After the commercial success of the first movie in 2018, hopes were high for the second installment of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman stint. Tragically, the superhero genre and its power to pull audiences are being questioned as critics’ assessments of the latest James Wan-helmed endeavor paint a bleak picture. The scenario isn’t only limited to the past few DCEU initiatives. MCU, too, has been suffering to get back on its feet.
Read more: Peter Safran Breaks Silence While Jason Momoa Hints DCU Exit After Aquaman 2!
We have heard about the superhero fatigue for a while now, but nowhere has it been more brutally apparent than this year. While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. proved a breath of fresh air following a saturated market filled with big-scale franchise fluff, MCU’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels couldn’t move the needle.
In a classic ‘one-step-forward-two-steps-back’ fashion, the MCU, too, has cemented the general audience’s current consensus: superhero movies might be on the edge of dying.
Death Of Superhero Movies: Is There Any Truth To The Belief?
Last year, Thor: Love and Thunder became the MCU’s laughingstock. On the commercial front, the endeavor was able to perform moderately well. However, the Taika Waititi-helmed pursuit brought forth issues in the franchise that set the tone of judgment for MCU’s succeeding projects (and perhaps the superhero film industry to an extent.)
Cheap, half-baked CGI, pacing problems, plot mediocrities, etc., became the attributes soon to be associated with some of its films and series.
These trends and talking points eventually permeated the DCEU. This is not to say or imply that all the initiatives taken before this juncture were tremendous narrative achievements or box-office triumphs. Even before 2020–2023, a few projects had issues with storytelling and profitability. The weariness with the genre wasn’t as apparent, though. MCU, especially, became a brand people resonated with and extensively celebrated.
Its purported weak spots only became visible with some ventures in Phase 4, especially in 2022. That, once again, doesn’t imply that the previous year was a grand failing for the franchise. However, it may have signaled the beginning of the end.
Read more: Critics Blame Aquaman 2 Reshoots For Ruining Jason Momoa’s Potential Final DCEU Movie!
With DCEU’s final five movies, released between late 2022 and late 2023, things have started to look more and more dire. Black Adam failed to break even, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Blue Beetle have all been deemed box-office bombs. Among these, only Blue Beetle was favorably received by critics.
And now, Aquaman 2, starring Jason Momoa, is expected to open to a lower weekend gross (at $40 million) than Marvel Studios’ recent failure, The Marvels (via Deadline). Brie Larson’s The Marvels will conclude its theatrical run as the lowest-grossing MCU endeavor to date, suffering the stature of the poorest debut for a Marvel Studios production.
The list of 2023 superhero box office/narrative failures has grown to an unprecedented degree.
Jason Momoa’s Aquaman 2 Has Further Validated The General Consensus
What hasn’t helped in swaying the general audience’s perception is the critical assessment of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the approval rating for the Jason Momoa starrer currently sits at a disappointing 36% (from 118 reviews). Although interestingly enough, fans’ evaluation of the endeavor on the site presents a kinder disposition.
However, would word-of-mouth be enough to excite the general public? Would Jason Momoa’s endeavor be able to touch the commercial heights of its predecessor even with an opening weekend tracking lower than The Marvels? Users on Twitter find it unlikely. With these back-to-back failures in the superhero genre solidifying the majority opinion, netizens have concluded that the end of the superhero movie frenzy might be near if it isn’t already.
Take a look at some of the audience’s reactions:
Increasingly difficult for the comic book sub-genre as a whole, it is not a saturation, but a warning for the level of films
— Cinematografia. (@Cinematografiaz) December 21, 2023
2 of the last 3 MCU films haven’t made a profit. The last 5 DCEU films have failed as well. No DCEU film since the first Aquaman has made over 400 million. Yet people call the MCU dead? The MCU, just like the entire industry, is struggling. Anyway, I’m excited for Superman Legacy https://t.co/ULOgDsTAgF
— (Greatphase) (@GGeneralHolt8) December 21, 2023
I feel like superhero movies are dying but hope I’m wrong
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) December 14, 2023
Superhero movies are dying and I’m honestly kinda here for it https://t.co/KFnu4CyDMI
— Sloth (@slothsaretight3) December 19, 2023
Hopefully Deadpool 3 is the jumpstart the industry needs…
— Mike Wayne (@MikeWayne) December 14, 2023
DC is a dead brand to GA. Marvel is a damaged brand to GA.
They both have it difficult.
— Ángel González (@a_gonzas) December 14, 2023
Read more: Jason Momoa’s Aquaman 2 Box Office Figures Are So Abysmal Even The Flash Looks Like A Blockbuster!
It’s easy to claim that the end of superhero movies is near. But one must remember that both franchises are linked to cherished IPs. Let’s also take MCU and DCEU out of the equation and consider CBM entries like The Batman and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. They have performed well, and they’re recent releases, too.
The bottom line is quality and saturation. Audiences are likely to favor well-written premises. They’re also seen to respond well if the market isn’t over-saturated. The MCU and James Gunn’s upcoming DCU must prioritize taking time with their projects and understanding what resonates with the public.
A less-is-more approach is most likely to save the superhero genre. Characters and superhero ensembles like Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Batman, Superman, etc., have the power to pull.
But if there’s no quality—visually, storytelling-wise, and consistency-wise—there’s only so much they can do.
