Here’s a glance at the superhero movies that left the strongest impression—positive or negative—among critics, fans, and hard cash box office totals.
Madame Web
The Spider-Verse’s Most Tangled Misfire Yet
If you thought Sony’s Spider-Man spin-off universe could not become more of a hot mess, Madame Web showed otherwise. With a lowly 11% Rotten Tomatoes rating, the critics called it a storytelling disaster. Even stars Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney seemed to distance themselves upon release. Viewers stayed away as well—its $100 million box office made it the lowest-grossing film in the Spider-Man franchise. In short, this web entangled itself.
Kraven the Hunter
Another Swing, Another Miss
Kraven the Hunter did worse at the box office, grossing only $11,000 on opening weekend in North America—a woefully disappointing launch for a movie in the Spider-Verse franchise.
The Crow
A Reboot That Couldn’t Fly
Reviving a cult favorite like The Crow was always going to be a risk, and the 2024 iteration unfortunately didn’t work. With Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven, the movie couldn’t quite recapture the magic of the first. It opened to only $23 million globally on a $50 million budget and scored 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics universally wrote it off as confusing and emotionally dead. Although some liked its darker aesthetic, most concurred that this reboot never quite got off the ground.
Joker: Folie à Deux
High Hopes, Lukewarm Reception
Following the colossal success of Joker in 2019, hopes were sky-high for Folie à Deux. Lady Gaga taking on the mantle of Harley Quinn and infusing the dark formula with a musical element, the movie was set to be daring and trailblazing. Instead, it made a 32% Rotten Tomatoes and only grossed $206 million at the box office—a big decline from the original’s billion-dollar spree. With a reported $200 million production cost and $100 million in marketing, this sequel probably didn’t even turn a profit.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man
Scary… or Just a Snooze
You’d be forgiven for missing this one—The Crooked Man had a minimal marketing push, with its teaser dropping only three months before release. Jack Kesy took over the mantle of Hellboy in a film that leaned into horror, but critics were split. Some praised its eerie tone, while others called it aimless and sluggish. With a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score, it lands in mixed territory—not quite a failure, but not a standout either.
Venom: The Last Dance
Fans Still Adore Their Symbiote
In spite of continued critical doubting, the Venom franchise remains Sony’s most durable Spider-Man spin-off. Venom: The Last Dance fared worst at the box office for the trilogy, but still managed to earn a healthy $475 million worldwide, ranking in 2024’s top 10 highest-earning films. Though critics reviled it, audiences turned out in huge numbers, a testament to Eddie Brock and his alien partner still having plenty of goodwill from the fans.
Deadpool & Wolverine
R-Rated Chaos That Hit All the Right Spots
The definitive superhero winner of 2024? Deadpool & Wolverine. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman teamed up onscreen for a movie that gave everything the fans could’ve wished for—action, emotion, and the sort of R-rated jokes only Deadpool can pull off. It sent the Deadpool trilogy off on a high note while respecting the legacy of Fox’s Marvel universe. Audiences flocked, and critics lauded the film for achieving precisely the right balance between irreverence and heart. The result: the highest-grossing entry in the series. The big takeaway here: superhero fatigue is not the issue—dull, uninspired films are.
A Quick Salute to a Modern Classic: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Although it didn’t open in theaters in 2024, Into the Spider-Verse just became the best superhero film of all time, says Rotten Tomatoes. With its almost-perfect 97% critic and 94% audience score, there’s no doubt why this animated movie is special. It serves as a reminder that when superhero tales set their sights high—blending vivid visuals, substance-driven storytelling, and actual emotional resonance—they can stand above the pack and become something truly remarkable.
The State of Superhero Movies in 2024
The superhero genre is not dying—it’s adapting. What readers crave are smarter stories, new characters, and innovative ideas. Studios are still experimenting, but the ones who take risks in terms of creativity, remain faithful to the source material, and provide something truly fun are the ones that succeed. The future of superhero films is not about making them more enormous—it’s about making them better.
So, whether you’re a Marvel, DC, or somewhere-in-between kind of fan, here’s the thing: one thing’s certain—when executed properly, superhero movies still can thrill us, surprise us, and sometimes shatter our hearts. Here’s to hoping 2025 holds a little more of the former and less of the latter.