Superhero films have dominated the box office for more than a decade, but 2024 proved that even the strongest heroes can fail. As studios are going all-in on sequels, reboots, and multiverse mayhem, audiences and critics have begun to push back. Some movies bombed big time, while one showed us why we loved this genre to begin with. Here’s how the year’s superhero slate shook out—from the biggest misfires to the sole true standout.
Madame Web: The Web-Slinger’s Worst Tangle
Sony’s newest Spider-Man multiverse spin-off, Madame Web, stumbled out of the gate. Critics panned it as unfocused and ineptly made. Even actors Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney appeared to distance themselves from the film upon release. With a dire Rotten Tomatoes rating of 11% and an opening weekend total of only $100 million, Madame Web was the poster child for superhero exhaustion in 2024.
Kraven the Hunter: A Toothless Predator
On the heels of Madame Web came Kraven the Hunter, Sony’s other misfire that didn’t take. While it did marginally better among critics, everyone else saw it as dull and visually underwhelming. Its domestic opening was astonishingly low—at only $11,000—and its Rotten Tomatoes score stagnated at 15%. A few fans accepted it as “so bad it’s fun,” but otherwise, the consensus was clear: this one flopped.
The Crow (2024): Resurrection Failed
Lionsgate tried to breathe some new life into The Crow with a reboot starring Bill Skarsgård, but it was less than inspiring. The film was largely criticized for its fractured narrative and for failing to achieve emotional resonance, especially when compared to the 1994 original. With a terrible 22% on Rotten Tomatoes and only $23 million in box office revenue on a $50 million budget, the reboot bombed.
Joker: Folie à Deux: A Musical Misstep
There were high hopes for Joker: Folie à Deux. The original one was a cultural reference point, and Lady Gaga’s cast had everybody wondering. But the musical bent divided audiences, and many thought it was inferior to the psychological depth of the first film. With a budget of $200 million and another $100 million spent on marketing, the film’s lackluster $206 million box office and 32% Rotten Tomatoes rating were underwhelming.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man: Back to Horror, Not to Glory
Hellboy: The Crooked Man sought to take the character back to his horror comic beginnings, and although a few enjoyed the darker tone, many others found the film to be fragmented. The script didn’t entirely come together, and with little publicity, it did not leave a mark at the box office. The film had only a 37% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and did nothing to revive the franchise.
Venom: The Last Dance: A Symbiotic Swan Song
The third Venom movie, The Last Dance, concluded Sony’s trilogy. Critics weren’t convinced about the franchise yet, but fans showed up in respectable numbers, generating $475 million worldwide, high enough to rank it as the eighth-largest release of the year. Still, with the weakest box office of the trilogy and 4 41%% Rotten Tomatoes rating, it concluded on a subdued note.
Deadpool & Wolverine: The Multiversal Marvel
And best of all, some good news. Deadpool & Wolverine served up the kind of smarts, irreverence, and emotional depth fans have been deprived of. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s much-hyped two-hander did not disappoint, offering tart wit, action-packed thrills, and emotional surprises. With its 78% Rotten Tomatoes and box office history-making triumph for the Deadpool franchise, this was the year’s superhero rarity of success, and a fitting goodbye to Fox’s Marvel universe.
The Benchmark: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’s Lasting Legacy
Even amidst the ebb and flow of 2024, there is one film from the past that still casts a shadow over them all: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Rotten Tomatoes’ “300 Best Movies of All Time” includes the 2018 cartoon masterpiece at 97% critics’ and 94% audience score, topping such icons as Citizen Kane and The Dark Knight. Its innovative animation, emotionally powerful story, and iconic soundtrack still serve as the bar for what superhero movies can do.
Superhero movies might be slow right now, but all hope is not lost. Deadpool & Wolverine and Into the Spider-Verse prove that there is still a lot of magic in store when studios do get it right.