2025 Marks First Non-Lockdown Year Without Any $700 Million Box Office Comic Book Movies Since 2011

Over the last twelve years or so, comic book movies were a guaranteed hit in Hollywood. Fans could anticipate at least one Marvel or DC film (often Marvel) earning over $700 million worldwide annually without fail. Yet, this unbroken streak of success for comic book films has come to an end now.

As a dedicated cinema enthusiast and avid comic book fan, it was quite astonishing to notice in the year 2025 that none of the blockbuster superhero films managed to surpass the impressive box office milestone of $700 million – an achievement not witnessed since the pre-lockdown era of 2011. This unexpected turn of events seems to uncover some significant cracks within the well-oiled machinery of superhero cinema, suggesting that perhaps it’s time for a reassessment and potential rejuvenation.

The 2020 Exception: Lockdown Shutdown

As a self-proclaimed movie enthusiast, I can’t help but lament the absence of that jaw-dropping, $700 million superhero spectacle in 2020. Alas, it seems fate had other plans as theaters worldwide found themselves closed for much of that year due to unforeseen circumstances. Movies such as “Birds of Prey” ($205M), “Wonder Woman 1984” ($169M), and “The New Mutants” ($49M) were left in the dust, never getting a chance to shine on the silver screen. Even Marvel, the kingpin of superhero cinema, decided to push their entire slate into 2021, holding out hope for brighter days ahead.

Because of this, analysts choose not to include 2020 in the sequence due to its unique circumstances, as the lockdowns placed an extraordinary mark on that year – akin to a one-time footnote in history.

2025 holds significant importance, as it will showcase the unvarnished resilience of the market without any worldwide lockdowns as an excuse. This year served as a true trial for the marketplace, and the outcomes have been rather grim.

2025’s Super Hero Scorecard

In 2021, Marvel and DC presented a total of four promising superhero films that had the potential to become blockbusters. However, unfortunately, none of them managed to succeed at the box office.

2025 is the first time since 2011 a comic book movie hasn’t reached $700M globally
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 23, 2025

Every one of these was positioned as a major tentpole. Not one delivered.

Superman

The much-hyped reboot of James Gunn’s DC flagship character was expected to rejuvenate the entire DC brand. On a technical level, the movie made a decent amount, earning approximately $601 million globally. However, given its high-profile status, the overall earnings felt rather unimpressive.

Previously, it was anticipated that Superman would revive DC as a dominant force at the box office. However, the film’s underperformance demonstrated that the potential for these movies has diminished somewhat. Particularly noteworthy was the movie’s lackluster performance internationally, with key markets such as China and South Korea failing to deliver the lucrative returns seen in earlier superhero blockbusters.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The much-anticipated reboot by Marvel of their initial family of comics came with significant anticipation. The studio positioned it as a fresh foundation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and its debut weekend was remarkable – generating over $100 million domestically, setting a new record for Marvel’s strongest opening in 2025.

After the initial excitement, the movie’s popularity seemed to wane based on word-of-mouth feedback. The second weekend saw an astonishing 66% decrease, one of the sharpest drops in Marvel history. Although the film is still playing, it has almost reached its conclusion with a global total of $475 million – far less than the estimates made by many experts. Given that this franchise was supposed to be a strong foundation for Marvel, the outcome fell significantly short of expectations.

Captain America: Brave New World

In this scenario, Marvel had an opportunity to pass on the role of Captain America to a new era. However, instead, it resulted in one of the biggest disappointments within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The movie initially performed well, but experienced a dramatic 68% decline in its second week at the domestic box office, shocking industry observers. This steep drop placed it amongst the poorest performing Marvel films in terms of retaining viewers, with audiences losing interest rapidly.

The global earnings totaling $376 million placed it among Captain America’s least successful movies. Despite Marvel investing heavily in marketing, its anticipated passing-of-the-torch narrative didn’t quite resonate as intended and instead underscored the substantial decline in audience faith in the brand.

Thunderbolts

The movie titled “Thunderbolts” was positioned as an exhilarating collaboration of beloved anti-hero characters, and industry insiders viewed it as a hidden gem with strong potential to revive the brand during a challenging time.

