The lackluster debut of “The Marvels” at the North American box office, merely grossing $47 million—a record low for a Marvel Studios release—has deepened analysts’ concerns regarding superhero fatigue, a growing issue for major studios. The film faced a parallel disappointment in China, where audiences have long overlooked American superhero tales. “The Marvels” opened to a mere $11.5 million in China, trailing behind the local crime thriller “Who’s the Suspect,” which raked in $11.7 million over the weekend, extending to $11.8 million with Thursday night previews, as per Artisan Gateway’s data.

The trend of underperformance of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) releases in China dates back to the pandemic period. However, “The Marvels” stands out as a significant stumble. For instance, “Captain Marvel,” helmed by Brie Larson, began its run in 2019 with a robust $89.3 million opening and ultimately secured a solid $154 million in China. In contrast, projections indicate that “The Marvels” may struggle to surpass $20 million in total earnings.

This decline in MCU success extends to other 2023 releases in China. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” by James Gunn, despite achieving a commendable $359 million in North America, only managed $27.8 million in China. Similarly, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” saw a substantial drop to $39.4 million compared to its predecessor’s $121 million in 2018.

The overall trend of fading U.S. studio franchises in China affects superhero films more severely than other action genres. While other genres, like the “Fast” series and “Transformers,” continue to draw substantial audiences, their more recent installments have shown a decline compared to their earlier releases in China.

Contrastingly, original productions such as “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” have fared notably better. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” earned $62 million, marking a substantial success for an extended English-language historical drama in China. Meanwhile, “Barbie,” despite a slow start due to a lack of familiarity in the market, saw a considerable uplift to $35.2 million, primarily due to positive word of mouth among cosmopolitan Chinese women.

In this landscape, local productions like “Who’s the Suspect,” directed by Zhang Mo and produced by Beijing Dino Films, have notably excelled. The film, starring Zhang Xiaofei, tells the story of a lawyer compelled to defend a death-row suspect after her daughter is kidnapped. Chinese ticketing app Maoyan forecasts a substantial run for the film, approximating a total of about $71 million (RMB 515 million).

This complex scenario in China signifies a challenging shift in audience preferences, where local and original productions, along with certain established international franchises, seem to resonate more effectively than recent superhero releases.