Marvel's R-Rated Superhero Smash Is Quietly Crushing the Competition on HBO Max

There's no hiding from the fact that 2025 was a huge disappointment for the MCU. Both Thunderbolts*and The Fantastic Four: First Stepsfaced similar fates, as they scored an impressive reaction from critics and fans but ultimately underwhelmed at the box office, falling far short of the usual heady MCU standard. But the franchise's biggest underperformer of last year was Captain America: Brave New World, which not only faced a tough box office run but was ripped apart by both critics and audiences.