For the First Time Since 2011: Superhero Films Fail to Surpass $700 Million at the 2025 Box Office
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, questioning “superhero fatigue” becomes harder with each passing year—especially when combined grosses of multiple Marvel and DC films in 2025 failed to cross the $700 million mark.
DC is satisfied with the more than $600 million gross of Superman, written and directed by James Gunn, while Marvel may avoid a heavy loss with the $525 million earned by The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Still, it has been over a decade and a half since superhero films performed so weakly in a single year.
Earlier in 2025, Captain America: Brave New World grossed about $415 million, while Thunderbolts—the year’s most critically acclaimed superhero film—failed to go beyond $383 million.
Before these releases, titles like Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey starring Margot Robbie, The New Mutants, and Black Adam came and went without leaving a lasting impression. But 2025 marks the first year since 2011 when no superhero film even approached the $700 million threshold.
Thunderbolts was marketed as akin to “an A24 indie film,” while The Fantastic Four: First Steps leaned heavily on nostalgic elements. Despite strong critical reception, the commercial underperformance repeated Marvel’s recent struggles. Superman counts as a victory compared to disasters like The Flash, but the decline of Captain America—once among Marvel’s most beloved characters—raises serious concerns.
The year 2026 will be an even greater test for DC and Marvel, with two star-studded releases on the horizon: Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday. Both are expected to aim for around $1 billion at the box office.
