Top 20 Superhero Movies That Bombed At The Box Office

The superhero genre has dominated the global box office for the last two decades, yet not every comic book adaptation strikes gold. Studios invest hundreds of millions of dollars into production and marketing with the hope of launching lucrative franchises or cinematic universes. Several high profile projects have failed spectacularly due to poor critical reception or release timing. These financial disasters serve as cautionary tales for an industry that often relies on brand recognition over quality control. The following films represent some of the most significant commercial failures in the history of superhero cinema.

‘The Marvels’ (2023)

Captain Marvel teams up with Ms Marvel and Monica Rambeau to save the universe from a Kree revolutionary. The three heroes find their powers entangled and must learn to work together while swapping places physically during combat. This installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe faced significant audience indifference and ended its theatrical run with historically low numbers for the franchise. Critics pointed to superhero fatigue and disjointed storytelling as reasons for the poor financial performance.

‘The Flash’ (2023)

Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past in an attempt to save his family but inadvertently alters the future. He becomes trapped in a reality where General Zod has returned and there are no superheroes to turn to for help. Warner Bros invested heavily in this multiverse adventure that brought back Michael Keaton as Batman. Despite the high budget and marketing push the film failed to resonate with audiences and resulted in a massive financial loss for the studio.

‘Madame Web’ (2024)

Cassandra Webb develops the power to see the future and uses her clairvoyance to protect three young women from a deadly adversary. The film attempts to expand the Spider-Man universe with a suspenseful thriller approach focused on psychological abilities rather than physical combat. Viewers and critics alike criticized the screenplay and editing choices which led to a dismal opening weekend. Sony Pictures saw this release become one of the lowest grossing superhero films in modern history.

‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ (2023)

Billy Batson and his foster siblings return to fight the Daughters of Atlas who seek a weapon that could destroy the world. The family must juggle their teenage lives with their superhero responsibilities while facing ancient gods with immense power. This sequel failed to capture the charm and commercial success of the original film. A lack of clear connection to the wider DC universe and lukewarm reviews contributed to its box office failure.

‘Morbius’ (2022)

Dr Michael Morbius attempts to cure his rare blood disease but inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism. He struggles to control his new urges while being hunted by his surrogate brother who has also taken the serum. The movie became the subject of internet memes rather than a box office hit. Sony struggled to turn online engagement into ticket sales and the film left theaters with disappointing returns.

‘Dark Phoenix’ (2019)

Jean Grey is hit by a cosmic force that enhances her psychic powers but makes her unstable and dangerous to her friends. The X-Men must decide if the life of one team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. This second attempt to adapt the famous comic book storyline marked the end of the Fox X-Men era with a whimper. Reshoots and delays plagued the production leading to a significant loss for the studio.

‘Fantastic Four’ (2015)

Four young outsiders teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. They must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy. This reboot suffered from well publicized behind the scenes drama between the director and the studio. The resulting film was a critical and commercial disaster that stalled the franchise until its rights reverted to Marvel Studios.

‘Green Lantern’ (2011)

Hal Jordan is granted an alien ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers that essentially allow him to manifest anything he can imagine. He is inducted into an intergalactic police force and tasked with defeating the entity known as Parallax. Warner Bros intended this film to launch a cinematic universe but the heavy use of computer generated effects was widely mocked. The movie barely recouped its production budget and plans for a sequel were immediately cancelled.

‘Jonah Hex’ (2010)

A scarred bounty hunter with a warrant on his head is given an offer he cannot refuse by the US military. He must track down a terrorist who is ready to unleash hell on earth with a superweapon. Starring Josh Brolin and Megan Fox the film struggled to find a tone between western grit and supernatural action. It remains one of the biggest financial flops in the history of comic book adaptations.

