Even when leaving out the staggering revenue generated by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) stands as a legendary commercial triumph in film history, amassing over $28 billion globally. To give you an idea of the magnitude, consider that Disney acquired Marvel Enterprises for a mere $4 billion back in 2009—a decision that paid off extremely well.
The MCU itself has rarely, if ever, experienced outright failures in the box office, exhibiting a remarkable level of consistency in earnings. Even the relatively underperforming entries in the franchise have grossed a substantial $300 to $400 million worldwide. However, Disney’s opportunity to purchase Marvel at such a relatively low cost came because the comic book giant had faced severe financial difficulties, even filing for bankruptcy in the mid-1990s, despite owning iconic characters such as Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four.
The tide started to shift for Marvel in the early 2000s, in part due to the cinematic successes of X-Men and Spider-Man. Yet, those hits were products of external studios that had licensed Marvel’s characters for film adaptations, and many of Marvel’s other ventures during this time resulted in critical and commercial underperformance. Presented below is a list of the most significant underachievers originating from Marvel’s comic book world—among which, there’s only one true MCU title, and that one comes with a significant caveat.
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