As we come to the end of 2023, there are numerous predictions about the decline of superhero movies. Even mainstream media outlets like the New York Times are joining in on the pessimistic outlook. This sentiment is not surprising, especially after a year filled with disappointing superhero movies and a lackluster 2024 lineup which includes only three interconnected universe films: Deadpool 3, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter.

However, one thing remains abundantly clear as we near the end of 2023 – people are not fed up with superheroes themselves, but rather with poorly made superhero movies.

It’s not just a phase

Superhero films and TV shows struggled in 2023, with a number of delayed productions finally making their way to the screen, only to be met with disappointment. Movies like The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom failed to leave a mark, and The Marvels was the lowest-grossing film in the MCU, undeservedly so. Additionally, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Secret Invasion quickly faded from audience memory.

The extended universes seemed to have exhausted their ideas and resorted to purely symbolic references, such as featuring Kang in Ant-Man and Loki, or including the cast of older superhero movies like Man of Steel and Batman in The Flash. Warner Bros. bid farewell to the last movie linked to Zack Snyder’s Justice League

These superhero movies simply took their audience for granted, relying solely on the existence of an extended universe and familiar characters as a selling point. What failed in 2023 was the interconnected universe, not superheroes themselves.

On the other hand, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, television shows like Invincible and The Boys spinoff Gen V, and the cartoon My Adventures with Superman garnered success, demonstrating that the superhero concept still has potential when executed well.

For the MCU, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Loki Season 2 were notable successes, providing audiences with comic book-honoring experiences and heartfelt character-driven stories.

In 2023, superhero movies mirrored the history of comics.

Multi-versus the superhero

The resurgence of superhero movies and their success proves that our favorite superhero stories are just as compelling as narratives in other genres. The misconception that reading comics is less dignified than other forms of entertainment, combined with the difficulty of accessing comics, contributed to the lack of widespread recognition for superhero stories. Nonetheless, superhero cinema can fall prey to the same pitfalls as superhero comics.

Years of continuity and an excessive focus on quantity over quality led to superhero stories being viewed as mere spectacles rather than meaningful narratives, particularly in the context of the “multiverse” – a sprawling collection of secondary timelines and parallel Earths that are inherently less meaningful than a central continuity.

The prevalence of superhero events depicting grand cosmic struggles has contributed to what the superhero comics scene terms as “event fatigue” – an overemphasis on large, world-ending storylines at the expense of character-driven, intimate adventures of individual heroes.

In 2023, movies like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Spider-Verse, alongside the success of character-driven stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, showcased that audiences still appreciate superhero stories when they are well-crafted and not overshadowed by excessive spectacle.

2023’s disappointing superhero movies are not indicative of fatigue with the superhero genre, but are rather a result of event fatigue.