The X-Men franchise, under the Fox banner, experienced a rollercoaster ride since its inception, marked distinctly by the contrast between X-Men: Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants. Launched in 2000, the X-Men films initially captured audiences’ hearts and generated significant financial success. Iconic portrayals by actors such as Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Patrick Stewart as Professor X became synonymous with the franchise, solidifying its place in cinematic history.
As the franchise progressed, however, competition from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) began to overshadow Fox’s efforts, leading to a desperate scramble to maintain relevance. Despite the rocky performance of the Wolverine trilogy, Fox managed to recover with the critically acclaimed X-Men: Days of Future Past. Unfortunately, this upward trajectory proved unsustainable, culminating in the release of the franchise’s last two films, which were met with considerable criticism and financial disappointment.
Dark Phoenix: A Controversial Conclusion to the Franchise
An Inconsistent End for a Rebooted Franchise
Released in 2019, Dark Phoenix serves as the series’ final chapter but was met with a lukewarm reception. Following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, the decision to rehash a storyline already explored in X-Men: The Last Stand felt misplaced and ultimately unsatisfying. The film stands as the lowest-rated installment in the Fox X-Men Universe, garnering a dismal 22% from critics, who shredded its lack of cohesion and engagement.
Contrastingly, audiences seemed to appreciate the movie more, reflecting a 64% approval rating on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes. This divide between critics and the general audience highlighted a dichotomy: while professionals criticized the execution and repetitive nature of the narrative, many viewers enjoyed the action-packed sequences and engaging plot, as evidenced by its box office performance.
Box Office Performance: Dark Phoenix vs. The New Mutants
The New Mutants: A Box Office Disaster
Dark Phoenix managed to pull in approximately $246 million at the global box office. While this figure pales in comparison to blockbusters that exceed $500 million, within the X-Men franchise, it closely trailed iconic releases like X-Men and X-Men: First Class (according to The Numbers). In stark contrast, The New Mutants, which debuted a year later in 2020, netted a mere $47 million, making it the lowest-grossing film in the Marvel catalog.
| Movie | Production Budget | Box Office |
|---|---|---|
| X-Men: Dark Phoenix | $200,000,000 | $246,356,895 |
| The New Mutants | $67,000,000 | $47,535,251 |
A comparison of the production budgets reveals stark disparities; The New Mutants was created with a modest budget, yet it did not achieve sufficient ticket sales. Despite Dark Phoenix’s substantial budget, the earnings over just $45 million more than its counterpart were disappointing when considering marketing costs, which likely put both films in the red. Notably, The New Mutants failed to recover its production costs, marking it as a financial flop.
Factors Behind Dark Phoenix’s Superior Box Office Performance
Strategic Prioritization by Fox
Despite its poor reception, Dark Phoenix was significant as it concluded a four-part saga, benefitting from a dedicated fanbase. While critics expressed disappointment, audiences appeared to embrace the film’s climactic action and extensive storytelling, reflecting a contrasting viewpoint from industry critics. The marketing push behind Dark Phoenix was likely another factor contributing to its comparative success.
On the other hand, The New Mutants underwent a tumultuous production process, having been completed in 2017. Reshoots were originally planned but fell victim to the complications of Disney acquiring Fox, relegating the film to a secondary status. After years of delays, it was released with inadequate marketing and a less-than-ideal cut, leading to its poor performance. Although the movie had the potential to pioneer a fresh superhero team within the X-Men framework, timing and execution ultimately derailed its potential impact at the box office.