Marvel Studios
"Avengers: Endgame"
- The Marvel Cinematic Universe kickstarted a trend and changed the way studios think about blockbuster filmmaking. But similar franchises haven't been able to replicate its success.
- Some have course corrected, such as Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe, which is now focusing more on standalone stories.
- Others were dead on arrival, like Universal's Dark Universe, which flopped right out of the gate with 2017's "The Mummy."
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When "Iron Man" hit theaters in 2008, it kickstarted what had never been done before: a cinematic universe of connected superhero movies that would eventually culminate in events like "Avengers: Endgame."
The Marvel Cinematic Universe had a few stumbles in the beginning. Its first few movies - such as "The Incredible Hulk" and "Thor" - were neither critical darlings or box-office smashes. But since 2012's "Avengers," which grossed over $1 billion globally, the MCU hasn't slowed down. All 22 movies have grossed over $20 billion combined worldwide.
The MCU proved what a successful cinematic universe could do, and others tried to follow in its footsteps. Their efforts have seen mixed results.
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Granted, it's hard to compare other cinematic universes - whether they are currently running, in the works, or were instant flops - to the MCU. Disney and Marvel Studios have landed on a winning formula that no other studio has replicated. But it's impossible to deny the impact the franchise has had on how studios think about blockbuster filmmaking, especially seeing how "Avengers: Endgame" has performed at the box office (spoiler: it's the second biggest movie of all time).
Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe is the easiest franchise to compare to the MCU, in that it took superheroes who had never appeared together on screen before and put them in the same movies. But after several critical misfires and the franchise's answer to "The Avengers," "Justice League," disappointing at the box office, Warner Bros. has course corrected with successes like "Aquaman" and "Shazam!"
Other potential universes didn't live long enough to get that opportunity. Universal's "Dark Universe," based on its classic monsters like Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman, began and died with 2017's "The Mummy," which tanked with audiences and critics alike.
Below are 8 cinematic universes that aren't the MCU, and what their status is: