Mighty hits, megaflops, and everything in between
Superheroes they fly high and fight baddies on the big screen, and their box office conquests often soar right along with them.
Still, even the mightiest crime fighters are prone to missteps, as the spandex-clad warriors at the center of 2015’sFantastic Four, 2005’sElektra, and 2004’sCatwomancan all attest.
From the biggest flops to some of the sturdiest moneymakers in movie history, check out how contemporary superhero flicks have fared at the box office in the gallery ahead.
Clay Enos/Warner Bros.; Zade Rosenthal/Marvel; Everett Collection; Chuck Zlotnick/Sony Pictures
Marvels The Avengers(2012)
Directed by:Joss Whedon
Starring:Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson
Domestic gross:$623,357,910
International gross:$895,455,078
Total:$1,518,812,988
Avengers: Age of Ultron(2015)
Starring:Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
Domestic gross:$459,005,868
International gross:$946,397,826
Total:$1,405,403,694
Iron Man 3(2013)
Directed by:Shane Black
Starring:Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow
Domestic gross:$409,013,994
International gross:$805,797,258
Total:$1,214,811,252
Captain America: Civil War(2016)
Directed by:Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring:Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson
Domestic gross:$408,084,349
International gross:$745,220,146
Total:$1,153,304,495
The Dark Knight Rises(2012)
Directed by:Christopher Nolan
Starring:Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy
Domestic gross:$448,139,099
International gross:$636,800,000
Total:$1,084,939,099
The Dark Knight(2008)
Starring:Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine
Domestic gross:$534,858,444
International gross:$469,700,000
Total:$1,004,558,444
Spider-Man 3(2007)
Directed by:Sam Raimi
Starring:Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace
Domestic gross:$336,530,303
International gross:$554,341,323
Total:$890,871,626
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice(2016)
Directed by:Zack Snyder
Starring:Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams
Domestic gross:$330,360,194
International gross:$542,900,000
Total:$873,260,194
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
2(2017)
Directed by:James Gunn
Starring:Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel
Domestic gross:$389,813,101
International gross:$473,727,075
Total:$863,540,176
Spider-Man(2002)
Starring:Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe
Domestic gross:$403,706,375
International gross:$418,002,176
Total:$821,708,551
Wonder Woman(2017)
Directed by:Patty Jenkins
Starring:Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright
Domestic gross:$412,534,079
International gross:$409,100,000
Total:$821,634,079
Spider-Man 2(2004)
Starring:Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco
Domestic gross:$373,585,825
International gross:$410,180,516
Total:$783,766,341
Deadpool(2016)
Directed by:Tim Miller
Starring:Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller
Domestic gross:$363,070,709
International gross:$420,042,270
Total:$783,112,979
Guardians of the Galaxy(2014)
Starring:Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper
Domestic gross:$333,176,600
International gross:$440,152,029
Total:$773,328,629
The Amazing Spider-Man(2012)
Directed by:Marc Webb
Starring:Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Sally Field
Domestic gross:$262,030,663
International gross:$495,900,000
Total:$757,930,663
X-Men: Days of Future Past(2014)
Directed by:Bryan Singer
Starring:Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence
Domestic gross:$233,921,534
International gross:$513,941,241
Total:$747,862,775
Suicide Squad(2016)
Directed by:David Ayer
Starring:Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie
Domestic gross:$325,100,054
International gross:$420,500,000
Total:$745,600,054
Captain America: The Winter Soldier(2014)
Starring:Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson
Domestic gross:$259,766,572
International gross:$454,497,695
Total: $714,264,267
The Amazing Spider-Man 2(2014)
Starring:Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx
Domestic gross:$202,853,933
International gross:$506,128,390
Total:$708,982,323
Doctor Strange(2016)
Directed by:Scott Derrickson
Starring:Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams
Domestic gross:$232,641,920
International gross:$445,076,475
Total:$677,718,395
Man of Steel(2013)
Starring:Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon
Domestic gross:$291,045,518
International gross:$377,000,000
Total:$668,045,518
Thor: The Dark World(2013)
Directed by:Alan Taylor
Starring:Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
Domestic gross:$206,362,140
International gross:$438,209,262
Total:$644,571,402
Iron Man 2(2010)
Directed by:Jon Favreau
Starring:Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow
Domestic gross:$312,433,331
International gross:$311,500,000
Total:$623,933,331
Logan(2017)
Directed by:James Mangold
Starring:Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen
Domestic gross:$226,209,526
International gross:$389,354,949
Total:$615,586,021
Iron Man(2008)
Starring:Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard
Domestic gross:$318,412,101
International gross:$266,762,121
Total:$585,174,121
X-Men: Apocalypse(2016)
Starring:James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
Domestic gross:$155,442,489
International gross:$388,492,298
Total:$543,934,787
Ant-Man(2015)
Directed by:Peyton Reed
Starring:Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly
Domestic gross:$180,202,163
International gross:$339,109,802
Total:$519,311,965
X-Men: The Last Stand(2006)
Directed by:Brett Ratner
Starring:Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry
Domestic gross:$234,362,462
International gross:$224,997,093
Total:$459,359,555
Thor(2011)
Directed by:Kenneth Branagh
Starring:Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman
Domestic gross:$181,030,624
International gross:$268,295,994
Total:$449,326,618
The Wolverine(2013)
Starring:Hugh Jackman, Rila Fukushima, Tao Okamoto
