Despite the fact that many of the best superhero films have sequels, some Marvel and DC sequels couldn’t match the enchantment of their predecessors.

Marvel and DC superhero movie sequels all too frequently fall short of the success of their forerunners. Marvel and DC Comics characters have been the subject of feature films created by numerous production studios for decades. Some of these films have had a significant cultural impact, while others have been quite underwhelming. This responsibility typically rests on the shoulders of the sequels to some of the most well-known superhero movies because sequels have the more difficult task of telling a compelling tale while striving to match the success of the original movie.

Superman III

In 1973, Alexander and Ilya Salkind acquired the film rights to DC’s Superman, and they immediately got to work on creating a series of movies in which Christopher Reeve played the Man of Steel. While the films Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980) received positive reviews, 1983’s Superman III was a huge letdown. Many people felt that the performance of comedian Richard Pryor as tech prodigy Gus Gorman detracted from the more somber tone of the first two films. Superman III barely made around $80 million, compared to the earlier films’ $300 million and $190 million box office hauls, despite a fourth movie starring Christopher Reeve still being created, bringing the saga to an end.

Thor: The Dark World

Despite its box office success, many people still believe Thor: The Dark World to be one of the MCU’s poorest entries. Alan Taylor replaced Kenneth Branagh, who had directed the 2011 picture Thor, as director of the 2013 movie, which was released in Phase 2 after The Avengers. Although Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston’s performances were appreciated, there were many concerns about the lackluster narrative and lack of personality, which Taika Waititi would provide in Spades to Thor: Ragnarok. Up to the 2021 release of Eternals, Thor: The Dark World had the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of any MCU movie.

Blade: Trinity

Wesley Snipes played Eric Brooks in the 1998 movie Blade, a Dhampir (a human with vampire strengths but none of the weaknesses), which is frequently recognised as Marvel’s first commercially successful picture. A more controversial sequel, Blade II, was nonetheless a box office success in 2002, but Blade: Trinity in 2004 put an end to the series. Blade: Trinity received harsh criticism for its predictable themes, shoddy direction, campiness, and disjointed plot, which ultimately resulted in the cancellation of numerous planned spinoffs. In 2024, Mahershala Ali will play the role as a part of the MCU’s Blade relaunch, allowing spectators to hopefully put Blade: Trinity’s dismal ending behind them once and for all.

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which was released in 2016, was an attempt by Batman v Superman filmmaker Zack Snyder to further the DC Extended Universe after the success of Man of Steel. On paper, pairing Superman and Batman for a movie should have worked, but the film’s overpowering special effects, moody atmosphere, and Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of a weirdly manic Lex Luthor all drew criticism. Despite being a movie office hit, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice experienced a staggering 81.2% dip in its second week despite facing any significant competition. The DCEU would attempt to recover for years, but in the end failed because the franchise will be restarted following the release of The Flash in 2023.

Robin and Batman

Not only is 1997’s Batman & Robin regarded as one of the worst big-budget pictures ever made, but is also one of the most disappointing superhero sequels. Every scene in the George Clooney-starring DC adaption was filled with tongue-in-cheek jokes, campiness, and frenzied quips that swamped any sense of a plot. In stark contrast to the DC Comics source material, later superhero films, like Batman & Robin, have been praised by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige for teaching filmmakers exactly what not to do. Joel Schumacher even expressed regret and accepted full responsibility for the movie’s bad image 20 years after its first release.

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