Summary
Superhero fatigue is a topic that many people have debated in recent years, but the release ofSupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsthis summer has dispelled those ideas. The two movies might have been competing against each other with DC and Marvel Studios, but they’ve both helped prove that the superhero genre still has something to offer.
While everyone may have their personal favorite betweenSupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, both have performed well critically and commercially. It has been a positive summer for superhero movies, and that’s something that may turn the tide on people’s general opinion of movies in this genre.
Superman And The Fantastic Four: First Steps Have Enjoyed Box Office Success
These Superhero Movies Have Proven They Can Draw A Crowd
The superhero genre has seen a surge in movie releases since the boom of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether it’s movies within the MCU itself or projects outside of that, there has been a lot for people to take in, to the point that even the biggest comic book fans have felt a little fatigue with it. Given thatSupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswere released in the same summer, there was a significant risk that fatigue would show itself in the form of poor box office results for both. However, that hasn’t been the case, with fans heading out in their droves to support the films, even with other majorsummer blockbusters likeJurassic World: RebirthandF1thriving.
Supermanhas grossed $502 million at the worldwide box office so far, which is an impressive figure considering this movie is a total refresh for the DCU under the leadership of James Gunn. Meanwhile,The Fantastic Four: First Stepsmanaged to gross $218 million in its opening weekend alone, with $100 million of that being from international audiences.The latest MCU offering managed to beat the overseas debut ofSupermanby 11%, as Marvel Studios attempts to topple the Man of Steel in the battle of the superheroes this summer. However, while that competition will be closely scrutinized by executives and those involved in the movies, for the broader genre, it is simply a monumental success.
Marvel Studios Having Legitimate Competition Will Raise The Quality
The Focus Has To Be On Making Compelling Movies
One of the reasons whySupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepshave worked and been successful is that both movies are very good.Supermanboasts an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, whileThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsslightly edges it at 87%, proving that they have been warmly received. A reason for this is the specific tones they both possess, with each movie managing to showcase real cohesion and a tight script, along with exciting action. They cater to the hardcore comic book fans who seek unique details and homages to their favorite storylines, while also being accessible to the general public who simply want to see a summer blockbuster.The Fantastic Four: First Stepsbenefits from being easy to watch regardless of how much you know about the MCU, whileSuperman, being at the start of the new DCU, makes it a perfect jumping-off point for fans to get involved. There’s no need for people to do detailed homework ahead of time, and that has benefited each movie.
However, they have also proven that quality is key when it comes to superhero movies if they want to be successful.Captain America: Brave New Worldgrossed $413 million and was panned by critics, whilemany of Sony’s Spider-Verse movies proved to be disastrous at the box office as well. Those movies suggest that it might not be a case of superhero fatigue, but rather that fans are no longer willing to watch every single superhero movie. Instead, audiences will be more selective, and that means every studio creating a movie within this world will need to focus on creating genuine quality over quantity, which is something Marvel Studios has claimed it will be doing moving forward.
DC And Marvel Studios Are Gearing Up For Big Releases
The Superhero Genre Might Be Set For Another Boom
The success of this summer forSupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsmight be a positive sign of what’s to come moving forward, as both DC and Marvel Studios have big plans right now. DC is at the start of its new franchise, and there are numerous exciting projects, such as Clayface, currently under development. Given that Gunn has promised the tone of each movie will be different it opens up the opportunity for all of them to feel unique, which will help with any potential fatigue. On top of that,Marvel Studios is gearing up for twoAvengersmoviesandSpider-Man: Brand New Day, which are all set to be massive projects that should dominate at the box office. It’s an exciting prospect for both Marvel and DC, and it could help to kickstart a new boom for the superhero genre, withSupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsplaying a key part in making that happen.
