Summary
- Venom's box office success sures over 20 MCU movies, proving its surprising global popularity.
- Morbius outgrossed five Marvel movies, showcasing its box office performance, while Batman & Robin earned more than all six.
- MCU movies like Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange 2, and The Avengers earned more than many assume.
The emergence of franchises like the Marvel's highest-grossing movies. This caused DC to quickly follow suit, constructing a shared universe based on beloved characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
Even before these franchises, however, superhero movies were somewhat commonplace in Hollywood. From Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and the Fox X-Men movies to the earlier Batman and Superman efforts, superhero movies have long proved to be successful at the box office. This will undoubtedly continue with MCU movies and the slate of DC movies and shows from James Gunn. When looking back on the past, though, some superhero movies earned more attention at the worldwide box office than many perceive.
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10 Venom's Box Office Is Higher Than Most Of The MCU
Venom Performed Better Than A Lot Of Its MCU Competition
One such movie is 2018’s Venom. Venom was directed by Ruben Fleischer as the first movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe that has since spawned a sequel, two spin-offs, and several Spider-Man movies. Although Venom is a popular antagonist from Marvel Comics, many were not sure how well the character would fare in a solo movie, much less how much of a box office pull the project would be. As it turned out, Venom was a success thanks to the casting of star Tom Hardy and the film’s Spider-Man connections.
All box office figures are provided by the dedicated website: The Numbers.
Regardless of the film’s evidently successful run, the true extent of its box office power often goes unnoticed. At the end of its worldwide theatrical run, Venom had grossed around $850 million. This easily sures every subsequent installment in the Sony Spider-Man Universe and even totals higher than a large majority of MCU movies. Of the 33 theatrically released MCU titles thus far, Venom has only failed to gross more than 13 projects. This puts into context just how successful Venom was with the film besting 20 movies from the biggest superhero movie franchise ever made.
Venom is an action sci-fi movie that stars Tom Hardy as the titular Marvel anti-hero. When the Life Foundation begins experimenting on alien lifeforms they find on a comet that landed nearby, Investigative Journalist Eddie Brock begins to investigate them. When an infiltration goes wrong, Eddie finds that one of the aliens has bonded to him, forcing him to learn to live with his new uninvited host. Giving him superhuman powers, the two begin to work together to stop the rest of the symbiote's invasive species.
9 Morbius' Box Office Beat 5 Other Marvel Movies
Morbius' Box Office Flop Is Still Higher Than Several Marvel Movies
Sticking with the Sony Spider-Man Universe, Morbius is at the opposite end of the spectrum to Venom regarding box office success. Based on the minor Marvel Comics antagonist of the same name, Morbius was the second movie in Sony’s franchise and received overwhelmingly negative reviews. If the critical reception was not bad enough, Morbius slumped to a lowly $160+ million worldwide box office haul against an $80 million budget, proving to be a failure for the studio.
However, some interesting stats may prove that Morbius earned more than its laughably poor online perception has many believe. One such fact is that Morbius outgrossed five Marvel movies. While this is a reflection on some of Marvel’s poorer box office outings too, it also reinforces the idea that Morbius earned more than first thought. The five movies Morbius earned more than are Punisher: War Zone, The New Mutants, The Punisher, Elektra, and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
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Morbius
- Release Date
- April 1, 2022
- Runtime
- 108 minutes
- Director
- Daniel Espinosa
Cast
Al Madrigal
WHERE TO WATCH
Morbius stars Jared Leto as the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius set in the Sony Pictures Marvel universe. Afflicted with a terrible illness since his youth, Michael has struggled until he met his new surrogate brother, Lucian, nicknamed Milo (Matt Smith), who shares the same disease. The two bond over the illness, and years later, Michael discovers a potential breakthrough by using a unique gene in vampire bats. When the experiment proves to be a success, it cures Michael of his ailment - however, it also turns him into a bloodthirsty vampire. While Michael aims to curtail his bloodlust, his brother, who has also taken the cure, does not share the same empathy. As a result, Michael will have to manage his powers while trying to stop his brother's murderous rampage.
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8 Batman & Robin's Box Office Beats More Superhero Movies Than You Might Think
Batman & Robin Is DC's Worst Movie But Was Almost A Box Office Success
Another surprise package in the realm of superhero movie box office is Batman & Robin. Even more so than critically panned movies like Morbius, Batman & Robin was denounced upon its release as one of the worst superhero movies ever made and still remains so to this day. Despite this reputation, Batman & Robin managed to gross a somewhat respectable total at the worldwide box office.
Batman & Robin's budget of $125-$160 million rendered the film's total gross to be deemed a failure.
By the end of its theatrical run, Batman & Robin earned a worldwide box office total of $238 million. This total is higher than the aforementioned five Marvel movies, as well as Morbius. Other major superhero movies that Batman & Robin sured regarding box office include Blue Beetle, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, Green Lantern, 2015’s Fantastic Four, Superman II, 2021’s The Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman 1984 to name only a handful. This proves how successful Batman & Robin secretly was, marred only by its high budget and overwhelmingly poor quality.
