Box Office Flop: Marvel Faces Steep Decline with Captain America Sequel

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24, 2025 — The release of “Captain America: Brave New World” has sparked significant controversy following a staggering 68% drop in box office revenue during its second weekend, marking the third-largest decline in Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) history. The sequel, which earned $100 million in its opening over the President’s Day weekend, has faced a severe backlash due to negative reviews and waning audience interest.

From the outset, the film premiered to a turbulent reception, earning its first-ever B- CinemaScore and showing a disappointing 49% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The sequel’s performance has drawn attention to a potential trend within recent Marvel films, as previous installments like “The Marvels” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” experienced even steeper declines of 78% and 69%, respectively.

Rob Liefeld, the co-creator of the Deadpool character, voiced his disapproval of Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige on social media, asserting, “Get Feige off the mound. He’s spent.” He cited the drop as indicative of a broader issue within the franchise, where audience enthusiasm has diminished substantially since its earlier successes.

“This is beyond a trend, it’s become the norm,” Liefeld added, comparing Marvel’s current trajectory to that of failing sports teams whose coaches are often replaced after disappointing seasons. He stated, “If this was sports, Feige would be removed.”

Despite its early success, “Brave New World” only accumulated $289.4 million worldwide, operating with an estimated production budget exceeding $180 million. Comscore senior analyst Paul Dergarabedian commented on the situation, noting, “There’s still no denying these movies have appeal, and ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will likely threepeat at the box office. But a second weekend drop of 68% reflects less audience enthusiasm than you’d expect from Marvel.”

Meanwhile, some recent Marvel films, such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” have proven more resilient at the box office, experiencing only a 47% drop following its $118 million debut last year.

As the franchise navigates this challenging period, Disney and Marvel Studios have declined to publicly comment on the situation or address Liefeld’s criticisms. However, the discourse surrounding the MCU remains heated, as fans and industry observers alike wonder about the future of one of Hollywood’s most successful franchises.