A Mixed Year for Superhero Movies in 2025
The year 2025 has been a significant one for the superhero movie genre, with several major releases keeping fans engaged throughout the year. The season started with Captain America: Brave New World, followed by summer blockbusters like Thunderbolts and Superman. As the year comes to a close, the final release of the season, Fantastic Four: First Steps, is set to debut soon. With critics’ scores now available for most of these films, it’s clear that the year was largely successful in terms of critical reception, even if some movies struggled at the box office.
Captain America: Brave New World – A Disappointing Start
At the bottom of the ratings list is Captain America: Brave New World, which received a low 46% score from critics and an audience rating of 75%. Critics were divided on the film’s storytelling, its connections to other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects, and its visual effects. While some praised the performances, especially those of Anthony Mackie and Danny Ramirez, the overall reaction was described as negative or mixed.
The critics’ consensus stated, “Anthony Mackie capably takes up Cap’s mantle and shield, but Brave New World is too routine and overstuffed with uninteresting Easter eggs to feel like a worthy standalone adventure for this new Avengers leader.” Metacritic gave the film a score of 42 out of 100, calling it “mixed or average.” Audience feedback was also mixed, with CinemaScore giving the film a “B–,” the lowest grade for an MCU film so far, and PostTrak rating it three stars out of five.
Superman – A Critical and Audience Favorite
In contrast, Superman received much better reviews. It holds an 83% approval rating from critics and an impressive 92% from audiences. The site’s consensus reads, “Pulling off the heroic feat of fleshing out a dynamic new world while putting its champion’s big, beating heart front and center, this Superman flies high as a Man of Tomorrow grounded in the here and now.”
Metacritic scored it 68 out of 100, meaning the reviews were generally favorable. Critics appreciated the film’s fun, colorful, and sincere approach, though some thought it had too many characters and ideas packed in. The performances of actors like David Corenswet, Susan Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult were widely praised. Audiences gave the movie an “A−” from CinemaScore, matching the score of Man of Steel. PostTrak reported that 86% of viewers gave positive feedback, and 74% said they would definitely recommend it.
Fantastic Four: First Steps – Early Positive Reviews
Fantastic Four: First Steps has not yet hit theaters, but the review embargo has just lifted, and early scores are in. It currently has an 86% critic score from over 130 reviews, though audience ratings are not yet available. Critics praised the film’s strong cast chemistry and its retro 1960s design, saying it does Marvel’s First Family justice. Metacritic gave it a 64 out of 100, marking it as generally favorable.
Thunderbolts – The Top-Rated Film of the Year
The top-rated superhero film of the year is Thunderbolts, which scored 88% from critics and an outstanding 93% from audiences. Critics loved how it brought together a group of unlikely heroes, with Florence Pugh standing out. The critics’ consensus reads, “Assembling a ragtag band of underdogs with Florence Pugh as their magnetic standout, Thunderbolts refreshingly goes back to the tried-and-true blueprint of the MCU’s best adventures.”
Metacritic gave it a 68 out of 100, meaning generally favorable reviews. Audiences gave it an “A–” on CinemaScore and a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on PostTrak, with 74% recommending the movie.
Despite the strong reviews, Thunderbolts was a box office disappointment. As of mid-July 2025, it earned about $190 million in the U.S. and Canada and $192.1 million internationally, totaling $382.1 million worldwide. This makes it one of the MCU’s lowest-grossing films. Variety reported the movie needed to make an "unachievable" $425 million worldwide just to break even.
Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently commented on the film’s struggles. He explained that many viewers thought they had to watch tons of previous MCU content to understand Thunderbolts, which wasn’t true. This misconception likely hurt its box office performance.
Conclusion – A Year of Mixed Results
Overall, 2025 was a mixed but mostly positive year for superhero movies. While some films didn’t perform well financially, critics and fans have generally enjoyed what the genre had to offer. The year highlighted both the strengths and challenges of the superhero film landscape, setting the stage for future releases.
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