger a sense of novelty or curiosity when fans have seen dozens of variations on the same formula.
It’s not just Marvel either; DC is experiencing a similar problem with their films. But Marvel’s sheer output, especially with interconnected spin-off series that are only available on Disney+, has only made things worse.
2️⃣ The Loss of Iconic Characters🚪
It doesn’t help that Marvel has lost some of its biggest draws after the release of Avengers: Endgame.
The departure of beloved, established characters like Iron Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch and Black Widow has left a void that other characters have yet to fill. Fans have built strong emotional connections with those characters, related to their struggles and triumphs.
While Marvel has introduced plenty of new characters in their films and TV series, it takes years to build the same level of attachment. And without that connection, audiences don’t feel the need to go to a theater when they could just wait until it’s available to stream.
3️⃣ Quality Concerns and Overproduction 📉
Over the years, many feel that the quality of the films Marvel releases has gone down in quality.
Critics and fans alike have called out rushed production schedules, poor writing, bad CGI, etc. Every project Marvel puts out feels like a setup for something else rather than a complete story on their own. The MCU’s post-Endgame era lacks the cohesive, overarching narrative the Infinity Saga had. Without a clear, engaging narrative, newer films feel less essential and interconnected.
Marvel’s aggressive content release schedule hasn’t helped. From 2019 to 2023, there was a rapid increase in the number of films and TV series related to the MCU. This “quantity over quality” approach has diluted the brand and made it harder for each project to stand out.
4️⃣ Competition and The Return of Original Stories 🎬✨
Recently, other genres and franchises have given Marvel strong competition. In 2023, the top films were Barbie, Oppenheimer and The Super Mario Bros. Movie all outperformed Marvel films at the box office. They weren’t part of sprawling cinematic universes and had original or fresh takes on their respective genres. Sinners received nothing but acclaim for exploring complex themes with its unique blend of horror, romance and historical drama.
Also, audiences are becoming drawn to original stories and family-friendly content. Disney’s non-Marvel films like Lilo & Stitch have performed better at the box office and the live-action remake of How To Train Your Dragon is predicted to make over $200 million globally in its opening weekend.
Can Marvel Turn Things Around? 🔄
Marvel is already taking steps to adapt to the changing landscape. They announced there will be a significant drop in the number of movies and Disney+ series released each year. The plan is to focus more on “quality over quantity.” Now there’s a maximum of three movies and two live-action series per year with the goal of making each project feel like an event.
There’s also plans to make the MCU less interconnected across film and TV, so casual viewers don’t feel like they need to watch every show to understand what’s going on.
Marvel may never return to its Endgame-era dominance. But by focusing on fewer projects that are character-driven and feel less like doing homework, they still have room to thrive and win back fans.
