This Summer at the Movies, Superheroes Return

Summer begins early in Hollywood, on the first weekend in May. This year, superheroes are a vital part of the mix

- Agencies

Superman already has a lot on his broad shoulders. It seems unfair to add the fate of Hollywood to his worries. But that's the kind of pressure that comes with being one of the biggest stars in the comic book universe, who is getting a grand reintroduction at a tumultuous time. Thankfully he's not doing it alone—Marvel Studios is also returning to theaters in a big way with two movies this summer, Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Five years after the covid pandemic brought movie business to a halt, and two years after the strikes, the industry has yet to fully recover. Critics may have complained of superhero fatigue, but after several summers of depleted offerings, it's clear that they're a vital part of the mix—especially when they're good.

The $4 billion summer of "Barbenheimer" may be most remembered for those two movies, but it didn't get to that number without the Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man movies, the second-and third-highest grossing of the season.

Summer begins early in Hollywood, on the first weekend in May. That 123-day corridor has historically accounted for around 40% of the annual box office. Last year was the first in many that didn't launch with a Marvel film and it showed—the business limped along for weeks until Disney came to the rescue with Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine.

This year, the powerful studio is back in that familiar spot with Thunderbolts, which brings together misfits and antiheroes. "It's a fun twist on what a movie like this could be," said director Jake Schreier.