Like it or not, superhero fatigue does appear to have set in. Marvel Studios has learned that the hard way, and while DC Studios is off to a solid start with Superman, it's hard to shake the feeling that the $614 million box office hit would have made upwards of $1 billion just a few years ago.
Variety has shared an analysis of both studios, noting that Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps "dramatically underperformed" compared to past titles and "barely eked out a profit."
As one agent puts it, the opportunity to join the MCU is "still a crazy, life-changing opportunity" for an actor, but adds, "I don’t have as many clients asking to do one as they were five years ago."
Another executive praises Marvel Studios' shift back to quality over quantity, describing the upcoming Avengers movies as "bulletproof." However, they echoed the thoughts of many fans by stating, "The standalone movies are in trouble, because you feel like you can miss it now." An unnamed director adds, "Any movie could be huge, but nothing is close to a guarantee."
Over to the DCU, despite Superman grossing less worldwide than 2013's Man of Steel, it still surpassed the DCEU's post-pandemic titles with ease.
As one communications executive shares, "[James] Gunn did the most important thing: The first movie he made was really good. If Batman and Superman are humming at the same time, there’s no limit to what they could do."
Despite that, a marketing executive has some doubts about DC Studios' ability to maintain momentum as we head into 2025. "I wish 'Supergirl' and 'Clayface' weren’t the next ones," they lament. "But it’s a pretty confident first step."
While we wait and see what becomes of the DCU next year, 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for Marvel Studios. Despite being a co-production with Sony Pictures, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is all but guaranteed to succeed next summer, with Avengers: Doomsday bound to similarly succeed in December (even if it ultimately fails to recapture the same level of success as 2019's Avengers: Endgame).
Looking beyond that, DC Studios will continue to build a new shared world—2027's Man of Tomorrow will be a big step on that front—and Marvel Studios plans to essentially reboot the MCU after Avengers: Secret Wars. That fresh start should put the spotlight back on big-name characters, with some key players likely recast (this isn't a "scoop" as such, but we've heard the hunt is on for a new Iron Man).
What are your thoughts on the current state of the MCU and DCU? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.