The DCEU journey has been a rollercoaster ride, swinging between spectacular victories and bitter defeats. The recent years forced the mega film franchise to rethink its approach resulting in the birth of DCU. While Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, and Aquaman raked in substantial cash during DCEU’s tenure, their follow-ups left audiences underwhelmed and struggling to make a mark at the box office. Thus, here are the five lowest-grossing superhero films within Zack Snyder’s DCEU based on the information available on The Numbers.
1. Blue Beetle – $128,772,124
Ranking number one on the lowest-grossing list is Blue Beetle. Being one of the most recent releases from the DCEU, the movie was plagued by the DCEU curse. Hitting theaters worldwide on August 18, 2023, it earned praise from both critics and viewers alike. However, despite the favorable reception, the movie struggled to thrive financially, amassing a global sum of $128,772,124 against its $104 million production budget. Ranking itself as one of the lowest-performing movies ever in the DC Extended Universe. Now that James Gunn is stepping in, fans are hopeful as well as curious as to what’s in store for the character.
2. Shazam! Fury of the Gods – $132,205,098
Another victim of the curse, after Blue Beetle was Shazam: Fury of The Gods, which was also released in 2023. The sequel’s bleak start with a mere $30 million debut further soured as it struggled as days went by resulting in the global intake of $132 million. Despite a production budget set at $125 million, coupled with an estimated $100 million spent on marketing, it is speculated that the film ultimately led to a substantial financial setback for both WB studios and DC. Now the involvement of Shazam within the framework of the brand-new universe still remains a subject of ongoing debate.
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3. Wonder Woman 1984 – $166,360,232
Coming in third place on the list, the highly anticipated sequel miserably failed to replicate the success of its predecessor. Despite optimistic expectations, the film dramatically underperformed, grossing only $166,360,232 worldwide, marking it as the third lowest-grossing movie in the franchise’s history. Beyond the enduring curse that has plagued Zack Snyder‘s DCEU for years, the pandemic also played a significant role in hindering the movie’s success.
4. The Suicide Squad – $167,097,737
Another disappointing sequel that couldn’t match the success of its highly acclaimed predecessor was the 2021 film, The Suicide Squad. Despite its significant improvement in quality compared to the previous installment, the box office figures failed to mirror this. Mostly because there was widespread speculation among audiences, largely driven by concerns that this film might follow a similar structure to its predecessor. The Suicide Squad debuted with $26 million, ultimately accumulating a total of $167 million worldwide.
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5. Birds of Prey – $201,005,552
Amidst immense anticipation and a wave of positive reviews, Birds of Prey’s box office opening fell short of initial projections making it the fifth lowest grossing film in the DCEU ever. Several factors contributed to this, including its R-rated classification to its shoddy marketing. Despite the film’s profitability, securing a global total of $201 million against a modest $82 million budget, its financial performance pales in comparison to the staggering figures associated with big-budget superhero blockbusters.
