Marvel Studios has faced a notable decline in box office performance in the last two years, with no Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film reaching the $1 billion milestone since 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Despite some successful releases, such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which came close with over $952 million in earnings, this year marked the studio’s worst in terms of box office revenue since 2014.
This year, The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 performed well with over $853 million in gross earnings, which is excellent, except that it’s the only one that perfect well. On the other hand, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania didn’t do well, and The Marvels had a disappointing showing. Additionally, Marvel movies missed being in the top three highest-grossing films of the year for the second consecutive year, with other franchises claiming the spotlight. Doctor Strange 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 both placed fourth in their respective years.
Several factors are believed to have contributed to Marvel’s recent box office challenges. Some attribute it to superhero fatigue, suggesting that after dominating the box office for years, Marvel is now feeling this phenomenon. The past two years have also been challenging for DC, with underperformers like The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Black Adam indicating that superhero movies no longer guarantee automatic blockbuster success.
Another factor that may have impacted box office performance is the growing trend of audiences waiting for the films to come out on Disney+. The streaming platform typically receives movies around three months after their theatrical run, and some fans may no longer feel compelled to rush to theaters for Marvel movies.
Finally, fans point to the Multiverse Saga’s relative lack of cohesiveness. While Loki, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Spider-Man: No Way Home delve into the Multiverse storyline, some feel that the overarching narrative lacks the predictability and connectivity seen in the Infinity Saga. The villain, Kang the Conqueror, in particular, seems to have no clear end goal as Thanos did in the previous saga and has not appeared in films beyond those mentioned.
In comparison, the movies within the Infinity Saga felt interconnected, with almost every film contributing to the overarching narrative ever since Thanos appeared in 2012’s Avengers. The introduction of characters like Ant-Man, Black Panther, and Spider-Man, initially seeming unrelated, later became integral parts of the saga. Most movies within the Infinity Saga were related to the narrative either through an Infinity Stone or being recruited to the Avengers.
To revitalize the MCU, Marvel may need to bring in the big guns. Deadpool 3 is expected to play a significant role in the overarching narrative, and there are rumors of fast-tracking Spider-Man 4 and Doctor Strange 3. Sequels for Shang-Chi and The Eternals are reportedly in development to possibly add more context to the Multiverse Saga. With the way things are going, Kevin Feige may need to bring in the X-Men or the original Avengers to save the MCU.
The coming years will be crucial for Marvel to address these challenges and recapture its former glory.
