The proportion of adults who enjoy superhero movies is down slightly compared to a year ago, according to a recent survey by Morning Consult. A worrying trend for Disney’s Marvel franchise, as – as Disney widens its investment – its films experience a drop at the box office and among critics.
The survey reveals that only 36% of all respondents enjoy superhero movies, down from 41% last November. Perhaps most worryingly, the proportion of Marvel fans has also fallen, from 87% to 82%.
The survey comes just weeks after the release of Marvel’s last movie, Thor: Love and Thunder, which underperformed financially and is the third-lowest-rated movie in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). for its acronym in English) with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 65%.
The MCU has released 29 movies since its inception in 2008, including four in 2021 and all three released and scheduled for 2022. Marvel content has become increasingly crucial to Disney, helping drive subscriptions to its Disney+ streaming service. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige unveiled 10 new Marvel title movies at San Diego Comic Con last week, including two Avengers slated for 2025.
Despite underperforming expectations, Thor: Love and Thunder remains the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2022 in the US less than a month after its release, according to Box Office Mojo. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness is the second highest grossing film of the year. Disney and Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, released last December, was the highest-grossing movie of 2021. Four of the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time are Marvel movies, led by Avengers: Endgame, which grossed $2,800. million dollars, the second highest in history.