This year, fans have been blessed with an onslaught of comic book movies that delivered varying degrees of entertainment, as well as performance at the box office. Sure, some of them topped the rank and were highly acclaimed by fans and critics, but there were also others that heavily tanked.
Marvel Studios and DC Studios have been strong competitors when it comes to this kind of project. This year was also challenging for them as some of their movies flopped, evidently as a sign of superhero fatigue, though they also had a couple of titles that truly broke box office records. Check out the best and worst comic book movies of 2023!
1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was a major feat for Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures after it amassed over $690 million in global ticket sales against a budget of $100 million. The animated movie received critical and financial success, with fans commending the incredibly complex yet relatable characters and heartfelt storyline.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The popularity of James Gunn’s franchise easily made Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 a surefire moneymaker. Grossing over $845 million against a production cost of $250 million, this is one of the top-grossing comic book movies of the year. The installment is not just the end of a trilogy, but also the culmination of the director’s decade-worth of work and contribution at Marvel Studios.
3. Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the introduction of Xolo Maridueña’s portrayal of Jaime Reyes in the DC Universe. Earning over $129 million against a film budget of $104 million may be considered a massive failure, but given that this is only the character’s debut, it is quite understandable that people may not be familiar with Blue Beetle yet. Still, it was a great family movie that oozes with so much potential.
1. Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Zachary Levi’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods remains one of the most disappointing comic book movies of the year after it earned a measly $133 million at the box office against a budget of $125 million. The movie failed to capture the fun and essence of the first installment along with its mediocre plot, and with the widespread negative word-of-mouth, Shazam 2 headed to its doom no sooner than it expected.
2. The Marvels
The major flop of Brie Larson’s much-anticipated sequel to Captain Marvel was brought by reports of superhero fatigue, despite the movie’s director claiming it will combat the curse pestering comic book movies. The audience has become disinterested in the story, hence its $205 million ticket sales against a production cost of around $270 million. Moreover, it has also become the target of some critics who accused the film of being woke because of its female-led theme and multiple women of color.
3. The Flash
Ezra Miller’s The Flash was already plagued with controversies even before the film’s release. The failure can be attributed to a number of reasons, but mostly due to the fact that a lot of fans, especially women and children refused to support the film due to the lead actor’s allegations. There was also a lot of drama that happened behind the scenes, from messy marketing to personnel changes, they all affected the movie’s performance.
