It’s been a decade and a half since the first “Iron Man” movie kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and four years since “Avengers: Endgame” smashed box office records. But the pandemic disrupted moviegoers’ habits, and new heroes (“Eternals”) and villains (“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”) don’t seem to have excited fans. The DC Extended Universe hasn’t fared much better with “Black Adam” and “Shazam 2: Fury of Gods.” Are we living in the age of superhero fatigue?
The numbers tell a more nuanced story. Yes, we are watching a box office decline, but superhero movies remain highly in demand, according to Parrot Analytics‘ data, which takes into account consumer research, streaming, downloads and social media, among other engagement.