Contrarily, the movie had minimal impact instead of making a big splash. Its initial weekends were quiet, international sales were lackluster, and it never gained traction. The total earnings – $371 million worldwide – clearly categorize it as a flop. Despite heavy promotions, an impressive ensemble cast, and a rebranding in the third period to “The New Avengers“, the audience showed little interest.

For Marvel, this underperforming film served as a clear indication that even the high-profile “event” ensemble movies no longer guarantee success in the same manner they once did.

Why Did the Genre Fall Short?

A variety of factors could be cited as to why the superhero film genre has been consistently underperforming at the box office.

1. International Markets Vanished

China, South Korea, and Russia once provided hundreds of millions in extra box office.

Currently, they are not open for business or have limited engagement. With the absence of these markets, an exceptional local performance might still fall short of previous peaks.

2. Super Hero Fatigue

After fifteen years of interwoven universes, audiences feel drained. They’ve grown weary of disguised educational content that resembles homework more than entertainment.

3. Streaming Changed Habits

Instead of hurrying to cinemas, fans understand that they’ll be able to stream these movies on Disney+ and Max in just a few weeks’ time. This eliminates the need for immediate theater visits.

4. Quantity Over Quality

Comic book giants like Marvel and DC have been pouring out an abundance of spin-offs, reboots, and anticipatory series meant to be the “next big hit.” However, it seems that audiences are no longer as drawn to these productions as they once were.

5. Audience Rejection is Immediate

In my humble opinion as a film enthusiast, the initial buzz surrounding “Fantastic Four” and “Captain America” seemed quite promising, yet unfortunately, neither managed to maintain their momentum. To put it bluntly, both films saw a steep decline in viewership during their second weekends, with “Fantastic Four” experiencing a staggering drop of over 65%, and “Captain America” nearly 70%. It’s always disheartening to see such promising titles struggle to retain audiences.

When word of mouth turns toxic, these movies no longer recover.

However, while these reasons are significant, they collectively rank second in importance compared to the major factor that has significantly impacted the success of superhero movies at the box office in the past.

6. Ideology Over Storytelling

Here’s the elephant in the room: Marvel has leaned heavily into political and cultural messaging.

Initially popular franchises that relied on action and amusement have evolved into more educational or lecture-like settings. The original core fanbase, mainly composed of men during Marvel’s peak years, may find themselves distanced from these new changes, while the general public might lose interest as well.

Marvel’s shift towards a more feminine image, as some critics put it, seems to have disturbed the balance that made their movies universally appealing. It’s true that women were an integral part of Marvel’s success, but altering the brand’s core identity away from its long-term followers has been detrimental.

The failure of the Fantastic Four, Captain America: Brave New World, and Thunderbolts wasn’t due to a lack of popular stars. Instead, it was because the audience wasn’t receptive to the narrative or idea that these movies were trying to convey.

A Year Long Pause

In an unexpected turn of events, Hollywood is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of superhero films, leaving fans without a big-screen superhero adventure for over a decade since Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps hit theaters on July 25, 2025. Since then, there hasn’t been any major release in this genre.

starting from 11 months from now, there will be no screenings of the genre we love. However, this long wait will come to an end when DC’s “Supergirl” premieres on June 26, 2026. A month later, on July 31, 2026, Marvel and Sony will release “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”.

As a die-hard fan, it’s clear to me that the once mighty superhero genre seems to have taken a hit. Whether it was planned or not, this noticeable void showcases the decline of the superhero movie machine. Instead of filling cinemas every couple of months, production studios are now adopting a more cautious approach, spreading their bets and hoping that the scarcity will re-spark audience excitement once more.

Taking this risk could either revive the genre’s prominence or confirm that its decline is lasting and persistent.

This endeavor could potentially rejuvenate the genre’s reign, or it may indicate that its exhaustion is long-term and unavoidable.

What’s Next for Comic Book Movies at the Box Office?

It’s evident that comic book movies no longer guarantee massive box office success solely based on their brand name. To regain their billion-dollar status, Marvel and DC should avoid preaching and refrain from turning off half of their audience. They need to reconnect with what initially captivated fans about these characters.

From thereon, the year 2025 stands out as a pivotal moment. Not simply due to being overshadowed by lockdown peculiarities, but as the time when Hollywood got a tough lesson – moviegoers no longer appreciate paying for lectures disguised as superhero tales.

2025-08-25 17:00