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- With Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 having recently released and Secret Invasion (June 21) fast approaching, MCU fans are happier than ever. However, it hasn't always been a bed of roses for history's highest-grossing film franchise, as some of its outings have performed poorly at the worldwide box office.
Over a dozen years, over 30 movies, and an ever-growing worldwide box office gross that has cemented it as the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has come a long way since Phase One. But just because it's got a fanbase consisting of millions of devoted fans doesn't mean that everything they release sits well with them.
As of the time of publication, the lowest-grossing films in the franchise don't even reach the $2 billion mark according to Box Office Mojo. Marvel has a huge fanbase, and most of what they create is considered a success in the eyes of both fans and critics, but some don't spark as much excitement as others. While the MCU's popularity is always going up, some of its films have flopped hard.
Updated on June 13, 2023, by Diego Pineda Pacheco:
With Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 having recently released and Secret Invasion (June 21) fast approaching, MCU fans are happier than ever. However, it hasn't always been a bed of roses for history's highest-grossing film franchise, as some of its outings have performed poorly at the worldwide box office.
10 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' (2018)
Worldwide Earnings: $622,674,331
If you're looking for a Marvel movie with witty comedy, loveable characters, and a solid plot, then the sequel to 2015's Ant-Man is a good contender. The eighth film in the MCU's Phase Three explores the Quantum Realm and the humorous antics of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and company.
Although fans today think that Ant-Man and the Wasp is one of the most forgettable installments in the franchise, its box office numbers aren't exactly underwhelming. MCU sequels certainly have a habit of breaking the sophomore slump. Nevertheless, a little over half a billion is still nothing impressive by this franchise's standards.
9 'Iron Man' (2008)
Worldwide Earnings: $585,366,247
As the one that started it all, it goes without saying that Iron Man undoubtedly holds a special place in the hearts of Marvel fans worldwide, with a kind of charm that the franchise seems to have lost. It was an experiment as to how the fate of the MCU would progress, but it wasn't as popular as you might think upon release.
Iron Man's budget was quite modest in comparison to the rest of the MCU, which made it very profitable, but that doesn't take away from the fact that its box office numbers aren't the most impressive. It's safe to say that Marvel wouldn't be what it is today without it, but since the franchise wasn't yet a global phenomenon, it didn't have the power to make that much money.
8 'Ant-Man' (2015)
Worldwide Earnings: $519,311,965
A new Marvel hero shrunk onto the big screens in the summer of 2015 when Ant-Man hit theaters, bringing another new origin story to the MCU. The final film in Phase Two introduced Scott Lang, who would become known as Ant-Man after breaking into a house and finding a suit that shrinks him to the size of an insect.
Praised by critics for its cast and visual effects, Ant-Man impressed audiences with what was, at least at the time, a surprisingly small-scale and low-stakes superhero adventure heist, which fans appreciated. Despite that, the film was unable to make particularly impressive numbers at the worldwide box office.
7 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' (2023)
Worldwide Earnings: $476,069,301
The MCU has had a few more missteps than usual in the past few years, and according to many fans, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is one of the worst. The third installment following Paul Rudd's titular thief-turned-superhero was met with pretty much abysmal reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Quantumania only managed to make a little over twice its budget back, which are very poor numbers by modern Marvel standards. Despite all that, though, it's not like the movie wasn't without its fans. For some, the simple but fun tone of the story was enough to have a solid enough time at the theater.
6 'Thor' (2011)
Worldwide Earnings: $449,326,618
Thor is currently the only character within the MCU to hold a solo character tetralogy. The fourth installment of the franchise's Phase One, Thor, introduced the world to the God of Thunder in a flash of praise, releasing to positive reviews from critics and fans alike.
The third introduction of an Avenger to the franchise made three times its production budget, but still remains the lowest-grossing of the character's solo films, and one of the lowest-grossing of the franchise as a whole. Despite its lower earnings, however, the years have done it justice, as more and more fans start to warm up to its distinct tone and feel as a creative fantasy adventure and the main character's unique fish-out-of-water story.
5 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' (2021)
Worldwide Earnings: $432,243,292
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a new origin story unlike anything the MCU had seen before. While the Ten Rings are briefly featured in the Iron Man trilogy and even Ant-Man, the legend surrounding them had scarcely been discussed throughout the franchise's narrative before this movie came out.
Shang-Chi's box office performance wasn't nearly as impressive as Marvel may have hoped. Despite that, fans agreed that the film was a fun ride with a great mix of classic Marvel comedy, great action scenes, and a brilliant, moving story.
4 'Eternals' (2021)
Worldwide Earnings: $402,064,899
Eternals is one of those movies that most people either love or hate. While it wasn't particularly popular, it did offer a style unlike anything the franchise had seen before, and subtly set up exciting future projects.
Narrowly grossing just over two times its large budget, the film was undebatably one of the MCU's biggest disappointments, at least financially. Poorly received by critics for its screenplay and lore development, but praised for its visuals and varied performances, it became a monumental but sadly forgotten step in the history of Marvel movies.
3 'Black Widow' (2021)
Worldwide Earnings: $379,751,655
Following Natasha's death in Avengers: Endgame, fans were curious about how her long-awaited solo movie would play out. Full of spy action thrills and a plot that delved into the backstory of a character beloved by many, Black Widow was praised by many critics and fans.
Due to many issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie became one of the biggest box office bombs of the 2020s so far. Shortly after its debut, it dropped on DVD and Blu-Ray and began streaming on Disney+. Despite now being considered a disappointment, however, it broke several pandemic box office records in its time.
2 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011)
Worldwide Earnings: $370,569,774
Captain America: The First Avenger marked the fifth installment of the MCU when it was released in July 2011. Steve Rogers' backstory is one that every Marvel fan knows, and seeing it play out on the big screen for the first time is an experience many fans will never forget.
The First Avenger managed to make just a little over twice its production budget, which isn't great for a film of this magnitude. Despite the low box office intake, though, the film was critically praised for Chris Evans' performance as Captain America and its accurate depictions of the 1940s.
1 'The Incredible Hulk' (2008)
Worldwide Earnings: $264,770,996
The second installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came in 2008 with The Incredible Hulk. Before Mark Ruffalo made the character his own, offering the definitive MCU version of the Hulk that fans now know and love, there was Edward Norton's interpretation.
The movie stands as one of the least popular Marvel movies, as it didn't even manage to make two times its budget. It's not a bad movie per se: It has some great fight scenes, nice eye-popping visuals, and a solid performance by Norton, but later entries in the franchise overshadow it completely.