What explains the continued failure of recent superhero movies?

At the center of 2023's “The Marvels” is Carol Danvers, known as Captain Marvel, who, in the 2019 film “Captain Marvel,” destroyed the all-powerful artificial intelligence that led the Kree empire. Joining Carol Danvers is Monica Rambeau, known as Photon, known as Pulsar, known as Spectrum, who was introduced in “Captain Marvel” and later appeared in the Disney+ series “WandaVision.” And they are joined by teenager Kamala Khan, known as the main character of the Disney+ series “Ms. “Marvel.”

That's a lot to take in, which is why the first few minutes of “The Marvels” are a series of flashbacks designed to bring audiences up to speed. YoEven for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the amount of background knowledge required to watch any MCU movie or show today is equivalent to a college course.

And it seems that the public is getting tired of doing tasks. A year of lower box office is further proof that the casual superhero moviegoer is becoming increasingly rare.

Of the 2023 films, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” made the most money, but it was taciturn, unlikable and offered no closure; This sequel was meant to serve as a changing of the guard, introducing a new lineup of Guardians. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” got bogged down in its psychedelic pseudoscience with a hodgepodge of poorly executed visual effects. On the DC Comics side, the most impressive feat “The Flash” accomplished was casting a problematic lead actor to play not one but two versions of the same character in a tedious time-travel plot that had already been accomplished more successfully. in the television series of the same name.

And although “The Marvels” was intended to be the big superhero blockbuster of the fall, it was unimaginative, unremarkable and purely aimed at an already tuned-in audience. It's the worst-performing MCU film so far, and a perfect representation of exhaustion on both the creative side and the audience.

As franchises continue to grow and threaten to interact more with each other, it becomes more difficult to understand what their goal is when it comes to their fans. Who wants to watch 30 movies and 10 TV series from a franchise that continues to overextend itself at the expense of quality filmmaking?

More independent films, more inventiveness, more deviations from big plots and macho setups would give these stories and their fans room to explore.but instead we are trapped in a cycle of ever-expanding multiverses, narratives, and timelines. Superhero movies changed the industry. No matter what you think of them as art, the rise of these comics stories from the margins to drivers of popular culture was swift and remarkable. But now these Clark Kents, Bruce Waynes, Rocket Raccoons and various Marvels risk orchestrating the end of this Age of Heroes.

But there is hope: Characters who die. Stories that don't cling to a crumbling concept, but perhaps begin anew in another corner of the universe.

Superhero movies used to be super. The heroes are still as strong as before. They just need matching movies.

By: Maya Phillips