Batman & Robin
- Runtime
- 125minutes
- Director
- Joel Schumacher
- Writers
- Peter Tomasi
- Franchise(s)
- Batman
Cast
Chris O'Donnell
Serving as the fourth and final installment in Warner Bros.'s original Batman movie series, Batman & Robin sees the caped crusader and his faithful sidekick come up against Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Bane. The movie also marks the on-screen debut of Batgirl, who is played by American actress Alicia Silverstone.
7 Captain Marvel Overcame Fan Controversy To Gross $1 Billion
The Divisive Captain Marvel Earned More Money Than Its Reception Suggests
Where audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes are concerned, Captain Marvel ranks as the lowest. The film was highly controversial, primarily driven by star Brie Larson’s desire for the film industry to better accommodate women and people of color. Aside from these broader elements, Captain Marvel’s somewhat formulaic story caused divisiveness, with the aforementioned audience score and online discourse since the film’s release labeling the film a misstep for Marvel Studios.
The Marvels, Captain Marvel's sequel, failed to recapture the first film's success and grossed only $199 million.
That said, the story of Captain Marvel’s box office is exactly the opposite of what many would have people believe. Captain Marvel overcame this controversial reception and became a certified box office hit. The film grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide and stands as the 10th highest-grossing MCU film ever released. Although the online chatter around the project may radiate how much of a failure the project was, Captain Marvel’s box office went higher, further, and faster than anyone thought possible.
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Captain Marvel
- Release Date
- March 8, 2019
- Runtime
- 124 minutes
- Director
- Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Cast
Carol Danvers / Vers / Captain Marvel
Nick Fury
WHERE TO WATCH
Captain Marvel is set in the 1990s and introduces Carol Danvers, portrayed as one of the universe's most powerful heroes. As Earth becomes entangled in a galactic conflict between two alien races, the film explores an unseen chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
6 Doctor Strange 2 Almost Grossed $1 Billion
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Nearly ed The Billion-Dollar Club
Similar to Captain Marvel, though ittedly not on the same level, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a divisive film. Many found it to be an enjoyable successor to the first film, while others found the somewhat restrained multiverse plot disappointing. Since the film's release in 2022, Doctor Strange 2 is often regarded as one of the weaker Phase 4 films in the MCU, at least as far as popular online discourse is concerned.
The overall feeling of disappointment that is attributed to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would suggest it did not resonate with general audiences. However, the film's worldwide box office total proved this was not the case. Doctor Strange 2 grossed a total of around $950 million, higher than all but two of the 10 theatrical MCU films since 2019's Avengers: Endgame. Only Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home grossed more worldwide than Doctor Strange 2, proving the latter to have earned more than many would suggest.
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Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
- Release Date
- May 6, 2022
- Runtime
- 126 minutes
- Director
- Sam Raimi
Cast
Doctor Stephen Strange
Xochitl GomezAmerica Chavez
WHERE TO WATCH
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness follows Doctor Strange as he navigates diverse and perilous alternate realities in the Multiverse with the aid of mystical allies. Directed by Sam Raimi, this installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduces a mysterious new adversary.
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5 The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s Box Office Makes The MCU Reboot Seem Strange
Andrew Garfield's Last Spider-Man Adventure Performed At The Box Office
Without the failure of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Tom Holland would never have been cast as Spider-Man in the MCU. Due to the film's critical and commercial failure, Andrew Garfield's reign as Spider-Man came to an end, and Tom Holland's appearance in Captain America: Civil War - and his five other subsequent MCU roles - was formulated. Given this drastic change in the world of Spider-Man, it could be forgiven for thinking The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was a complete box office bomb.
Canceled Amazing Spider-Man Movies |
|---|
The Amazing Spider-Man 3 |
The Amazing Spider-Man 4 |
Sinister Six |
In reality, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has a respectable run at the worldwide box office. The film earned a total of $700 million during its theatrical run. The reported budget for the film sits between $200-$293 million, meaning that even in a worst-case scenario, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 recouped over double its budget. This makes the MCU reboot seem strange, as it was likely only the middling critical reception that hindered The Amazing Spider-Man 2 from earning even more money and leading into The Amazing Spider-Man 3.
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The Amazing Spider-Man 2
- Release Date
- May 2, 2014
- Runtime
- 142 minutes
- Director
- Marc Webb
Cast
Felicity Jones
WHERE TO WATCH
In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Andrew Garfield returns to the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, dealing with balancing his life as a high school student and his responsibilities as a hero. After reconnecting with his old friend, Harry Osborn, Peter learns details regarding his late father's mysterious past and begins to connect the dots that his father's disappearance, the emergence of new supervillains, and other dark dealings in his city are all connected to Oscorp.
