While the 2010s of the 2010s were dominated by the superhero cinema, the window of the 2020s that the genre has faced its greatest challenges for decades. What was once considered a license to print money has since become a representation of the law of decreasing yields. Of course, the genre still has its share of megahits like “Spider-Man: No Way Way Home” and “Deadpool & Wolverine”, both crossing the billions of dollars, and DC had two success in good faith with “The Batman” and, more recently, “Superman”. But box office yields no longer reach the coherent heights that have seen films like “Aquaman” and “Captain Marvel” which both reached more than a billion dollars.
In 2015, while promoting his candidate who will be most soon nominated, “Bridge of Spies”, Steven Spielberg predicted the future of the genus of superheroes, in particular that he would inevitably decline prominence, comparing his popularity and his prominence in Hollywood to that of the Western genre, which faced its own popularity and fall. He shared his feelings with the AP (via THR):
“We were there when the West is dead and there will be a moment when the superhero film will take place in the western direction. It does not mean that there will not be another opportunity where the western returns and the superhero film returns one day.”
Where the superhero cinema was in 2015 against 2025
It is worth looking back 10 years, when the superhero cinema was still at its peak (well, at least, when Marvel Studios was at its peak). In 2015, phase 2 of the Marvel cinematographic universe ended with the punch one two of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Ant-Man”. The highly anticipated suite of the 2012 record blockbuster was not as well received as its predecessor, but still increased by $ 1.4 billion in the world, but was somewhat overshadowed to the box office by the other Hollywood – The Legacy – The Force Awakens “trends.
Despite this, the public was always delighted to see what phase 3 would bring, given that “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Ant-Man” led directly to “Captain America: Civil War”, which was published the following summer, and was universally acclaimed by criticism and fans, setting up the basics of what was going to become the most appreciated ERA of Marvel Studios. The same year, the extensive DC universe made its game to serve as a viable competitor to the MCU. But while “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad” reported a collective of $ 1.6 billion in the world, they were both critically insulted, setting up a rocky foundation for a shared universe which would end up restarting during the next decade.
Quick advance until 2025, where the superhero cinema seems to be at a turning point. The formerly revised Marvel studios seem to be on the ropes, with the three tents outings, “Captain America: Brave New World”, “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” Subperforming Box-Office. Although the last two films have been among the best efforts in the MCU in recent years, the inconsistent quality since phase 4, as well as the advent of Disney +, have had a negative impact on box office yields. Meanwhile, the inaugural film of DC Studios “Superman” has performed well, in particular taking into account that the reputation of the DC Comics brand was tarnished by the previous DCEU.
What Steven Spielberg’s prediction has done
Steven Spielberg’s prediction on superhero cinema that goes “The Way of the Western” is only somewhat precise. When we look at the number of superhero cinema tickets compared to a decade ago, it is clear that the public does not present themselves en masse in the same way as they did. Much of this can be attributed to the same amount of content produced, emphasizing the quantity of equipment that prevails over the overall quality of projects. This does not help that the rise in streaming services and prices for inflated cinema tickets formed the audience to watch movies at home.
Where Steven Spielberg’s prediction is absent today is the fact that we receive more superheroes content than ever before. 2025 gave us three MCU films and a DCU film, and 2026 will probably bring yields to the higher box office, in particular for Marvel Studios, since their two most popular titles receive from the consequences, with “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “Avengers: Doomsday” “almost guaranteed to a billion dollars of $ 1 billion. Streaming are full of superhero shows, whether or not they are in the two major shared universes.
In the end, the second half of the 2020s can be used for Marvel Studios and DC Studios to bring good will to the superhero cinema. Although some damage has been given to the MCU brand, “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” are two critical victories that will probably take more excitement from fans once they have hit Disney +. As for the DC studios, all their production has so far been well received, “Superman” being an undisputed victory for them after 17 years of MCU domination. In the end, the quality narration will reconquer the public, and perhaps the filmmakers of the two studios can draw inspiration from the timeless stories that appeal to the crowd seen in the seminal blockbusters of Steven Spielberg.
