The X-Men Movie That Made The Least Amount Of Money In Theaters
Iconic characters from Marvel Comics have been jumping off the page and gracing the silver screen for years now. These heroes have had their own television series and blockbuster movies that have gone over incredibly well with audiences everywhere. In fact, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with 2008's "Iron Man," is now the highest-grossing film franchise of all time (via Box Office Mojo). The superhero genre that exploded in the 2000s has progressed to an unprecedented level today. Studios love them because they often make hundreds of millions of dollars — even billions in the case of "Avengers: Endgame."
A few Marvel movies prior to "Iron Man" featured characters who haven't shown up yet in MCU continuity — including The Fantastic Four and of course, The X-Men. The early 2000s featured films for both sets of heroes, although "The Fantastic Four" series hit an abrupt stop after two decently received movies and one poorly received reboot in 2015. Although, for The X-Men, films featuring the team and especially Hugh Jackman's Wolverine have continued to make waves at the box office and in critical reviews. The two "Deadpool" movies are also technically part of the "X-Men" franchise, along with 2020's "The New Mutants."
The "X-Men" movies have been so successful financially that they sit at the seventh position for most lucrative franchises, with "Deadpool" making the most at the box office (via The Numbers). The "X-Men" film that made the least though may not surprise you — if you remember when it was released.
The New Mutants struggled at the box office in 2020
As the most recent "X-Men" franchise film to date, "The New Mutants" premiered on August 28, 2020, and ultimately took the bottom spot on the franchise revenue list. Much of this can be attributed to a very obvious reason — the COVID-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2020, many movie theaters were still closed and trying to figure out how to re-open safely for audiences. Needless to say, a lot of people weren't headed out to see new releases, opting to stay home for their safety.
Either way, "The New Mutants" ended up losing a considerable amount of money at the box office. On a $67 million dollar budget, the film grossed a total of just over $49 million, making for a loss of about $18 million (via Box Office Mojo). Although, COVID-19 is likely not the only cause, as the critical and audience reception for those who did manage to see it was less than stellar (via Rotten Tomatoes).
However, with the possibility of the "X-Men" joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe due to multiverse happenings in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness," things are looking up for the franchise. The most recent trailer for "The Multiverse of Madness" even features the voice of what many think is Patrick Stewart's Professor Charles Xavier. We'll have to wait until May to find out for sure.