The Return of Superhero Fatigue

After over a decade of superhero domination at the global box office, 2024 marks a pivotal year where the once unstoppable juggernaut of superhero films and television is showing signs of slowing down. While the genre is far from fading away, an increasing number of moviegoers and television viewers are expressing what many are calling “superhero fatigue.”
This fatigue comes after a staggering wave of Marvel, DC, and other comic book adaptations that have flooded screens in recent years. While films like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home were colossal hits, recent offerings from both Marvel and DC have not enjoyed the same levels of critical acclaim or box office success. Films like The Flash and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania were met with mixed reviews, and while they still made money, the long-term buzz around superhero content has noticeably dulled.
Television series based on comic book properties have also contributed to this trend. Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy and Disney+’s Secret Invasion were both examples of shows that didn’t live up to fan expectations, contributing to the growing sense of disillusionment. The overwhelming amount of superhero content, whether in theaters or on streaming platforms, has led many audiences to feel that they have reached a saturation point. The market is flooded, and the special appeal of these larger-than-life characters is starting to feel less special.
It’s not just viewers who are growing weary. Many of the actors and creators behind superhero franchises are speaking out about the exhaustion that comes with working on long-running, highly scrutinized projects. A number of high-profile stars have expressed a desire to step away from their superhero roles, as the sheer pressure and commitment to multi-film and series contracts take their toll.
However, despite this fatigue, superhero content is far from over. The genre remains one of the most lucrative, and studios continue to pour resources into new projects. The upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4 and The Batman: The Long Halloween are expected to perform well, yet there’s a growing understanding in Hollywood that, in order to maintain the genre’s appeal, creators must evolve the stories, inject fresh ideas, and give audiences more variety in how superhero narratives are told.
In 2024, the challenge for the superhero genre lies in reinvigorating itself by exploring new creative directions that push the boundaries of what these films and shows can be. Will superhero fatigue usher in a new wave of innovation, or will audiences continue to look for other types of stories to engage with? Only time will tell.