Comic book movies have surged in popularity over the past two decades. The phenomenon behind them was initially supported by the unwavering loyalty of comic book readers who had been waiting to see the pages of their favorite trades undergo the live-action treatment and reach the big screen. Marvel Comics and DC Comics retained their godlike status as iconic industry leaders as the stories once told in print were able to be explored through a medium that permitted more creative liberty when mirroring its source material. In parallel with fashion, movies have experienced a spike in trends throughout different cinematic eras. For instance, movie musicals were a staple of Classic Hollywood and action movies thrived in the 70s. On the otherh and, low-budget horror movies earned a cult following that has outlasted the test of time, which could be a testament to how some trends never fully fade.
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Marvel Studios birthed the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its inescapable hold over popular culture. WarnerMedia absorbed DC Comics into its masses of brands and incorporated the comics into its greater scheme of multi-level content. Since then, comic book movies and superhero films have oversaturated cinemas on an international level. They managed to snag a dedicated fanbase along the way that passionately followed Marvel and DC with great fondness. Both properties have promised at least another decade of superhero-themed tales to tell, though the fate of their popularity remains untold. Per Collider, Kevin Feige and his team are at work planning the next ten years of the MCU. It begs the question: will comic book superhero movies still be popular in the next few decades, or will the genre, like so many before it, be replaced by a new Hollywood trend?
A Brief History of the Comic Book Superhero Movie
Marvel Studios
Comic book superhero movies aren’t as much of a relatively recent trend as they are presumed to be. Republic Pictures was responsible for launching the trend in 1941 with Adventures of Captain Marvel, which sourced its influence from the DC Comics character of the same name. Adventures of Captain Marvel was broken into 12 bite-sized installations that played out in an episodic form. Indeed, DC Comics was the original frontrunner when introducing the world to the genre as it brought Batman and Superman to life through feature films. Superman (1978) warranted the first Superman trilogy that stretched into the early 1980s, and an increase in live-action Batman content was fed into mainstream media. Marvel Comics founds its print media to be more enticing to audiences than its earlier attempts to launch a cinematic brand. At first, titles such as Howard the Duck, Captain America, and The Punisher struggled to land a resonance with their desired target audiences.
The Fantastic Four was Marvel’s singular entry into the genre during the early-to-mid 1990s as it competed against The Mask, The Crow, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — three films that were premature indicators that comic book-inspired films did not have to hail from one of the two main publishers. New Line Cinema elected the vampire-hunting Blade to lead their first Marvel trilogy that was helmed by Wesley Snipes. Though there was an apprehension about accepting Marvel’s reattempt at comic book superhero movies, per Den of Geek, 20th Century Fox and its X-Men presented a new appeal. Of Evil Dead fame, director Sam Raimi assisted in bringing a certain friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to the big screen. Shared success between the first X-Men and Spider-Man films resulted in profitable sequels that overshadowed less-fruitful attempts, like Daredevil or Ghost Rider. The 2000s, then, brought about the most recognizable characters from Marvel Comics: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and other key Avengers earned their own series of overlapping films, birthing the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Lesser-knowns followed them up in the 2010s such as the Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Strange, the latter effectively broadening the possibilities of where the Marvel Cinematic Universe could take itself next.
The Dark Knight, Man of Steel, and Watchman served as the trinity that pushed DC Entertainment back into public relevancy. TimeWarner Media served as the home for the DC Extended Universe that was seemingly cursed to struggle tonally, narratively, and directionally. Much like Marvel’s attempt to find its footing in a previously uncharted market, DC films faced an uneven beginning. Mass reception of films that were anticipated to be blockbusters dashed hopes of consistent popularity. Troubling feedback from DC fans over live-action interpretations that had fallen flat did not, of course, deter Warner Bros. from attempting to reconstruct its cinematic universe with hopes of securing a solid foundation for its franchise.
The Popularity of Superhero Movies Now
Warner Bros.
The interconnectivity of comic book superhero movies is not the only interconnectivity that the genre has to offer. While the dazzling and complex nature of overlapping universes may contribute to the popularity of the genre, the connected dots go beyond just the roadmap for a studio’s future. Superhero movies are able to bring fans together and create a communal environment that knows bounds. Shared love and insatiable excitement that ripples through even the most casual of fans is a force that connects comic book movie fans. They offered a sense of belonging and inclusion where fans of the genre could partake in a phenom greater than themselves. Emotional attachments and personal resonance with characters, franchises, or storylines have fed into the ongoing public interest in superhero cinema. More intense fans eagerly await the fated crossovers of their favorite characters, destined to finally meet on-screen, or are giddy in anticipation of seeing their most beloved icons come to life.
