7 Superhero Movie Failures That Could Actually Start Full Franchises

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s success created a false impression that building a shared movie universe is simple. Instead of recognizing the immense challenge of making several good films, and then a good crossover event, many studios assumed they could easily replicate Marvel’s billion-dollar formula by just making comic book movies. This led to a wave of adaptations and reboots over the past fifteen years, all hoping to achieve similar financial results.

Many failed superhero projects, both before and after the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, weren’t failures of concept, but of execution. The core ideas and characters had potential to build something truly great, even a connected universe like Marvel Studios created. The problem wasn’t if a franchise could work, but how the story was told. With a better approach, any of these projects could have succeeded.

7) Judge Dredd

Despite a solid attempt with the 2012 film Dredd, a Judge Dredd movie franchise still seems unlikely to succeed. However, the rich science fiction universe from the 2000 A.D. comics deserves a big-screen adaptation. Beyond Judge Dredd, the comics are full of fascinating characters – like the psychic Judge Anderson, troubled clones of Dredd, unhinged presidents, and terrifying Dark Judges. While the world is complex and appeals to dedicated fans, its detailed lore offers plenty to capture the imagination of any genre enthusiast.

6) Hellboy

Efforts to reboot the Hellboy movies after Guillermo del Toro left the project haven’t been very successful, which is disappointing. The rich world created by Mike Mignola has the potential to become a major franchise, similar in scope to Marvel or DC. Beyond Hellboy himself, there’s a huge cast of unique characters and teams with their own compelling stories. The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) alone could support a whole series of films, and that’s not even mentioning standalone adventures for characters like Abe Sapien, or spin-offs like the pulp noir hero Lobster Johnson, the folk horror series Witchfinder, the WWII comic Sledgehammer 44, and the continuing tales of Frankenstein’s monster. Luckily, even if the movies and TV shows don’t quite capture the magic, all the original stories are still available in the comics.

5) Bloodshot

Vin Diesel’s action movie didn’t succeed primarily because of negative reviews – it only received a 32% score on Rotten Tomatoes – but because it was released on March 10, 2020, just before nationwide shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this setback, the Valiant Universe still has strong potential as a large, connected film franchise with the right creative team. Characters like Bloodshot, a nearly invincible assassin, could easily lead their own series of movies and open the door for other heroes like Ninjak (imagine James Bond as a ninja!), the Eternal Warrior, Rai, Shadowman, and X-O Manowar.

Valiant Comics features unique heroes that stand apart from more well-known characters. They aren’t just copies of existing ideas, but fully developed individuals with their own powers and histories. For instance, X-O Manowar is a barbarian from the 5th century who becomes connected to a powerful alien suit of armor, and The Eternal Warrior is a champion specifically chosen by Earth itself. The Harbinger series is also noteworthy, offering a fresh take on the superhero team dynamic similar to the X-Men.

4) Spawn

The Spawn comic series, created by Todd McFarlane, has been due for a successful reboot ever since the 1997 movie failed to connect with audiences. It’s clear why the series has remained popular since 1992 and continues to grow. The story of Al Simmons is strong enough to support a large franchise, and the many characters he interacts with – both allies and enemies – add depth. Plus, different versions of Spawn from various time periods, like Gunslinger Spawn and Medieval Spawn, are unique enough to have their own stories. While there have been efforts to bring Spawn back to the big screen for nearly ten years, it’s still uncertain when – or if – a new live-action movie will actually happen.

3) The Spirit

Will Eisner’s famous comic series was previously adapted into a 2008 film by Frank Miller, but it wasn’t well-received by critics. Eisner’s world greatly impacted comics, and the extensive stories offer a strong foundation for a successful film series. The series features intriguing female characters, a villain known for disguises, and a relatable hero in a dark, realistic setting. It’s unfortunate that the poor performance of the first movie likely means this potential won’t be fully explored. Even though tastes have changed and audiences now enjoy a wider variety of superhero stories, a well-made adaptation could still be fresh and captivating.

2) Green Lantern

It’s become common to criticize the 2011 Green Lantern movie, and even Ryan Reynolds jokes about it, but the film squandered the franchise’s potential with a series of poor choices. As the first installment, it had a lot to establish, but comic book fans immediately noticed it lacked the creativity that defines Green Lantern stories. The movie relied too much on basic weapons for its energy constructs and completely ignored the rich emotional lore of the DC universe. If handled well, these elements could have built a successful franchise independent of the Justice League or other DC heroes. Fortunately, the new DC Universe seems to understand the source material, as demonstrated by Nathan Fillion’s portrayal of Guy Gardner in Superman and the upcoming Lanterns TV series.

1) Sony’s Spider-Man Villain Spinoffs

Look, it’s easy to make fun of the Morbius movie – a character most comic fans barely know – especially since it was pretty much as bad as everyone said, and they even re-released it in theaters! But honestly, the idea of making films focused on Spider-Man villains and other characters connected to that world isn’t inherently flawed. Where Sony’s approach fell apart was a lack of any real plan. They just seemed to rely on the Spider-Man connection and name recognition to get people in the seats, without building anything substantial.

A major challenge is creating films connected to Spider-Man without actually featuring him, and the previous attempts mostly avoided the issue with humor and ambiguity. With the right creative team, there’s a lot of potential for these kinds of stories. While villains like Doctor Octopus don’t necessarily need origin stories, a clever concept – like a heist film with a thief who happens to have robotic arms – could work. Ultimately, though, audiences want to see Spider-Man himself, not just his supporting villains.

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2026-02-21 16:41