Domestic gross:$132,556,852
International gross:$282,271,394
Total:$414,828,246
X2: X-Men United(2003)
Starring:Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry
Domestic gross:$214,949,694
International gross:$192,761,855
Total:$407,711,549
Superman Returns(2006)
Starring:Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth
Domestic gross:$200,081,192
International gross:$191,000,000
Total:$391,081,192
Batman Begins(2005)
Starring:Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes
Domestic gross:$206,852,432
International gross:$167,366,241
Total:$374,218,673
X-Men Origins: Wolverine(2009)
Directed by:Gavin Hood
Starring:Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds
Domestic gross:$179,883,157
International gross:$193,179,707
Total:$373,062,864
Captain America: The First Avenger(2011)
Directed by:Joe Johnston
Starring:Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson
Domestic gross:$176,654,505
International gross:$193,915,269
Total:$370,569,774
X-Men: First Class(2011)
Directed by:Matthew Vaughn
Domestic gross:$146,408,305
International gross:$207,215,819
Total:$353,624,124
Fantastic Four(2005)
Directed by:Tim Story
Starring:Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Jessica Alba
Domestic gross:$154,696,080
International gross:$175,883,639
Total:$330,579,719
The LEGO Batman Movie(2017)
Directed by:Chris McKay
Starring:Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson
Domestic gross:$175,750,384
International gross:$135,100,000
Total:$310,850,384
X-Men(2000)
Domestic gross:$157,299,717
International gross:$139,039,810
Total:$296,339,527
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer(2007)
Starring:Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans
Domestic gross:$131,921,738
International gross:$131,921,738
Total:$289,047,763
The Incredible Hulk(2008)
Directed by:Louis Leterrier
Starring:Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth
Domestic gross:$134,806,913
International gross:$128,620,638
Total:$263,427,551
Hulk(2003)
Directed by:Ang Lee
Starring:Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott
Domestic gross:$132,177,234
International gross:$113,183,246
Total:$245,360,480
Ghost Rider(2007)
Directed by:Mark Steven Johnson
Starring:Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Sam Elliott
Domestic gross:$115,802,596
International gross:$112,935,797
Total:$228,738,393
The Green Hornet(2011)
Directed by:Michel Gondry
Starring:Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz
Domestic gross:$98,780,042
International gross:$129,037,206
Total:$227,817,248
Green Lantern(2011)
Directed by:Martin Campbell
Starring:Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard
Domestic gross:$116,601,172
International gross:$103,250,000
Total:$219,851,172
Daredevil(2003)
Starring:Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell
Domestic gross:$102,543,518
International gross:$76,636,200
Total:$179,179,718
Fantastic Four(2015)
Directed by:Josh Trank
Starring:Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan
Domestic gross:$56,117,548
International gross:$111,860,048
Total:$167,977,596
Hellboy II: The Golden Army(2008)
Directed by:Guillermo del Toro
Starring:Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones
Domestic gross:$75,986,503
International gross:$84,401,560
Total:$160,388,063
Blade II(2002)
Starring:Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman
Domestic gross:$82,348,319
International gross:$72,661,713
Total:$155,010,032
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance(2012)
Directed by:Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Starring:Nicolas Cage, Ciaran Hinds, Idris Elba
Domestic gross:$51,774,002
International gross:$80,789,928
Total:$132,563,930
Blade: Trinity(2004)
Directed by:David S. Goyer
Starring:Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Parker Posey
Domestic gross:$52,411,906
International gross:$76,493,460
Total:$128,905,366
Hellboy(2004)
Starring:Ron Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair
Domestic gross:$59,623,958
International gross:$39,695,029
Total:$99,318,987
Catwoman(2004)
Directed by:Pitof
Starring:Halle Berry, Sharon Stone, Benjamin Bratt
Domestic gross:$40,202,379
International gross:$41,900,000
Total:$82,102,379
Elektra(2005)
Directed by:Rob Bowman
Starring:Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Terence Stamp
Domestic gross:$24,409,722
International gross:$32,271,844
Total:$56,681,566
The Punisher(2004)
Directed by:Jonathan Hensleigh
Starring:Thomas Jane, John Travolta, Samantha Mathis
Domestic gross:$33,810,189
International gross:$20,889,916
Total:$54,700,105
Punisher: War Zone(2008)
Directed by:Lexi Alexander
Starring:Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz
Domestic gross:$8,050,977
International gross:$2,049,059
Total:$10,100,036
Marvel/Disney
Marvel/Disney
Marvel/Disney
Disney/Marvel
Ron Phillips/Warner Bros.
Stephen Vaughan
Marvel Studios
Everett Collection
Marvel Studios
Everett Collection
Clay Enos/Warner Bros.
Everett Collection
Joe Lederer/Marvel/FOX
Marvel
Andrew Garfield in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’.Everett Collection
Alan Markfield/20th Century Fox
Clay Enos/Warner Bros.
Zade Rosenthal/Marvel
Columbia Pictures/Everett Collection
Jay Maidment/©2016 Marvel
Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Man of Steel’.Clay Enos/Warner Bros
Jay Maidment/Marvel Studios
Industrial Light & Magic/Marvel
Everett Collection
Paramount/Everett Collection
20th Century Fox
Zade Rosenthal/Disney
Kerry Hayes
Zade Rosenthal/Marvel Studios
Kerry Hayes/Fox
David James/Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
James Fisher/20th Century Fox
Everett Collection
Everett Collection
Kerry Hayes
Warner Bros. Pictures
Attila Dory/20th Century Fox
WETA/20th Century Fox
Michael Gibson/Universal
ILM/Universal
Sony Pictures
Jaimie Trueblood/Columbia Pictures
Warner Bros.
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Universal
Everett Collection
Columbia Pictures
New Line
Everett Collection
Everett Collection
Doane Gregory/20th Century Fox
Everett Collection
Everett Collection
