What's the biggest Marvel flop?

Marvel’s Biggest Box Office Flop? It’s Not What You Think

When people ask about Marvel’s biggest flop, the answer isn’t always about quality. Sometimes, a great film just doesn’t meet sky-high expectations. While movies like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Eternals underperformed at the box office, one title stands out: Eternals.

Directed by Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao, Eternals was a bold, ambitious swing. It introduced cosmic beings with deep ties to human history, blending grand visuals with intimate storytelling. But despite its $200 million budget and critical acclaim from some corners, it only grossed around $400 million worldwide — a number that sounds impressive until you compare it to other Phase 4 entries. In the Marvel universe, where billion-dollar returns are the norm, that counts as a disappointment.

Other films on the "flop" list, like Thor (2008) or Captain America: The First Avenger, weren’t financial disasters at the time — in fact, they laid the groundwork for the Avengers. Today’s so-called flops often stem from inflated expectations rather than actual failure. Even Black Widow, which faced pandemic-related release chaos and a simultaneous Disney+ drop, made over $370 million — but Marvel’s internal benchmarks are now stratospheric.

Looking ahead, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* face pressure to revive momentum. But box office numbers don’t tell the whole story. Some of Marvel’s most beloved characters started in films deemed "underperforming." The real test isn’t just opening weekend — it’s legacy.