2025’s Marvel and DC films are an undeniably entertaining roster – but they’re a selection that it seems could’ve benefitted the world of superhero movies better several years prior. The MCU timeline and the now just-blossoming DCU timeline both depict universes that millions flock to see in cinemas, but recent history has been a complicated time for them both.

Though it’s clear to see that the superhero genre is still a titan for the world of cinema, the past few years have seen this territory split between major wins and suboptimal critical and commercial results. With this landscape in mind, 2025’s movie releases seem especially wise, and largely the kind of films that perhaps could’ve helped Marvel and DC’s on-screen trajectories years before now.

2025’s Marvel & DC Movies Would’ve Been A Truly Perfect Way To Kick Off The Post-Endgame Landscape For Superhero Movies

Following the 2019 release of Avengers: Endgame, superhero movie fans were split between those who were enraptured with this chapter of the genre’s film history and excited to see what came next, and those who were satisfied with this chapter being a “finale” for the genre for them.

As such, the superhero genre had more pressure on it than ever in some ways after the film’s release in order to try and capture the attention of both groups – and this pressure was only further solidified with both the MCU and the then-DCEU’s release trajectories being pushed back with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ideally, the kind of releases that seem as though they could have best wrested audience interest back in the superhero genre would have been movies that reflected this fresh start concept, and were most clearly emblematic of the direction the genre’s new future would be going in after such a climactic release.

Perhaps ironically, all of 2025’s superhero movies would’ve been perfect for this criteria. Superman is most obviously a fresh start by way of kicking off the DCU, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Thunderbolts*, and Captain America: Brave New World all also focus on the concepts of new teams, or otherwise a character getting their first solo movie after taking on a major hero mantle.

Marvel & DC’s 2025 Movie Roster Can Still Bring Both Franchises Back On Track

2025’s movie roster arriving considerably after the wake of Avengers: Endgame does appear to have paved a more complex path for the superhero genre – since there’s a notable gap of time wherein plans for both the MCU and DC were more unclear, which divided audiences and suggested to some the genre would never reach these heights again. However, the fact 2025’s films exist now speaks volumes.

Ultimately, the focus of 2025’s superhero movie roster was on building trust back with audiences, and on showing that both Marvel and DC can provide films that feel like a fresh start, but still contain all the things we’ve come to love about seeing these comic worlds brought onto the big screen.

This should theoretically resonate now as well as it would have years ago, even if circumstances have changed. 2025’s financial results suggest this is indeed the case, as this superhero movie selection can still be seen to dominate the list of the top grossing films of the year.

Though the genre has a tumultuous past few years to contend with, the positive critical reception to films like Superman supports the idea that 2025 can still be the year that brings both Marvel and DC back on track – especially given the way both the MCU and DCU have used the year to set up even bigger things for their individual futures.