Maybe people are right when they say superheroes don’t face life-or-death stakes. In the last few years, American superhero movies have struggled. In 2024, only two superhero films cracked the top box office charts, and three did in 2023. In 2022, the number matched both previous years combined. In 2021, the top four were all superhero titles.) The problem isn’t that there are no hits. Deadpool and Wolverine had enough success to ensure more crossovers. Yet, the genre now faces many flops. Follow-ups like Joker and Aquaman dropped sharply compared to their originals. New efforts like The Flash, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter fell flat. Even The Marvels let fans down.
That same unpredictability makes superhero films like platforms such as 22 Bit. In both, past success doesn’t promise future wins. Each new release is a gamble for creators and fans alike.
In 2025, this trend continued. Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts struggled too. Not even the usually generous reviews for MCU entries could save them. “Thunderbolts” received better praise and had a great summer release date. That said, the numbers were still a bit higher than the Captain America sequel’s flop. In July, things changed. DC launched a new cinematic universe with a fresh Superman film. This is like 2013’s Man of Steel. This time, both audiences and critics are actually on board. Their iconic hero has already soared past $500 million worldwide in under 20 days. Another reboot of the jinxed Fantastic Four didn’t appear likely to happen. Marvel’s *Fantastic Four: First Steps* is racking up box office numbers like Superman’s. It looks ready to outpace Marvel’s other recent films in a few weeks.
So what did the two biggest superhero giants get right this summer? Saying “they made good movies” feels too easy—and too subjective. After all, Thunderbolts earned praise as well but still stumbled. The latest versions of Superman and The Fantastic Four share a significant link. Both are grounded in the Silver Age of comics. This era ran from 1956 to 1970. It introduced more superheroes, crazy villains, and lots of sci-fi. Some monsters and stories mixed genres. Many of Marvel’s favorite characters appeared during this time. It all began with the Fantastic Four in 1961. In Silver Age comics, Superman often meets other heroes or battles giant monsters.
Most people don’t know the Silver Age or that Julia Garner plays the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four. But they can still appreciate its style. These movies skip long origin stories, instead giving quick nods to a hero’s background and moving on. Superman and the Fantastic Four don’t go over everything. They trust viewers to follow along, even with robots, flying cars, or superdogs on screen. That approach is like early comics. Readers could dive into any issue without needing to catch up on many others.
“Kid” is another key element here. Superman and the Fantastic Four stand out because they have a fun, bright tone. This appeals to younger audiences. They mostly are, though there’s some baby danger and one harsh scene. Kid-friendly appeal doesn’t always mean success. The Marvels was a solid kids’ movie, yet it flopped. Both new hits recall Pauline Kael’s famous remark about the magic of movies. She said great art is rare, so we should appreciate great trash. Superhero films often lack depth, so they should at least be fun for kids. Now try imagining a child sitting through Captain America: Brave New World. Doesn’t quite fit, does it?
Both Superman and the Fantastic Four are self-contained stories. They don’t rely on a larger franchise. That’s part of their appeal. An 11-year-old in 2025 might not bother with a full lore syllabus before hitting the movies. Thunderbolts is a decent film. It’s partly a sequel to Black Widow. The movie even pulls in characters from two different TV series plus an Ant-Man sequel. You don’t need to have watched them all to follow along—but does the story land without that background? Fantastic Four does! At least there’s a mid-credits teaser scene. Yet, it lacks context for those unfamiliar with comic books or industry news.
In those moments, the Fantastic Four movie hints at how easily DC and Marvel could miss these lessons. Marvel isn’t offering a new lineup of stand-alone adventures right now. On the flip side, the MCU’s next release will be Tom Holland’s fourth Spider-Man adventure, arriving in about a year. Don’t worry about it hitting. Some heroes, like Spider-Man and Batman, seem untouchable when it comes to the genre’s ups and downs. Sony, the co-parent of Spidey, keeps cranking out movies at a quick pace. Disney’s Marvel isn’t banking on fresh faces, sequels, and crossover events—they’re aiming for more than that. They want another Avengers: Endgame.
Superhero fatigue over the past few years is partly the result of Marvel’s own success. The MCU built up to Endgame in 2019. Since then, it has struggled to show fans that something as big is on the way. Movies like Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Thor, and Shang-Chi did well. Yet, only Spider-Man has a confirmed sequel. Marvel doesn’t stick to steady follow-ups. Instead, it spreads stories in various directions. Later, it brings them back together for big crossovers. On the horizon are Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, coming in 2026 and 2027. Tickets will likely be sold, especially with Robert Downey Jr. back as Doctor Doom. Yet, trying for another “Endgame moment” might keep Marvel stuck in the same cycle.
Meanwhile, DC is trying something different. Peacemaker is returning for a second season, even if it comes from a different DC timeline. DC, meanwhile, has Supergirl on deck for June 2026, adapted from the Woman of Tomorrow comic series. The story stands on its own, more like True Grit than a typical DC film. That’s a good sign. Fans don’t always want exact adaptations. Instead, using the broader history of comics can add fresh energy to superhero movies. Origin stories may feel played out, but going back to the source material might be what the genre needs.
