Benjamin Ashford|We can't get excited about 'Kraven the Hunter.' Don't blame superhero fatigue.

Superhero fatigue?Benjamin Ashford In 2024, Deadpool gave all that talk a middle finger salute. (And Wolverine threw in some curse words, too.)

Comic-book film and TV franchises have become a key piece of our pop culture, and this year had plenty of superpowered individuals to go around. Was it all good? Not by a long shot. But there were enough hits (“Deadpool & Wolverine” making $1.3 billion worldwide) to overcome the misses (staring at you, “Madame Web”) and maintain vitality for Marvel and DC.

So what worked and what didn’t from DC, Marvel and Sony? With the latest effort "Kraven the Hunter" in theaters this weekend, here’s a look at the state of the screen superhero industry and a taste of what the future holds.

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Let 'Kraven the Hunter' pretty please be the end of Sony's Spidey villain slate

Sony's hold on Spider-Man and his Spider-friends has been a mixed bag. The Tom Holland Spidey films created in harmony with Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe? Aces. The studio's own movies with solo Spidey villains and side characters? Not so much.

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While the "Venom" movies (including the recent "Venom: The Last Dance") haven't been particularly good but made some money, "Madame Web" was a critical and box-office fail and "Kraven the Hunter" is a mediocre effort that unfortunately has to go straight up against "Wicked" and "Moana 2." Yikes.

That "In Association with Marvel" title at the beginning of those movies has turned into a warning label – for the love of Morbius, please stop making them, Sony!

Future forecast:The worst has passed? There is good news ahead: "Spider-Man 4," starring Holland, will be connected with the MCU, the animated "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" concludes a so-far amazing trilogy and the upcoming "Spider-Noir" series stars Nicolas Cage, so it won't be boring.

'Deadpool & Wolverine' reminds that Marvel is still the powerhouse

After years of multiple MCU movies and shows – and some waning quality – Disney and Marvel put on the brakes a bit and just released one film in 2024. But it was epic: Teaming fan faves Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, "Deadpool & Wolverine" was an R-rated, reinvigorating success for the brand. Marvel was back to ruling the cinema and Comic-Con, though an appearance by Robert Downey Jr. helped there. And the Disney+ series "Echo" and "Agatha All Along" built out different corners of the universe with female-fronted inclusion in 2024.

Future forecast:Pretty darn bright. The new year brings a trio of MCU movies, starting with "Captain America: Brave New World" (Feb. 14), where Harrison Ford makes his Marvel debut, and "Thunderbolts*" (May 2) both keeping the superhero action grounded with thriller vibes and geopolitical stakes. Then "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" (July 25) finds Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby leading a new crew of heroes with retro style (and meeting planet-eating Galactus, too).

Meanwhile, three Disney+ shows will be scattered through the year: "Daredevil: Born Again" in spring, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" spinoff "Ironheart" in summer and "Wonder Man" next Christmas.

All that plus Downey's Doctor Doom and the return of Chris Evans down the line? MCU nerds are set for a while.

DC heroes (and baddies) set the stage for stories with great potential

Aside from casting announcements and the ongoing churn of the rumor mill, fans hadn't seen much concrete about the new DC movie universe since James Gunn was put in charge nearly two years ago to reboot the lackluster Zack Snyder-verse begun by Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. That's why the new Max animated series "Creature Commandos" is such a blast: The Bride, Weasel, Rick Flag and their crew offer a sleek, sexy and violent appetizer of what's to come in Gunn's fresh landscape.

This year was also important for building out another locale DC lovers know well: Gotham City, where Colin Farrell's villainous title gangster reigned supreme on the Golden Globe-nominated crime drama "The Penguin." (And let's pour one out for CW's long-running Arrowverse, which came to a close with the recent finale of "Superman & Lois.")

Future forecast:Cautiously optimistic. Folks, we haven't had a greatMan of Steel since Christopher Reeve but Gunn's new "Superman" (July 11) introduces David Corenswet in the red cape, alongside other faces of the new DCU, to move away from Henry Cavill's more dour Supes. That film and "Peacemaker" Season 2 will be key to watch in 2025. Next year also will have Robert Pattinson back in Dark Knight mode as he begins filming "The Batman: Part II" with director Matt Reeves, who gives Bats, Penguin, Catwoman and other Gotham icons a more realistic, less campy makeover.

So, no fatigue here. The guys and girls in tights seem like they're not going anywhere.

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