We witnessed the zenith of superhero cinema in 2017, which featured the homecoming of Spider-Man, saw Thor’s trilogy come to a triumphant close, and Logan earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Surprisingly, however, it wasn’t any of these, nor any other MCU film, that climbed highest in Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament. No, Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman holds that distinction, having netted just under $253 million in profit.
That wasn’t an oversight, as last year’s most profitable superhero film really didn’t belong to Marvel. Although, three other MCU entries did manage to crack the top ten: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($154.7M), Thor: Ragnarok ($174.2M), and Spider-Man: Homecoming ($200.1M). It’s true, DC can finally put a tick on their side of the board, though somehow, I don’t think Marvel Studios is taking the loss too hard.
Batten down the hatches because the DCEU has finally done something right, even if the studio’s win was short lived. That’s because Justice League, which I’m sure everyone had pegged as 2017’s moneymaking frontrunner, like myself, followed Wonder Woman’s box office conquest with a stumble out of the gate and never recovered. The Zack Snyder/Joss Whedon movie didn’t manage to crack Deadline’s top ten, or even warrant a line in the honourable mention section, efficiently nullifying all of Diana Prince’s hard work.
Elsewhere, Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi was 2017’s most profitable blockbuster, earning a staggering $417.5 million last year. This marks the second year in a row a Lucasfilm production has claimed top spot. Rounding out the top five, meanwhile, are Disney’s Beauty and the Beast ($414.7M), Universal’s Despicable Me 3 ($366.2M), Sony’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle ($305.7M), and New Line’s It ($293.7M).
Tell us, of 2017’s superhero movies, was Wonder Woman your favorite? Or did something else take first prize? Head down to the comments section and let us know!
