'Dark Phoenix' fails to rise, last instalment of X-Men may cause Fox a loss of $100 million
New projections are predicting massive losses for Fox's star-studded X-Men finale 'Dark Phoenix'. After the lowest box-office debut in the franchise, making a mere $33 million domestically on its opening weekend, hopes were not high for 'Dark Phoenix.'
While the 'X-Men' franchise has not been nearly as successful as the 'Avengers', so far even the weaker movies in the franchise managed to succeed on the financial front. However, reports are suggesting that the highly anticipated superhero romp may actually cost Fox a $100 million loss at the box office.
While 2019 has been a year of high-profile endings, with 'Avengers: Endgame' breaking records and the last season of 'Game of Thrones' breaking hearts, it seems the last installment to Fox's 'X-Men' franchise may just be chalked up as an epic fail.
While the movie was essentially an attempt to redo 'X-Men: The Last Stand', one of the weakest movies in the franchise, reports suggest the 'Dark Phoenix' might actually perform worse. In all fairness, there was very little promotional work done on the film but even so the response to the Simon Kinberg movie has been underwhelming to say the least.
Deadline reports that financial experts expect 'Dark Phoenix' to cost Fox anywhere between $100 million and $120 million in losses.
Despite a combined production and P&A estimated cost of $350 million, the movie is only expected to make between $285 to $325 million globally, the report said.
Comparatively, 'X-Men: The Last Stand' has made over $400 million in lifetime earnings since its release in 2006.
'The Last Stand' recieved mixed reviews from critics and enraged quite a few fans with its weak storytelling. 'Dark Phoenix' was meant to fix all that and do better justice to the source material. Which it clearly hasn't.
With 'Avengers: Endgame' having released just two months ago and 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' just a month away, 'Dark Phoenix' may just have been caught at the wrong point in time.
After Marvel recently reacquired the 'X-Men', fans were probably far more interested in seeing how Charles Xavier and his gifted students would be introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite an impressive cast, weak storytelling coupled with a generally disinterested audience may have cost the 'X-Men' their chance at a good farewell, again.
Perhaps Marvel might now be able to do for the 'X-Men' what they did for 'Spider-Man' by reintroducing the characters into a better-constructed and far more wholesome cinematic world. While this was always going to be the end for this iteration of Marvel's mutants, perhaps this might turn out to be their chance to transform into their best versions.
Much like the titular phoenix, it is very likely that the 'X-Men' will rise again. Either that or they might get to be interesting side-characters for future 'Deadpool' movies. It's a win either way for the fans and a $100 million loss for Fox.
