7 Years Ago Today, the MCU Finally Introduced 1 Powerful Avenger & Hit a Milestone It Hasn’t Repeated Since

by

Throughout the 2010s, Marvel Studios was incredibly successful at turning even lesser-known comic book characters into stars. Films starring the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, and Black Panther all proved that Marvel didn’t need to rely on its most famous heroes to create huge hits. As the story leading up to Avengers: Endgame neared its climax, it seemed like Marvel could do no wrong. However, the release of a film featuring one of Marvel’s strongest characters around that time also signaled a turning point for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I remember when Captain Marvel came out on March 8, 2019. It got some really good buzz and absolutely crushed it at the box office, earning over $1.13 billion worldwide! It felt like proof that Marvel could make a blockbuster out of any of their characters. But looking back, it’s kind of amazing – it turned out to be the last time an original Marvel movie, not a sequel, managed to hit that billion-dollar mark. Everything since then – Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and now Deadpool & Wolverine – has all been part of already-established, successful franchises.

How Captain Marvel Grossed $1 Billion

When Captain Marvel was released, fans were incredibly excited about what was coming next from Marvel Studios. Avengers: Infinity War had just been a huge success, but it ended with a shocking cliffhanger that left audiences wanting more. The post-credits scene hinted at Captain Marvel’s importance in the upcoming Endgame, making people eager to see her origin story. Captain Marvel was both the newest installment in a very popular series and a crucial film that introduced a hero who would play a key role in defeating Thanos.

The timing of Captain Marvel‘s release – between Infinity War and Endgame – certainly helped its success. Fans were so invested in the unfolding story of the Infinity Saga that they were eager to see anything Marvel released before the big finale. However, it’s unfair to say that timing was the only reason the film earned over $1 billion. Captain Marvel is a strong movie on its own, offering a fun origin story that also works as a prequel to the Avengers Initiative. It shows a younger Nick Fury dealing with super-powered individuals for the first time. Plus, the film’s 1990s setting gave it a unique, nostalgic appeal that particularly attracted Millennial audiences.

As a fan, I was so thrilled when Captain Marvel came out! It was a huge deal to finally see a female character lead a Marvel movie. Sure, Wonder Woman had already proven female-led superhero films could be massive hits, but seeing the MCU take that leap felt different. We’d been asking for a Black Widow solo film for ages, and Captain Marvel felt like a natural progression, just like Black Panther had been for representation the year before. It meant a lot to so many of us. I remember seeing some negativity online before it even came out, but it turned out to be a small group – tons of fans like me showed up to support the film and prove the excitement was real!

Following the big hit that was Captain Marvel, many fans expected Carol Danvers to become a leading character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Endgame. However, the first film’s success proved difficult to repeat. The 2023 sequel, The Marvels, actually became the lowest-performing movie in the MCU, earning only $206.1 million worldwide. It’s currently unclear what the future holds for characters like Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau, as they haven’t been officially announced to appear in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.

Will A Non-Sequel Marvel Movie Ever Make $1 Billion Again?

It’s been seven years since Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame came out, and now the highest-grossing Marvel movie that wasn’t a sequel is The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which made $521.8 million worldwide last summer. While movies like Shang-Chi and Eternals were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this shows how the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s popularity has shifted in recent years. During the earlier ‘Infinity Saga,’ three standalone films (The Avengers, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel) each earned over $1 billion—something no standalone movie from the current ‘Multiverse Saga’ is expected to do. Notably, the last three movies released in this current era are all sequels.

It’s uncertain if another Marvel movie will ever be as financially successful as its biggest hits. The pandemic significantly altered how people watch movies, making it harder for films to earn $1 billion at the box office. Before the pandemic, nearly four movies each year would reach that milestone, but in the six years since, that number has fallen to just two. With shorter times in theaters and the rise of streaming, audiences can easily wait to watch new releases at home, even for popular franchises like Marvel.

Things are starting to look more like they did before the pandemic, especially at the box office. Four movies earned over $1 billion in 2025 – the most in a single year since 2019. This likely isn’t a one-time event, as several major blockbusters are scheduled for release this year, with four debuting in just six weeks this summer. While these are mostly sequels or continuations of existing franchises, it’s a positive sign that billion-dollar movies could become more frequent again in the coming years.

Strong box office numbers, returning to pre-pandemic levels, would greatly benefit Marvel Studios. However, it’s unclear how many original stories, not connected to existing franchises, they will produce in the future. To revitalize the franchise, Kevin Feige and his team are reducing the number of films released each year. Given Marvel’s recent box office challenges, they’re likely to prioritize well-known characters like Spider-Man, which are considered more reliable successes. While Marvel previously took risks with films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe now needs a string of hits. Looking ahead, the next original film with the potential to earn $1 billion could be the reboot of X-Men. Although it’s a reboot of an established franchise, it won’t be a direct sequel to the previous X-Men films from Fox, which allows it to qualify as a new entry.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/feature/avengers-doomsday-is-officially-fixing-one-of-the-biggest-mcu-multiverse-saga-problems/embed/#

Read More

2026-03-08 23:41