Superhero Movies Take a Dive in 2023
This year hasn't been kind to superhero films, with many disappointing box office results. Despite the success of "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse", other titles in the genre have fallen short.
The highly anticipated "Captain Marvel" sequel, "The Marvels", didn't quite live up to its predecessor's success, earning only a fraction of its domestic box office takings. This struggle in the genre is a complex balancing act between audience interest and expectations, influenced by factors such as ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impact on cinema attendance and the rise of streaming services.
Decreased Cinema Attendances and Streaming Dominance
The COVID-19 pandemic might have played a role in reducing the number of people going to the cinema, with more people opting to watch films at home instead. Furthermore, streaming services like Disney+ and Max are pushing for more series, which in turn supports their subscriber growth. This push for additional series has inevitably resulted in an increased number of mediocre films.
Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledges the issue, mentioning that "there are too many [sequels]" negatively impacting film quality. However, it's not just poor-quality films that are causing problems. Even well-received films like "The Flash" receive negative user reactions if they fail to meet the expected box office numbers.
Legal challenges for stars like Ezra Miller and Jonathan Majors (expected to play a significant role in Marvel's future) further complicate the situation. Despite these challenges, superhero films hit their peak in 2019, with "Avengers: Endgame" reaching its climax before the pandemic.
Unsatisfactory Quality and a Flooded Market
The genres' great success has led to a saturated market, making it increasingly difficult for new entrants to stand out. This saturation can result in audience fatigue and, ultimately, lower box office performance. Additionally, sub-par CGI has been a recurring problem in superhero movies.
The release timing of some films also contributes to their decreased performance. For example, "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" came out several years after the original, potentially leaving the audience that loved the original film too old to attend.
Moving Forward
The fact that some films like "Barbie" and "Avatar 2" still manage to attract audiences suggest that there is still a desire to see big-budget movies. However, the challenge for Marvel and DC lies in finding solutions that propel them forward and not merely reflecting on past failures.
Source:
edition.cnn.com
Bonus Insights
- Kraven the Hunter (2024) and The Marvels (2023) have been cited as major flops, with critics pointing to an antiquated origin story and poor pacing in Kraven and lack of comedy appeal in Shazam Fury of the Gods.
- Dark Phoenix (2019) was a significant disappointment for the X-Men franchise, with critics lambasting the action scenes and viewing it as a waste of talent.
- Jason Momoa's departure from Aquaman 2 and the subsequent recasting of the role was met with controversy and might have affected the film's performance.
- The ongoing discussion in Hollywood about the representation of women and minority groups in films is proving instrumental in shaping the genre, with studios actively seeking to diversify their offerings.
