Marvel Studios' "Captain America: Brave New World" has stumbled at the box office since its Valentine's Day release, underscoring the studio's creative stagnation.

The Hollywood blockbuster is the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, who has taken on the mantle of Captain America. The sequel delves into political intrigue, with President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) seeking to rectify past mistakes while contending with a potential assassination attempt.

Critically, the film has received a lukewarm reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 49 percent approval rating based on 300 critic reviews, with an average rating of 5.5/10. The consensus notes that while Mackie capably steps into the role of Captain America, the film is "too routine and overstuffed with uninteresting easter eggs to feel like a worthy standalone adventure for this new Avengers leader." Meanwhile, IGN said the movie "feels neither brave, nor all that new."

Though reviews are not universally negative – The New York Times describes the film as "a decent political thriller with something culturally resonant to say that exceeds mere comic-book particulars" – the film's underwhelming box office performance highlights Marvel's recent struggles with audience engagement.

The movie has been struggling to make an impact commercially. Despite a strong showing in its opening weekend, it experienced a significant 68 percent drop in its second weekend, earning $28.2 million domestically, bringing its total to $141 million. Globally, "Brave New World" has swiftly grossed over $289.4 million, with expectations that it will safely surpass the $425 million worldwide break-even point. But some point out that the scarcity of big-budget offerings arriving in theaters in the coming weeks might be a contributing factor.

"Brave New World" is entering the global market at a time when the Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2" is achieving unprecedented success. Last week, "Ne Zha 2" took the No. 1 spot as the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. With limited releases in overseas markets, it has now earned 13.7 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) globally and is continuing to break records on the all-time global box office chart.

The contrasting performances of these two films highlight a shift in audience preferences and the evolving dynamics of the global film market. While Marvel's latest offering has struggled to meet expectations, "Ne Zha 2" has captivated audiences with its compelling storytelling and high-quality animation. This trend suggests that audiences are increasingly seeking fresh narratives and diverse perspectives, which "Ne Zha 2" provides.

In China, "Captain America: Brave New World" is steeply trailing behind at the box office, with moviegoers showing a clear preference for domestic productions over what were once beloved Hollywood sequels. In the nearly two weeks since its release, the film has only grossed 98 million yuan, a stark contrast to the first-week earnings of "Detective Chinatown 1900" at 1.8 billion yuan and "Ne Zha 2" at 3.1 billion yuan. Ticketing platform Maoyan has since downgraded its final box office projection for "Brave New World" to 120 million yuan.

The film has also faced harsh backlash critically, earning a dismal 5.2/10 on media review platform Douban, aligning it with poorly received predecessors like "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and "The Marvels," the two movies that experienced similar box office drops as the new sequel. Industry experts say the film's underperformance reflects systemic issues plaguing Marvel rather than a wholesale rejection of "individual heroism."

Zhang Peng, a film researcher at Nanjing Normal University, said Marvel's recent decline in China stems from "a combination of quality deterioration, disjointed storytelling and formulaic character development, which have fueled global audience fatigue."

Meanwhile, the rise of domestic Chinese cinema has raised viewers' expectations, with audiences increasingly gravitating toward collectivist narratives over Hollywood's individualistic hero tropes, Zhang told the Global Times.

"Marvel's struggles are the result of quality, cultural disconnect and flawed market strategies," Zhang added. "The implied values in Marvel's works feel alien to Chinese sensibilities, exacerbating the disconnect."

He said for Hollywood to regain relevance in China, it must prioritize compelling storytelling while balancing cultural sensitivity and market adaptability. "A good story transcends borders, but its delivery must evolve with the times."