Blue Beetle was released in theaters on August 18 and received generally positive reviews from critics. But the movie didn’t get the box office reception it deserved. Despite some positive word of mouth helping the movie gain traction, the film is destined to end its box office run with only a measly profit. This is a disappointment for DC Studios, especially considering that Blue Beetle was their first critically well-received film since The Batman in 2022.
With two bombed projects this year, the DCEU is signing off on a really bad note. Previously, the three superhero films – Black Adam in 2022, and The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods in 2023 – incurred large financial losses for the studio.
Blue Beetle Is Expected To End With Some Profit
Following the scrapping of the DCEU, questions were raised by fans about the relevance of Blue Beetle in James Gunn’s DCU. Gunn confirmed that Blue Beetle would be the first DCU superhero and that the movie would be disconnected from the DCEU, though it might connect to the DCU. However, The Suicide Squad director clarified that Superman: Legacy would be the first movie in the DCU franchise.
Upon release, the film’s box office performance was lackluster despite its positive reviews. The film is projected to collect $130-$155 million before becoming digitally available on September 26, 2023, ending its theatrical run. Considering the film was made on a budget of $104 million and promotional costs were way less than The Flash or Fury of the Gods, it will yield a marginal profit for the studio.
Gunn’s assurances did no good to the film’s hype as the film remained largely overlooked by the masses. Due to SAG-AFTRA strikes, actors could not actively promote the film, and the studio almost gave up on any promotional efforts. The film was predicted to bomb at the box office, potentially worse than its predecessors. However, DC alum Zack Snyder came in support of the movie, helping to some extent.
Blue Beetle Might Surpass Shazam! Sequel’s Box Office Number
The disastrous Shazam! Fury of the Gods managed to collect only $134 million during its theatrical run. Blue Beetle is expected to beat the Zachary Levi starrer to become the second highest-grossing DC film of the year. It’s a less-than-ideal position considering the highest-grossing film is The Flash, another disappointing outing from the studio.
Interestingly, one of DCEU’s most hated films, the David Ayer-directed Suicide Squad, had a better opening day box office performance at $64.8 million than the upper-end profit projection for Blue Beetle. Even with the generally negative reviews, the star-studded film went on to collect $746 at the box office. The fate of Ángel Manuel Soto’s film is disheartening for hardcore DC fans who hoped for a comeback from the studio under James Gunn.
Blue Beetle will be available for streaming on Max from September 26, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Handle – X
