Superhero movies have been dominating the box office for over a decade. However, in recent years, superhero fatigue, poor writing, and lackluster marketing have led to viewers staying home. No matter how many theatergoers love Spider-Man or Batman, a plethora of other superhero movies have led to audiences becoming tired of spending money on films filled with the same clichés. Every year, these film studios hope to capture the cultural zeitgeist similar to the peak era of Avengers: Endgame; however, they have recently struggled in this mission.
This struggle has been so evident that Marvel’s head has promised a reduction in the number of superhero films, instead focusing on creating high-quality and worthy projects. In 2025, three Marvel films were released, marking the end of Phase Five and the beginning of Phase Six of the MCU. DC released one film and launched its new DCU, titled Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Both superhero studios hoped for high profits, but was 2025 a success?
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‘Thunderbolts*’(2025)
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $382,436,917
Despite being Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a critical score of 88% and an audience score of 93%, Thunderbolts* was the worst-performing superhero movie of 2025. It was the best received by critics and audiences, but it wasn’t able to achieve massive success. The film’s budget was $180 million, and it likely had an equally sized marketing budget. This means that the profit for this film was slim, if any, considering its worldwide box office gross of $382.4 million.
But why did it not have a larger success despite the positive feedback it received? It’s likely because of the film’s lack of major superhero recognition. Thunderbolts* is undoubtedly not a recognizable name, and most fans probably had no idea who the team consisted of based on it alone. Every single one of the heroes on the poster was relatively new and not someone casual fans would find relevant, especially those who haven’t had the time to watch every television and film project Marvel has released in the last five years. The star power of Florence Pugh and David Harbour may have pulled some viewers, but it was unlikely to be a significant factor.
After the film was released, Marvel released posters with the name crossed out and an asterisk signifying their new name: The New Avengers. This was odd timing for the film’s marketing. Fans either felt they had received a spoiler, which may have dissuaded them from seeing the movie, or didn’t understand why the movie wasn’t called in the first place. This confusion definitely did the movie’s profits no favors.
3
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ (2025)
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $415,101,577
Captain America: Brave New World was by far the least well-received superhero film of 2025. Of the four superhero films, Captain America: Brave New World was the only one to receive a rotten score of 46% on Rotten Tomatoes. With a similar budget of $180 million, Brave New World achieved a larger profit than Thunderbolts*. Despite having a more generic and cliché storyline, it was able to perform better at the box office, although not by much.
It likely performed better than the Pugh-led film for several reasons. Firstly, Anthony Mackie’s character is more recognizable and has been a part of the MCU for over a decade. While many may not recognize Pugh’s character, they surely recognized Mackie’s. Moreover, Captain America is much more recognizable than Thunderbolts* is. If you’ve been a follower of the MCU, you, of course, recognize the name. And if you’ve watched Avengers: Endgame, you were likely interested to see what they did with the famous superhero.
But the film also didn’t perform as well as it could have. While the movie also had prominent names like Harrison Ford, it wasn’t enough to bring more audiences to the theaters. And, with this being the fourth Captain America film, it probably didn’t help alleviate the superhero fatigue already felt by viewers. But to be fair, the last Captain America movie was released in 2016. And lastly, fans who loved Chris Evans’s Captain America may have been reluctant to watch a new version of the hero.
2
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (2025)
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $521,405,877
Marvel’s “First Family” was adapted a couple of times in the 21st century, and all three films received poor reviews. The duology, released in 2005 and 2007, and the reboot in 2015 were all harshly criticized. As a result, audiences awaited the latest remake for the MCU – The Fantastic Four: First Steps – with plenty of eagerness and skepticism alike.
Fans of the original comic had been burned before and weren’t excited to see their favorite family be poorly adapted again. However, early positive reviews started creating buzz for the movie. Anticipation grew, leading to box office success, supported by Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer score of 87%. Devout Marvel fans rushed to theaters, but fans of the original movies were also curious to see the new reinterpretation. The nostalgic aesthetic, star-studded cast (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn), and reportedly high-quality writing were also factors that led fans to watch the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps ultimately grossed $521,405,877 worldwide and generated a solid profit despite its $200 million budget. Another positive factor was likely the positive reception of Thunderbolts*. After hearing that the previous MCU movie was an improvement and watching it at home, people may have been more curious to check The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters.
1
‘Superman’ (2025)
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $615,673,949
While most DC movies before this year have been critically panned, box office failures, or both, Superman flew into theaters and proved that DC can still release movies that succeed. With a positive critical reception and plenty of anticipation, fans went to see the newest adaptation of the Man of Steel in droves.
While Nicholas Hoult is relatively well-known, and some may recognize Rachel Brosnahan for her titular role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, most people weren’t familiar with David Corenswet, so the cast’s fame was an unlikely draw for most fans. But then what led them to theaters? It was likely two factors: James Gunn and the movie’s marketing campaign. The film was directed, written, and produced by Gunn. Known for being a big fan of comics, Gunn has had major success with the past three Marvel films in the Guardians of the Galaxy world. This success is precisely what led DC Studios to ask him and Peter Safran to lead the new DCU.
Moreover, the film’s lead trio filmed numerous social media clips and participated in many interviews, showcasing their chemistry and Corenswet’s good-naturedness. The combination led to the film earning $615,673,949 globally, with a $225 million budget. The film’s massive success led to the DCU already ordering a sequel, with Gunn slated to work on that film as well. Though it may come as a bit of a surprise, Superman is the unequivocal winner of the superhero 2025 box office battle.
Superman
- Release Date
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July 11, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
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