We’re currently experiencing a boom in superhero movies and TV shows. Both Marvel and DC consistently release highly profitable films, and their streaming services, HBO Max and Disney+, are packed with related content. It can be hard to follow everything, as so many characters are now getting their own projects. However, it’s important to remember that this abundance is due to years of success. The market became so crowded because, initially, there wasn’t enough content to meet the growing demand.
The world of comic book movies is changing. For a long time, studios followed a predictable formula, but that’s now being questioned, and it will likely impact the entire entertainment industry. We’re moving away from studios taking risks on new ideas and instead relying on established franchises and proven successes.
Superhero Movies Used to Be Able to Make Mountains Out of Molehills
Around the early 2000s, Marvel Studios decided to build a shared universe of movies using its popular characters. A problem was that they didn’t own the rights to some of their biggest names, like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four – all of whom had already been in movies. Luckily, Marvel *did* have the Avengers, a well-known team from the comics. So, Kevin Feige and the team decided to launch the franchise by focusing on heroes like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America.
The first few phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe went smoothly, and *The Avengers* demonstrated that the formula worked. Marvel Studios continued building towards *Avengers: Endgame*, which felt like a satisfying conclusion to that era of films. Despite lacking some major characters at times, the MCU seemed unstoppable. The same wasn’t true for DC’s Extended Universe, which struggled to gain momentum even with its most popular heroes. But things are shifting now, and while Marvel and DC might want to showcase lesser-known characters, it may no longer be a viable option.
Marvel & DC Aren’t Betting on the B-Team Characters Anymore
After successfully making the Guardians of the Galaxy popular at Marvel Studios, James Gunn moved to DC and promised fans that the new DC Universe would feature diverse and original stories, regardless of which characters were the main focus.
Okay, so a year ago, DC Studios had a plan, but honestly, it’s not really clicking right now. That ambitious *Authority* project, with its team of unique characters, seems to have stalled, and it’s become clear that only projects with huge established names are getting the go-ahead. We’re getting constant updates on *Wonder Woman* and *Batman*, which are moving full steam ahead thanks to James Gunn’s involvement. But shows like *Waller* and *Booster Gold* are struggling to prove themselves, constantly at risk of being cancelled, and even promising projects like James Mangold’s *Swamp Thing* are just…stuck. It feels like everything is in flux, and a lot of exciting ideas are getting lost in the shuffle.
Marvel Studios seems focused on its biggest properties. While fans have been hoping for a sequel to *Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings*, it’s not currently a priority, and recent introductions like The Eternals, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk haven’t gotten the green light for follow-ups. The studio’s future plans center around relaunching the X-Men, the next two *Avengers* movies, and eventually a *Fantastic Four* sequel, which will likely be teased in *Avengers: Secret Wars*. Disney appears to be prioritizing large-scale films with well-known characters, making it difficult to see how these newer or less prominent characters will fit into the long-term plan.
It’s unfortunate that many fantastic comic book characters likely won’t get their moment in the spotlight. They may have to wait a long time, hoping for another surge in superhero popularity. But it’s probably a futile hope, as audiences are showing they prefer established characters and aren’t willing to take risks on unknowns.
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2025-10-10 17:50