This age of reboots, remakes, and sequels have, however, come at the cost of original content being forced to elbow their way to the front of the line. Comic book movie studios actively pore over how they allocate their millions of dollars into their blockbuster-sized franchises. In the same breath, these executives heel in the shadows of familiarity instead of pressing on towards more imaginative feats. The current reality is that comic books and graphic novels are not threatening to fall from existence as the form of entertainment has proved itself to be timeless. Creative teams behind bringing forth some of the most iconic figures in popular culture have worked tirelessly to do so, and studios have looped themselves in an unbreakable cycle of telling the same stories of the same characters. Warner Brothers’ DC Extended Universe has selected heroes and villains close to their chest with multiple reboots of the cinematic franchise to prove it. Marvel Studios has refused to move on from its Avengers era that pushed on for over a decade before finally departing from its core material. There was a redundancy that threatened the freshness of most major releases. That said, a strong, compelling, and articulate story has the potential to save the genre.
The discourse around whether comic book movies are true “cinema” has shaken the internet in more recent years as fan adoration for cherished franchises blurs the perception of quality filmmaking. All forms of art can fall into two objective categories of “high” and “low.” Criticisms have argued that superhero movies are chipping away at the credibility of the pristine nature of high art, while others have made note that specific comic book media has transcended the barriers of the genre. Select films have been able to redeem the shortcomings of the genre through a critical lens. Per People, Martin Scorsese and a handful of other accomplished directors have taken to openly express their disdain for superhero-centric films. Some critics are quick to praise select properties from DC and Marvel universes, where the DC Animated Universe is given more approval than live-action interpretations. Superhero zealots who have established themselves as the “ultimate fan” are in full support of the ongoing comic book films. The concreted bond between brand and fan has secured a guaranteed following, despite concerns from outsiders who do not share that enthusiasm.
Those suffering from “superhero fatigue” may feel no further urgency to fight tooth and nail for opening-night tickets. A study by Sarah Shevenock for Morning Consult reported that while 41% percent of adults in the United States are eager and willing to view superhero movies in theaters, 26% of the population that participated in the survey have lost interest. Marvel fans and Millennials were among the highest percentile of respondents who were interested in supporting the comic book superhero genre in cinematic form. “Superhero fatigue” is present, though could be rebutted as major upcoming releases have the potential to reinvigorate genuine excitement around the genre once more.
Where We Go From Here
Sony Pictures Releasing
The examination of the future forks into two possible outcomes: rebirth, or death. The fate of the superhero movie has been questioned as major leading studios have strained to keep in touch with audiences. Just as past eras of cinema have waned as time ticks on towards a new trend, the superhero genre may march towards its bitter end. Attempts to revitalize brand fronts have polarized target audiences and new generations of comic book movie fans. Marvel fans have shared their disinterest in titles following Thor: Love and Thunder with a few exceptions. Disney+ serie that have been employed to bridge a multiverse, though by no means unsuccessful or poorly done, has not fully grasped the captive viewership that was attached to the Infinity Saga. The DC Extended Universe has approached a similar strategy through the use of HBO Max. A rebirth could permit for a long-sought-after rebrand that retracts previous criticism over the genre.
There have been claims made that the comic book superhero genre contributes to the death of cinema. Arguments present the stance that there is such an oversaturation of the genre that it diminishes the ability of other films to thrive. It crushes the promotion of diversity within the art form and limits the possibility of innovative filmmaking. The connotation that superhero films are “boring” and are poorly written supports the assumption that relying heavily on comic book media is consequential to the art form’s slow slaughter. Art remains to be subjective in nature, though superhero-centric stories have struggled to be endeared by all.
Not all are in favor of watching the downfall of comic book movies happen in real-time; in fact, they have been credited for rehabilitating the return to cinemas that faced economic shortcomings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited release windows for momentous releases were a vital strategy for theater chains to earn back their profits lost during the ongoing health crisis. Without the heroic nature of superhero movies, movies may not have been able to keep their traditional home. The insistence of the genre being prominent has assisted in keeping other movies afloat, too.
