Three Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have been released in 2025, including Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While the star-studded movies performed relatively well at the box office, compared to their predecessors like Avengers: Endgame (2019), they were essentially flops.
In a new report from Variety, the outlet spoke with nearly two dozen industry experts, from filmmakers to executives, who predict a not-so-bright future for the MCU. This year started with February’s Anthony Mackie-led Brave New World, which earned $415.1 million worldwide against its $180 million budget, barely breaking even. Typically, movies need to make two to three times their production budget to break even.
Thunderbolts* followed in May with a less-than-stellar $382.4 million worldwide box office take, per Box Office Mojo. The movie, which starred Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan, like Brave New World, also had a $180 million budget. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, released in July, has performed the best, taking in $517.2 million worldwide against a reported budget of $200 million.
Thunderbolts* was, however, acclaimed by both critics and audiences alike. It has a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a “Certified Fresh” rating of 88% from critics. Likewise, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is also “Certified Fresh” with an 87% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 91% audience rating. Brave New World’s score on the review aggregator was divisive, though. Audiences have rated the film a 76% while critics gave it a “Rotten” 46%.
The MCU Isn’t as Big of a Draw for Actors as it Once Was
Sam Wilson/Captain America ready to fight the Red Hulk.
Image via Marvel Studios
Even with the concerns over the future of the MCU, one industry agent said that being in a Marvel movie is “still a crazy, life-changing opportunity.” However, they also stressed, “But I don’t have as many clients asking to do one as they were five years ago.”
Industry leaders believe that the decline in interest from actors wanting to join the MCU may have something to do with the fact that Marvel has decreased its output recently. However, movies like the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are still seen as “bulletproof.” That could be because of the success of Avengers: Endgame, which grossed $2.7 billion worldwide.
However, it’s the standalone Marvel movies that seem to be on the decline. The industry agent added, “The standalone movies are in trouble, because you feel like you can miss it now.” Additionally, the earnings potential in the MCU has also fallen recently, so it’s basically a roll of the dice if a movie turns a profit. “Any movie could be huge, but nothing is close to a guarantee,” stated one director.
Films like The Fantastic Four: First Steps also saw a significant drop in box office numbers from its premiere week to its second week in theaters. In its opening weekend, First Steps earned a massive $218 million globally, but that number dropped by 80% in its second weekend, earning just $40 million worldwide in its sophomore weekend outing.
Another aspect that could be to blame for declining box office performance for MCU movies is the availability of the films on streaming so quickly following a movie’s release. Thunderbolts* was added to Disney+ in August, following its May release, and quickly climbed the streaming charts. The movie is now, per FlixPatrol, the No. 2 most-streamed film on Disney+ worldwide.
Fans of the MCU have a lot to look forward to in the coming months, like 2026’s Phase Six film, Avengers: Doomsday, followed by 2027’s Avengers Secret Wars. Additionally, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will arrive on Disney+ later this year.
Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* are streaming on Disney+.
Release Date
May 2, 2025
Runtime
127 minutes
Director
Jake Schreier
Florence Pugh
Yelena Belova
Sebastian Stan
Bucky Barnes