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In today’s cinematic climate, superhero films are practically synonymous with box office success. Franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe have produced billion-dollar behemoths with increasing regularity, turning caped crusaders and armored geniuses into global brands. For some characters, just showing up in a crossover is enough to secure a box office windfall. Yet, despite the genre’s dominance and years of audience loyalty, not all iconic heroes have managed to cross that elusive billion-dollar mark, not even the ones you’d expect.
You might assume that characters as legendary as Superman or as beloved as Thor have billion-dollar hits tucked under their utility belts. But in reality, they fall short of the milestone that even newer heroes or team-ups have managed to conquer. It’s not for lack of popularity, either. These heroes have loyal fan bases, strong solo stories, and pop culture relevance. So what’s stopping them?
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Thor is a cornerstone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s been wielding Mjölnir and cracking skulls since 2011, appearing in four solo films, the only MCU character to do so. Yet none of his standalone adventures have breached the billion-dollar ceiling. The closest was Thor: Ragnarok, which ended its theatrical run with $854 million globally. Impressive, but not quite there. Thor thrives in ensemble films, particularly Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War, but as a solo act, he still hasn’t reached the top tier of box office legends.
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Superman’s case is even more puzzling. He’s the blueprint, the original superhero. Yet, Man of Steel, his last major solo outing, earned a modest $668 million. While successful, it fell far short of the billion-dollar benchmark. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had him sharing the spotlight and still couldn’t crack it. For a character with decades of cultural dominance, the lack of a billion-dollar film remains one of cinema’s great ironies.
These two heroes are not the only surprises on this list, though. In Marvel, both Doctor Strange and Hulk have had their own solo movies, but neither crossed the billion-dollar mark. Furthermore, the X-Men team came close, earning as much as $746 million with Days of Future Past. The Fantastic Four is another team that has yet to enter that club.
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On the DC side, iconic characters like Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Shazam are also still awaiting their first billion-dollar films. Even their flagship team, the Justice League, fell short of the milestone in its only outing in 2017.
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Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
For more such stories, check out Hollywood News
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