2023 was a weird time for films in Hollywood. The DCEU ended. Marvel failed. Newcomers set the box office ablaze with their take on the issues that are faced today. Then, the entire industry came to a standstill thanks to protests, where writers and actors united for their rights against studios and AI. In all this one question was routinely peppered into discussions about the industry: What about superhero films?
When Forbes released its list of the highest-earning actors and actresses of 2023, Ben Affleck’s name stood out from the list for one reason: he was the only actor on the list to have starred in a superhero film in 2023.
At one point in time, these lists would routinely feature actors who would have played parts in superhero films produced by Marvel and DC, now feature just one actor who arguably just had an extended cameo in one of the worst-performing superhero films of all time. What this ends up asking, combined with the upset that Marvel Studios faced in 2023, is this: Is the superhero genre on its way out?
There is more superhero content than ever on the horizon
While Marvel and DC both struggled on the big screen in 2023, their missteps have been attributed to, among other things, the sheer amount of superhero content that has found its way to the audience. Be it The Boys, TMNT, Marvel, DC, or Invincible, it seems that the blame is being squarely laid upon the quantity of content rather than its quality.
However, it must be noted that while both Marvel and DC failed at the box office big time in 2023, the small screen was dominated by some of the best superhero content that we have seen in the industry. Be it the first half of Invincible‘s Second Season, The Boys spin-off, Gen V, or even Marvel’s very own Loki Season 2, the quality of superhero television in 2023 had critics vehemently arguing that superhero fatigue is not a thing.
However, despite this, Secret Invasion, starring Samuel L Jackson and adapting one of the most beloved comic boom crossover storylines at Marvel, failed to please audiences, such that it turned a significant amount of people off the brand.
So, while it is clear that the superhero genre still has a lot to offer, and the audiences are here for the ride, especially with the return of X-Men: The Animated Series, Invincible, and a Batman sequel on the horizon, the question is no longer whether there is superhero fatigue. It has now changed to ‘Are Marvel and DC done at the box office?’ Does Ben Affleck‘s ranking and filmography for 2023 signal the beginning of the end?
For Marvel and DC, it is a dip, not a depression
While it might make great headlines when people say that Marvel and DC are done for, the reality could not be further from the truth. While the DCEU suffered significantly until its demise in 2023, and the MCU struggled at the box office too, the coming months might return to form for Marvel and DC.
Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel’s only upcoming release for theatres in 2024, is already a signifier of Marvel’s recovery, with the teaser for the film raking in more views than Avengers: Endgame, making it the most viewed trailer for any film of all time. Further, James Gunn is preparing to release Superman in 2025, which will make landfall in theatres with Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four.
Marvel and DC might have had a rough year, but there are more than a few competent hands on deck that will steer the ship in a safe direction. While the MCU and DC have created an air of distrust with fans, all it will take is one film, done right, to win them back, as the damage is not as severe as it seems to be.
Marvel and DC are not done at the box office it could be argued that they are just getting started after testing the waters. the X-Men are back with Marvel, along with the Fantastic Four. DC is rebooting its universe with some of its greatest characters. If anything, it is to be assumed that the golden age of superhero cinema is yet to come, and all we must do is wait and watch.
