The clearest recent Marvel box-office underperformer is The Marvels (2023): its worldwide theatrical gross was lower than its reported production budget, and far below the worldwide gross of Captain Marvel (2019). Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Eternals also rank among the MCU’s lower-grossing releases, but their grosses alone do not prove they lost money. Here, “flop” means theatrical underperformance by a stated comparison—not a verified studio net loss.
What counts as a Marvel box-office flop?
There is no single public figure that settles whether a movie was profitable. Theatrical gross is the money paid for tickets, not the amount returned to a studio. A reported production budget is also only one part of a film’s costs. Marketing, distribution terms, exhibitors’ shares, tax incentives, home entertainment and later licensing are not accounted for in the figures below.
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So “flop” is best used as a relative label: a film may underperform its budget, a predecessor, franchise expectations or its theatrical opening. A gross-to-budget comparison can flag a concern, but it is not a break-even calculation. The sources cited here do not provide audited profit statements for these films.
The clearest recent example: The Marvels
Among the films covered here, The Marvels (2023) has the strongest case for the label. The Numbers lists a $270 million production budget and a worldwide theatrical gross of $206,136,825. Its worldwide box office was therefore about 0.8 times the listed production budget—a comparison, not a measure of profit. The Numbers’ figures, checked in October 2026, also show an $84,500,223 domestic gross and a $46,110,859 opening weekend. The Numbers’ film data.
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The comparison with its predecessor is stark. The Numbers’ Captain Marvel franchise table lists Captain Marvel (2019) at $1,129,576,094 worldwide against a reported $175 million production budget. That contrast establishes a steep drop between installments; it does not explain audience behavior or establish either movie’s profitability. The Numbers’ MCU franchise table.
Other MCU underperformers often discussed
These films had comparatively modest worldwide grosses within the MCU or notable declines after opening. The available figures support calling them underperformers in a box-office comparison, but do not establish that either was a financial loss.
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| Film | Year | Worldwide gross | What the figure shows—and does not show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | 2023 | $476,071,180, listed by Box Office Mojo | A relatively low MCU total in franchise comparisons. The cited sources do not provide a comparable, verified full cost picture. |
| Eternals | 2021 | $402,064,899, listed by Box Office Mojo | A relatively low total compared with many MCU releases; gross alone does not establish a loss. |
| Captain America: Brave New World | 2025 | $415,101,577, listed by Box Office Mojo | A recent underperformance debate example, but the cited evidence here does not include its budget or a final profitability assessment. |
Box Office Mojo’s MCU franchise table is the source for the three worldwide totals. Database figures can differ and may change after re-releases.
Second-weekend drops show theatrical staying power
A sharp drop in a film’s second weekend can signal weak theatrical legs, but it is only one measure of performance. The Associated Press reported second-weekend declines of 78% for The Marvels and 70% for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In 2025, the AP reported a 68% second-weekend fall for Captain America: Brave New World, contrasting it with the steeper drops for those two earlier films. Associated Press on Marvel’s box-office drops.
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- When Captain America is awakened from an icey prison, the Avengers go into action. Captain America, Iron-Man, Hulk, Wasp, Ant-Man and Thor.
These percentages help describe how a release held up after opening; they do not, by themselves, identify why audiences stopped attending or whether a film ultimately made money.
Why one weak Marvel release does not define the franchise
Marvel’s box-office record includes individual disappointments alongside large commercial successes. In July 2024, Disney said Marvel Studios films had collectively grossed more than $30 billion worldwide, with 10 films above $1 billion and two above $2 billion at that time. This is a company-reported, dated benchmark, not a current cumulative total. Disney’s July 2024 Marvel Studios post.
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In a 2023 box-office review, the Associated Press described Marvel as faltering and reported Disney CEO Bob Iger’s view that too many films and series had led to “diluted quality.” That is Iger’s assessment, not independently established proof of the cause of any particular movie’s performance. Associated Press’s 2023 box-office review.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read the “flop” label
- Against budget: The Marvels is the most direct case here because its listed worldwide gross fell below its reported production budget. That comparison still does not establish net loss.
- Against a predecessor: The Marvels earned substantially less worldwide than Captain Marvel, although the difference alone cannot explain why.
- Against franchise peers: Quantumania and Eternals have lower totals than many MCU releases, but their gross figures are not full accounting.
- By theatrical momentum: Second-weekend drops provide a useful retention signal, not a verdict on profitability or a complete explanation of audience response.
For collectors interested in revisiting The Marvels, The Numbers lists its Walt Disney Home Entertainment video release as January 16, 2024. That date supports looking for a home-video edition, but the exact Blu-ray edition and present retailer availability are not established here. The Numbers’ release listing.
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- Set against the backdrop of a ?60s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel?s First Family faces a daunting challenge. Forced to balance being heroes with their family bond, they must defend Earth from a space god and his enigmatic herald.
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