Box Office: 3 reasons why Captain America Brave New World won't be seen as a success despite reasonably good collections

Despite decent earnings, Brave New World’s weak reception and franchise fatigue signal challenges for the Captain America legacy, affecting future Marvel investments.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 05, 2025 | 04:21 PM IST | 27.6K

Picture Courtesy: Disney

Captain America: Brave New World debuted to mixed reviews from critics and limited buzz among fans, thanks to the not-so-aggressive promotional campaign from Marvel. A few days among audiences only exacerbated the standing of the offering, courtesy of unfavorable word-of-mouth and modest-than-usual ticket sales, despite the boost from the Valentine’s Day holiday period followed by the President's Day vacation. Regardless, the February 14 debut has managed to post a respectable global cume of USD 342 million. However, here’s why we think the critical failure of the venture outweighs its dignified commercial show.

Expectations from a Marvel Movie

Marvel has built a reputation for delivering billion-dollar hits, especially for its major superhero titles. However, in recent years, the studio has struggled to maintain the same level of box office dominance. With Brave New World, the challenge was even bigger for the loft to deliver a giant, given Chris Evans wasn’t returning as the titular character in the film.

Evans’ Steve Rogers had defined the role of CapAm and had almost become synonymous with the character, hence Anthony Mackie's take as the shield-wielding hero wasn’t embraced by viewers.

The movie also fell short of expectations in terms of reviving the failing superhero genre amid the lackluster performance of the class in recent years. Offerings like Kraven the Hunter, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Madame Web all posted poor numbers at the box office. Marvel will be hoping for a turnaround from Spider-Man 4 now.

Sequel to an IP as popular as Captain America

Captain America 4 underperformed at the box office compared to its predecessors, to the point that even breaking even for the film has become a struggle. For a movie made on a USD 180 million budget, minus marketing costs, it was essential for Brave New World to rake in at least USD 400–450 million, a milestone that has proved difficult to reach. It won’t be a surprise if Marvel redefines the franchise or drops it altogether, given Evans has iterated his retirement from the role forever on several occasions.

Previous films in the Captain America franchise, with Evans as the headliner, posted worldwide collections in the range of USD 700 million to USD 1.15 billion, except for the debut installment, which settled for USD 370 million worldwide.

Reduces investment from Non-MCU fans

Brave New World’s underperformance weakens the MCU brand appeal. The lackluster box office run of the film signals declining audience interest, making casual, non-MCU fans hesitant to invest time or money in future Marvel projects. If the film fails to meet expectations, it can discourage non-devoted fans who rely on reviews and market buzz before deciding to watch a movie, which seems to be the case with the latest installment.

Essentially, all these factors combined make it easier for non-MCU fans to disengage from the franchise or even the Marvel brand altogether.