DC Studios was hopeful that their Hispanic superhero would bring in the big bucks. However, "Blue Beetle," didn't go as well as planned. The movie, starring Xolo Maridueña, grossed only $43 million worldwide in its opening weekend. In the U.S. it grossed more than $25 million. It grossed an additional $18 million internationally, according to data provided by Box Office Mojo.
The numbers were enough to put the movie in the number one spot at the box office this past weekend in the United States, surpassing both "Barbie," which had the top spot for the previous five weeks, and "Oppenheimer." However, "Blue Beetle" is DC Studio's least-grossing movie in its first weekend, well below "Shazam: Fury of the Gods" and "The Flash" which grossed $30.1 million and $55 million, respectively.
Is 'Blue Beetle' proof that superhero movies are becoming less popular in theaters?
The amount the movie made certainly doesn't seem promising when compared to what DC Studios spent to make the movie. According to data from The Hollywood Reporter, the movie had a budget of $100 million and that doesn't include what Warner Bros. spent on marketing which has not yet been disclosed. Screenrant reported that "Blue Beetle" needs to make about $240 million to be considered profitable, a number that may be difficult considering its first run at the box office.
The movie's opening weekend may be proof that the comic book genre is reaching the end of an era in theaters. David A. Gross, director of the consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, explained to Variety:
After a dozen nearly flawless years, the comic book genre has performed unevenly during the last 3-and-a-half years. We’re going to know more about superheroes in November and December. 'Aquaman 2' and 'The Marvels' will determine the state of superheroes in 2023 and going forward.
