No matter how much the experts claim to know, box office numbers are never as cut and dry as they seem. There are certain films that are immune to negative criticism and blow everyone out of the water, while there are others that need every bit of assistance to help them break even. Superhero movies are no different.
Make no mistake: The genre’s the most profitable and popular right now and studio execs rub their hands in glee at just how much money there is to be made. As comic book legend Frank Miller told Deadline: “This has been the best period for superhero movies we ever had. I mean there was that wonderful sunburst of the first Christopher Reeves Superman movie. That was just a ray of sunshine. We’ve had ups and downs over the years. Now look at what we’ve got.”
Still, there are some that overachieved during their theatrical runs and surprised everyone in a good way. No sane person is ever going to say no to receiving more than expected, of course. However, when you look back at the history of several projects, you’ll see that they exceeded everyone’s wildest dreams and spreadsheets.
So, on that note, join us as we explore 9 superhero films that seriously over-performed at the box office. Whether they deserved to make the money they did or not is another matter entirely, but the fact of the matter is that no one expected them to do as well as they did.