4 Thor: The Dark World Grossed More Than Some Of The Best Marvel Movies
One Of The MCU's Worst Films Outgrossed Some Of The Franchise's Best
Given that the MCU consists of 33 theatrical films, a handful hold the unwanted truth of being the worst-ranked in the franchise. One of these movies is Thor: The Dark World, a movie with such an uninspired reaction that a complete tonal reboot of the Thor movies was crafted in Thor: Ragnarok. This reaction to Thor: The Dark World, as well as its franchise-worst villain and uncompelling central relationship - led to the film being among the lowest-ranked in the MCU.
Thor: The Dark World has earned more money than some of Marvel's best efforts...
This poor critical and fan reaction should surely equate to lower box office, but it remains the case that Thor: The Dark World has earned more money than some of Marvel's best efforts. Films widely considered among the best superhero movies of all time such as Iron Man ($585 million) and Logan ($614 million) did not sur the box office total of Thor: The Dark World. As evident, the box office total of any given film is not always reflective of the project's quality.
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Thor: The Dark World
- Release Date
- November 8, 2013
- Runtime
- 112 minutes
- Director
- Alan Taylor
Cast
Thor
Jane Foster
WHERE TO WATCH
Thor: The Dark World, the second installment in Marvel's Thor series, follows the titular hero as he faces Malekith and the vengeful Dark Elves. With the universe threatened, Thor s forces with allies, including Jane Foster, to thwart the cosmic peril and restore balance to the realms.
3 The Avengers Is The Fourth-Highest Grossing MCU Movie Ever
Only Three MCU Movies Have Better Box Office Than The Avengers
An interesting case study regarding the superhero movie box office is 2012's The Avengers. The first team-up of Earth's Mightiest Heroes highlighted the true potential of the MCU to audiences across the globe, aiding the franchise in becoming the box office behemoth it was between 2014 and 2019. The film was widely regarded as one of the best superhero movies ever made, and it is common knowledge that the film performed well at the box office. However, The Avengers is one movie that earned more than many might think.
The Avengers sub-franchise is the most profitable in the entire MCU.
While its success is well-known, the golden age of the MCU came after The Avengers, primarily in Phases 2 and 3 of the franchise. Despite the overwhelming run of box office success that saw eight Marvel movies gross $1 billion or more over the seven years after The Avengers, the latter film remains the fourth highest-grossing project in the entire franchise. Although the average box office haul of MCU movies increased after The Avengers, only Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: No Way Home managed to sur its total box office earnings.
2 Iron Man 3 Is The Highest Grossing MCU Solo Movie (Besides Black Panther)
Iron Man 3 Overcame Its Divisive Reception To Earn More Money Than First Thought
As is common with the MCU, Iron Man 3 was a film that divided fan opinion. While many liked the change in direction for the film that saw director Shane Black fully implement his style into the franchise, some felt the film strayed too heavily from the source material and judged the film to be a lesser MCU effort as a result. While the film's divisive nature remains to this day, even above Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3 holds an interesting record for the MCU's box office that proves it earned more money than its reaction may have suggested.
Iron Man 3's worldwide box office total stands at $1.2 billion. This total means Iron Man 3 holds the record of being the highest-grossing solo movie in the entire MCU, discounting Black Panther. The latter film was an unprecedented global and cultural phenomenon, a box office power Iron Man 3 did not possess. Only Spider-Man: No Way Home and the four Avengers movies rank above Iron Man 3 in of MCU box office, all of which are ensemble films.
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Iron Man 3
- Release Date
- May 3, 2013
- Runtime
- 130 Mins
- Director
- Shane Black
Cast
Tony Stark
Pepper Potts
WHERE TO WATCH
Iron Man 3 pits genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark (Iron Man) against the Mandarin, an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his world destroyed by his mysterious antagonist, he embarks on a dangerous quest to find those responsible. His journey will test his character at every turn. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him and determine whether or not the suit makes the man or if Tony himself is the hero.
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1 1989’s Batman Outgrossed 8 DCEU Movies
Batman Is A Better Box Office Pull Than Half The DCEU
In the modern world of superhero movies, it tends to be a common misconception that recent productions equate to stronger box office. The onset of franchises like Spider-Man, the MCU, and the DCEU led many to believe that superhero movies from before these tentpole franchises performed poorly. That said, one movie that proves this wrong is 1989's Batman, which stands tall as a superhero movie that earned more money than many first assumed.
Despite being released 35 years ago, 1989's Batman outgrossed eight movies from the more modern DCEU. Given that the DCEU only consists of 15 movies, when discounting Zack Snyder's Justice League, Tim Burton's original Batman has outperformed half of the recent franchise. This proves how successful some of the older movies from before the days of the MCU and DCU could be, as well as reinforcing Batman's box office total as one that comes as a surprise concerning superhero movies.
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Batman
- Release Date
- June 23, 1989
- Runtime
- 126 Minutes
- Director
- Tim Burton
WHERE TO WATCH
Batman is a 1989 superhero movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. The film features Jack Nicholson's chilling portrayal as Jack Napier, who turns into the Joker and reigns terror on Gotham. Kim Basinger also stars in the film as Vicki Vale, along with Michael Gough as Bruce's trusty butler named Alfred.
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