‘R.I.P.D.’ (2013)

A recently slain cop joins a team of undead police officers working for the Rest in Peace Department. He tries to find the man who murdered him while protecting the living from monstrous spirits hiding in plain sight. Universal Pictures spent a large budget on this action comedy hoping to replicate the success of similar franchises. The film opened to empty theaters and stands as a major write down for the studio.

‘Hellboy’ (2019)

The legendary half demon superhero is called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants. He discovers the Blood Queen Nimue has risen from the grave to destroy mankind with her dark magic. This R rated reboot attempted to bring a darker and gorier vision to the screen compared to the previous adaptations. Audiences rejected the new direction and the film failed to even match its modest production budget.

‘The New Mutants’ (2020)

Five young mutants just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. The story blends superhero elements with horror tropes as the teenagers face terrifying manifestations of their fears. Disney inherited this film after acquiring Fox and released it during a difficult theatrical landscape. Repeated delays and a lack of promotion ensured it disappeared from cinemas quickly.

‘Catwoman’ (2004)

Patience Phillips is a shy woman who is murdered after discovering a conspiracy within a cosmetics company. She is resurrected by an Egyptian cat and gains catlike reflexes and a desire for revenge against her killers. Halle Berry starred in this standalone film that had little connection to the Batman mythology. The movie is frequently cited as one of the worst films ever made and was a massive commercial failure.

‘Elektra’ (2005)

A martial arts master is brought back from the dead and works as a contract killer before deciding to protect her latest targets. She must defend a father and his young daughter from a group of supernatural assassins known as The Hand. This spinoff from the ‘Daredevil’ movie tried to capitalize on Jennifer Garner’s popularity but failed to find an audience. It is often remembered for accelerating the decline of female led superhero movies for over a decade.

‘Punisher: War Zone’ (2008)

Frank Castle wages his one man war on the world of organized crime and sets his sights on an overeager mob boss. The vigilante turns the disfigured gangster Jigsaw into his primary target in a battle that tears up the city. This film aimed for a comic accurate and hyper violent portrayal of the character. Despite earning a cult following later it was the lowest grossing film based on a Marvel property at the time.

‘The Spirit’ (2008)

A rookie cop returns from the afterlife as the Spirit to fight crime in Central City using the shadows to his advantage. He faces off against the Octopus who has a different mission involving a quest for immortality. Frank Miller directed this stylized noir film that attempted to mimic the visual success of ‘Sin City’. The bizarre tone and confusing plot resulted in a box office bomb that halted Miller’s directing career.

‘Steel’ (1997)

A weapons designer creates a suit of armor and a sledgehammer to fight crime after his technology is used to harm innocent people. He teams up with an electronics expert to take down the corrupt military personnel selling his weapons on the street. Shaquille O’Neal starred in this early attempt at a DC Comics adaptation that lacked a significant budget or script quality. It barely made a fraction of its cost back in theaters.

‘Supergirl’ (1984)

Kara Zor-El travels to Earth to recover a lost Kryptonian power source known as the Omegahedron. She poses as a student at an all girls school while battling a witch who wants to use the artifact for world domination. This spinoff from the Christopher Reeve ‘Superman’ films suffered from a campy tone and poor special effects. It was a critical and financial disappointment that put the character on the shelf for years.

‘Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’ (1987)

The Man of Steel decides to rid the world of nuclear weapons but faces a new threat created by his arch nemesis Lex Luthor. Nuclear Man is born from a strand of Superman’s hair and challenges the hero to a fight that spans the globe. Severe budget cuts during production led to recycled footage and visibly poor visual effects. The movie bombed so hard that it ended the original Superman film series.

‘Howard the Duck’ (1986)

A sarcastic anthropomorphic duck is pulled from his home on Duckworld and lands in Cleveland where he befriends a rock singer. He must stop an alien invasion while trying to find a way back to his own planet. George Lucas produced this adaptation which became notorious for its strange animatronics and adult tone. It is historically significant as one of the first major Marvel theatrical flops.

Please let us know which of these box office bombs you think deserved a better chance in the comments.