Marvel, Star Wars & DC Fans Are Finally Admitting What’s Wrong with Their Favorite Franchises

For years, Marvel, DC and Star Wars were almost impossible to beat at the box office. These franchises could turn almost any new movie into a major event. But lately, things have changed.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Variety spoke with fans about why they think these once-dominant franchises are having a harder time connecting with audiences. Their answers were different, but many pointed to the same problems: too much content, weaker movies, confusing creative choices and studios relying too heavily on familiar characters.

DC fans, for example, are still trying to figure out what James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe will become. One fan, John from Oklahoma City, was especially blunt when asked about Supergirl.

“I think the new ‘Supergirl’ sucks,” he told Variety. He also argued that DC should stop trying to compete with Marvel and instead build an identity of its own.

Not every DC fan at Comic-Con was so negative. Nathan, a 28-year-old from Los Angeles dressed as Lobo, said he was initially worried Gunn would make Superman feel too much like Guardians of the Galaxy. After watching the movie, however, he changed his mind and said he “loved” it.

Nathan believes DC’s biggest opportunity is giving filmmakers room to make movies that feel different from one another. He pointed to the upcoming Clayface movie, which is expected to take a horror approach, as a good example.

He also questioned the decision to rely heavily on audience testing. Referring to reports that DC considered different versions of Supergirl before release, Nathan said, “general audiences don’t know what they want.” In his view, studios should sometimes trust a filmmaker’s vision instead of changing a movie based on early reactions.

Star Wars fans had their own complaints. Jermaine, a 36-year-old Los Angeles fan who built a massive 14-foot lightsaber cosplay, told Variety that he remains hopeful about the franchise. He called Andor a “masterpiece,” even while admitting that recent Star Wars movies have been a “mixed bag.”

Kyle, a 29-year-old Rebel Commando cosplayer, thinks Disney+ may actually be part of the problem. He believes the huge amount of Star Wars content on the streaming service has made the franchise feel oversaturated.

“It feels like they’re trying to push things out onto a streaming service rather than actually make something grand and adventurous,” Kyle said.

Marvel fans seemed more hopeful, especially after the studio’s huge Hall H presentation. Cameron, a 34-year-old Cyclops cosplayer, described Marvel as being in an exciting transition, while Spider-Man fan Nate said he was “super excited” about Avengers: Doomsday.

Still, not everyone was convinced. Jordan, a 33-year-old fan, told Variety that Marvel’s brand remains healthy thanks to projects like X-Men ’97 and Marvel Rivals, but she isn’t impressed with the studio’s current direction. She specifically criticized the lack of women in Avengers: Doomsday.

Then there are fans who think the bigger problem goes beyond any one franchise. Crystal, a former TV editor, blamed streaming for changing the way audiences experience entertainment.

“Streaming really destroyed a lot,” she told Variety, arguing that audiences no longer experience major shows and movies together as part of the same culture.

That may be the biggest challenge facing Marvel, DC and Star Wars. These franchises once felt like shared cultural events. Now, with endless streaming shows, constant releases and audiences becoming more divided, simply having a famous character isn’t enough.

And perhaps Ruby, a San Francisco construction worker, summed up the frustration best after Marvel’s Comic-Con presentation. She enjoyed the surprises but remained cautious.

“So, it’s really cool to see ‘Ghost Rider,’ but are we gonna get ‘Ghost Rider?’ I’m still waiting for ‘Blade.’”

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!