In 2025, three films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe debuted: Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Despite being star-studded productions, these films underperformed relative to their predecessors, such as the 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, leading many to label their box office results as lackluster.
A recent report by Variety features insights from nearly twenty industry experts, from filmmakers to executives, who foresee a challenging trajectory for the MCU’s future. The year commenced with Captain America: Brave New World, which garnered an estimated $415.1 million globally against a substantial $180 million budget, merely scraping by to recover its costs. Conventionally, the expectation is that films need to earn two to three times their production outlay to achieve profitability.
Thunderbolts*, which premiered in May, fared even worse, with a worldwide box office of $382.4 million, also on a $180 million budget. In contrast, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, released in July, performed comparatively well with $517.2 million in box office receipts against a reported budget of $200 million.
Both Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps have received acclaim from audiences and critics alike, securing a 93% audience score and 88% “Certified Fresh” rating from critics for the former, while the latter holds an 87% critic score and 91% audience approval. In contrast, Brave New World has seen mixed reviews, culminating in a divisive score of 76% from audiences and a disappointing 46% rating from critics.
Despite the apprehensions regarding the MCU’s forthcoming projects, one industry agent describes participation in a Marvel film as “still a crazy, life-changing opportunity.” However, they caution that interest appears to have dwindled, noting, “I don’t have as many clients asking to do one as they were five years ago.”
Industry insiders speculate that the declining enthusiasm among actors to join Marvel projects may correlate with the company’s reduced output. Nonetheless, significant upcoming films like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are still deemed “bulletproof,” likely due to the massive success of Avengers: Endgame, which earned $2.7 billion globally.
Contrastingly, it appears that standalone Marvel films are facing more significant challenges. As one agent pointed out, “The standalone movies are in trouble, because you feel like you can miss it now.” Furthermore, the potential for profitability in the MCU has diminished, with many productions becoming unpredictable in terms of box office returns. “Any movie could be huge, but nothing is close to a guarantee,” remarked one director.
Moreover, The Fantastic Four: First Steps experienced a noticeable drop in revenues from its opening to its second weekend, falling from a blockbuster $218 million global debut to merely $40 million in its second week.
Another factor that may be influencing the MCU’s box office performance is the swift availability of films on streaming platforms. Thunderbolts* became accessible on Disney+ in August, shortly after its May release, and quickly surged to become the No. 2 most-streamed film internationally on the service, according to FlixPatrol.
For Marvel fans, there is still much to anticipate in the months ahead, including the highly awaited Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. Additionally, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be available for streaming on Disney+ later this year.
Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* are currently streaming on Disney+.
Based on reporting by CBR.com. Read the full story at CBR.com.