Follow the paper trail, and it’s clear to see that post-COVID Marvel films have not been nearly as successful as those leading up to “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). The public was quick to blame Disney ownership for all the spin-off series and continuations of movie franchises that fell flat to long-time fans. “Black Widow” (2021) was the first MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movie released after the COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world. The movie– filmed entirely in a flashback– follows the character arc of an Avenger who died in the previous film. “Black Widow,” released on Disney+ in tandem with its theater debut, lost Disney $600 million from pirating and only made a profit of $67 million, which is fairly incomparable to $288.5 million spent on production.
A substantial contributing factor to the falling box office income is the shift away from viewing movies in theaters. In 2023, despite the simultaneous release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” theater attendance was down 31% compared to turnout numbers in 2019. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, moviegoers were wary of theaters. Attendance wasn’t helped by the abundance of available streaming services and the ease of access to movies if people were willing to wait a couple of months to watch them.
On a more positive note for Marvel, “Fantastic Four: First Steps” was released in theaters July 25, 2025 and has grossed $266.4 million in the US alone since then. The multiverse-oriented adaptation of the 2005 “Fantastic Four” film passed its “break-even point” with flying colors, grossing around $500 million to its $200 million production cost. Despite the movie’s monetary success, it continues a recent theme of Marvel films: a strong opening weekend and then a steep decline in theater viewership in the following weeks.
In typical MCU fashion, “Fantastic Four: First Steps” featured a post-credit scene in which those who sat through the rolling credits see Sue Storm and Reed Richards’ son talking to a character that comic readers know to be Dr. Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. “Thunderbolts,” a previous Marvel release (May 2, 2025) shows the Fantastic Four’s rocket hurtling through space towards the Earth that the “New Avengers” occupy in its respective post-credit scene, connecting the 2025 releases and alluding to a larger impending movie theme.
“Avengers: Doomsday” is set to debut in theaters in late 2026, and “Avengers: Secret Wars”, set to premiere a year after “Doomsday”, is presumed to conclude the current multiverse saga. The movie is Marvel’s effort at a return to pop culture and cinematic relevance since a relative fall-off after “Avengers: Endgame.” The question still looms: will the “Doomsday” continuation be a successful reprise for Marvel Studios? Fans predict that although the movie will carry a different plotline from that of “Endgame,” certain elements will play out similarly, like heroic deaths and dramatic battle scenes, including characters from older film series like “X-Men” and others.
The main source of skepticism stems from the fact that the movie will be focused almost entirely on the stories of former side characters. Yelena Belova is the sister of Black Widow, Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson are Captain America’s friends: prime examples of the scarcity of original characters. Downey Jr. being cast as Victor von Doom is a beacon of hope in terms of original MCU actors, but fans are still wary of the seemingly eclectic collection of characters. Some are from different universes and timeframes, begging the question of how sensical the movie will turn out to be. However, critics argue that a cast of A-list actors can’t save a bad production, so only time will tell how the conclusions of the “Infinity Saga” prosper in theaters.
Despite “Doomsday” being played up as the next great Marvel movie, Marvel’s recent track record of films tells a different story. After “Endgame” (2019), a run of shows was released on Disney+, including “WandaVision,” “Loki,” “Moon Knight,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and “Hawkeye.” A few lucky shows saw high positive reviews, but the rest fell flat along with filler movies like “The Marvels,” “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Eternals” and “Thor: Love and Thunder”. However, recent releases have been received by a more welcoming audience, indicating a positive turning point in the MCU.
Although its release seems far in the future right now, production for “Doomsday” has begun, and with it have come waves of opinions. Will “Doomsday” be the saving grace that the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs? Or will it be remembered as just another movie in a run of films that “flopped?” Fans and skeptics alike will all see how it plays out in theaters Dec 18, 2026.
