Superheroes have had a rough 2025 on film. The once booming genre has fallen out of favor with audiences, with many this year failing to make back the big numbers of previous years.
While the silver age of comic book adaptation and superhero-led stories may be over, there are still lots of films being made following caped crusaders, homegrown vigilantes, and antiheroes running from their past.
Superman
James Gunn's Superman had a clear message this summer: being nice is punk. David Corenswet's first outing as Clark Kent reset the DC movie universe and filled Metropolis with a new selection of quirky superheroes and journalists.
Superman smartly introduces audiences to a world where Superman already exists, where he and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) are already an item, and the inhabitants of Metropolis are already very aware of superheroes.
The film harkened back to the older superhero films with likable characters, lighthearted humor, and a good heart. Gunn remembered that Superman movies should be full of hope and kindness, not dark and gritty stories better suit to Batman.
Thunderbolts*
One of the best MCU movies in years sadly failed to have the box office impact of its predecessors. Thunderbolts* saw some of Marvel's best antagonists and actors team up to battle villains, politicians and their own demons.
Thunderbolts* was less of a big-action superhero blockbuster and more of a character exploration that addressed mental health. The lineup saw Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Alexei (David Harbour), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), U.S. Agent/John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) accidentally form the MCU's most exciting new superhero team.
Surpringsly emotional, Thunderbolts* was a more grounded take for Marvel. It cared more about the individuals and less about CGI sky battles. The mature tone may not have been for everyone, but those who enjoyed it hope the MCU keep this slightly grittier tone in their upcoming films.
Fantastic Four: The First Steps
We all breathed a sigh of relief when the third on-screen outing of the Fantastic Four landed (not including the never officially released 1994 version). Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, the MCU took audiences back to an alternative 1960s Jetsons universe.
It was by no means a perfect film. It felt weirdly paced and missing a second act, but it was a relief to spend time with a Fantastic Four who felt comic-book accurate. The retro-futuristic sets, nod to classic comics and cast helped elevate the perhaps predictable source material and underdeveloped characters.
Sadly, the box office on Fantastic Four: The First Steps didn't quite match the hype, but it was nice to finally watch an MCU movie that didn't require 10 films and five TV shows to watch for homework. With Pascal's Reed Richards playing a huge part in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, we'll likely look back on this film as one of the more important entries in recent superhero films.
The Toxic Avenger
The Troma cheesy classic got a reimaging from Macon Blair that made the grossly funny 1984 cult favourite a little more accessible. Peter Dinklage played the titular role as a down-and-out janitor who falls into a vat of toxic waste and becomes a deformed vigilante with superhuman size and strength.
This low-budget superhero film balanced B-movie gore with a cautionary tale about corporate America and the health system. It wasn't ever going to be a total crowd-pleaser, but fans of the original appreciated the outrageous gore, homage to '80s cinema, and larger-than-life characters.
This charming underdog movie sometimes struggled to balance its heart and its over-the-top action. It's a relief that the film isn't trying to be for everyone and is proudly an acquired taste. If you've missed a side of bombastic gore in her superhero films, The Toxic Avenger has got you.
Captain America: Brave New World
With just 46% on Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth Captain America film was a disappointing outing for both critics and superhero fans. With Sam Wilson taking over the role of Captain America, the film was less about him and more a sequel to 2008s The Incredible Hulk.
Of all the sequels and routes Marvel could have gone, somehow, they sidelined Wilson in his own movie and focused on villains from a Hulk movie released 15 years prior. Harrison Ford took over the role as Thaddeus Ross, but his transformation into the Red Hulk was strangely spoiled in all the marketing.
There were numerous reshoots and rewrites going on behind the scenes of Captain America: Brave New World, and these are obvious on screen. Characters are introduced and ditched, the special effects are noticeably poor, and it's obvious the villains were rewritten in the editing room. Ford and Wilson are great, alongside Danny Ramirez's Joaquin Torres, but sadly, this was a fail for the MCU.
The Old Guard 2
The long-awaited sequel to Netflix's comic book adaptation The Old Guard received poor reviews and a deflated audience response. Charlize Theron's Andy and her team of immortal warriors returned to battle new foes.
Considering the years it took for the group of immortal mercenaries to reappear on the big screen, there seems to be a strange rush to this script. There is some impressive stunt choreography and musings on the perils of immortality, but sadly, the plot became too convoluted and unfocused.
Not even an all-star cast, which included Uma Thurman, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Henry Golding, could make this uneven sequel interesting. Even more frustrating, the film builds up to a big showdown that ultimately ends with a cliffhanger. Considering the poor reviews and 27% Rotten Tomatoes score, we'll probably never see The Old Guard return.