The YRF Spy Universe started as Bollywood's attempt to compete with Hollywood's Marvel and DC franchises.
It’s a shared world with big heroes, big action scenes, and big box office success. It began with Ek Tha Tiger more than a decade ago and has since brought hits like Tiger Zinda Hai and Pathaan. But now the Spyverse is at a crossroads. War 2, the next big movie after Pathaan and Tiger 3, was supposed to take the universe to new heights. However, its poor box office results have raised questions. Has the spy story become boring? Is the long time between films affecting the momentum? Is the franchise unable to keep up with today's audiences who enjoy content from global streaming platforms? Trade analysts are mostly worried. What was once a powerful force in Bollywood may need a major reset—better scripts and newer actors.
Film analyst Atul Mohan says people are getting tired of the repeating stories.
"It's getting repetitive—there's always someone to save or an enemy, or they fight among themselves. People have started feeling the same with the Spy Universe films."
This shows that while the films still have big scale and star power, the stories no longer surprise audiences.
Exhibitor and distributor Akshaye Rathi also points to the global trend, "Any universe or franchise needs a reboot.
Look at what Marvel is doing—they are going through a reboot. DC also went through similar changes. The Spyverse started with Ek Tha Tiger more than a decade ago. Technically, it's had a long run. But the people who loved Ek Tha Tiger are a bit older than the average moviegoers now."
Rathi also feels the irregular release schedule is hurting the brand. "
You can't have multiple years between films of the same universe. To build and keep a universe, you need films coming out at least once a year, like Marvel and DC. The gaps between Spyverse films have been too long—in some cases, 2, 3, or 4 years. That makes it hard to keep fans interested."
Looking ahead, he believes fresh talent is needed. "
A universe needs reigning superstars, but also rising stars. Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are huge stars, but they’ll be around 70 in 10 years. So the universe needs young, rising talent, not just those at their peak."
Girish Johar, producer and film expert, agrees that the stories need to change. "
I do believe something new has to be given to audiences. We need to understand that our target audience is the youth, who watch global content on streaming platforms and appreciate more complex and smart storytelling, especially spy and undercover movies. This is the same audience that watches films like War 2 in metro cities. So we have to give them more, which is not found in other content. The storytelling, narrative, and ideas need to be reworked so that the new generation finds something they can connect with and don't think it's outdated."
From the exhibitor side, Satadeep Saha, CEO of SSR Cinemas Pvt Ltd, supports tighter scripts. "
Definitely. It definitely needs a better screenplay. I feel a tighter screenplay would have been better. I am sure from next time onwards, they (the makers) will keep this in their minds and plan accordingly."
Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Bihar, highlights a cultural difference. "
The War franchise isn’t like desi cinema. It’s like a Hollywood story. Desi cinema is made differently. There are emotions, a different storytelling style, and different sensibilities. Indian cinema is about storytelling in different genres."
He adds why copying Hollywood’s model is hard. "
Marvel has around 2000 books and comics for story arcs and characters. But the Spy Universe doesn’t have that. You're creating things out of nothing. There's no relatability. For example, you introduced NTR Jr. into the film and then explain his origin. But in the Marvel universe, people already know who they are."
The trade consensus is clear: the Spyverse can’t survive on repetition, irregular releases, or aging stars.
To stay relevant, it must improve its storytelling, sharpen its scripts, and bring in fresh talent. Otherwise, the fatigue seen in War 2 could turn into complete burnout for the franchise.
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