It's becoming increasingly difficult to deny the existence of superhero fatigue, especially when looking at how 2025's Marvel and DC movies have performed at the worldwide box office.
Superman is the year's clear winner, with an expected $625 million haul by the time its run ends. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will come in second with a predicted $525 million total, and then it's all downhill from there.
Captain America: Brave New World tapped out with $415 million earlier this year, while Thunderbolts*—the year's best-reviewed superhero movie—only managed to reach $383 million when all was said and done.
Thanks to COVID-19, Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey's box office prospects were cut short in 2020, and The New Mutants came and went with little fanfare. Taking that aside, with none of 2025's releases set to reach $700 million, this is the first time since 2011 (14 years ago), in a non-pandemic year, that a superhero movie has failed to reach that figure.
It's a troubling statistic. Thunderbolts* was always going to struggle with a cast of characters mostly known for being on streaming, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps was tasked with fixing a franchise that had become best known for producing terrible movies (based on the reviews and fan response, it succeeded).
However, the Captain America and Superman franchises underperforming like this is troubling. In the latter's defence, it's coming on the back of a series of awful DC movies, but Cap's fall from grace is legitimately shocking.
Is this the beginning of the end for superheroes? That's unlikely. Studios simply need to figure out how to make them for much less money, and 2026 will be the bigger test as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday should be guaranteed to surpass $1 billion. If they don't, then it might be time to panic.
Did you skip any of this year's superhero movies in theaters? If so, let us know why in the comments section below.
Superman, DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, soared into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
The movie stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.
Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are both playing in theaters. The former recently debuted on Digital.