The Big Picture: Age of Heroes

[wswordsmen]

The answer of what stops this is something you are taking as given changes. I am not sure what it is, for the rise of superhero movies (at the expense of others) is the rise of easy access to movies and demographics changes (non-Americans being included). To stop this something underneath the surface and probably not even thought about much will need to change.

Note: This isn't saying anything that is actually bad, it just the way big systems that used to work fall apart. Assumptions are made because they work, then something changes and they stop working.

 

[Darth_Payn]

In addition to the misplacing TDKR and MOS among the bad comic-book movies, I also have to call out Bob for implying anymore X-Men movies at all is a bad thing. I thought you liked DOFP?
But, I'm not worried about the state of superhero movies just yet. I have faith that Marvel and WB know what they're doing and can learn from their mistakes.
And I should pick up Grant Morrison's Supergods one of these days. In fact, do an episode on him! He's a pretty cool dude.

captcha: which one is math?
Like, in the Adventure Time sense?

 

[gigastar]

Where would it stop?

Probably when the actors have to retire. Not sure how MCU would handle legacy characters.

 

[coheedswicked]

Interesting argument, especially that bit about comic books not being primarily about superheroes. Nowadays those two words are practically synonymous. I don't think it will ever get to that point with films or other media, but it does paint a picture of the power of the genre, no pun intended. Super heroes being based in comics does give them a unique advantage in serialization, I can't think of any other genre or medium that has ever done it better. I think film producers realize this which is why, even though super heroes are hugely popular right now, we don't see that many "original" (ie not adapted from a comic) super hero movies trying to get their slice of the pie (name recognition definitely plays a role as well, but I think with Marvel's new line up of movies, that's going to become less and less important).

 

[Elijah Newton]

*quietly* I still think Daredevil was pretty decent.

Now, Punisher, on the other hand...

Seconded. Daredevil may not be the best! movie! evar!, but I'm still pleased they took a crack at it and can't say I was crushed by the final product.

Though I think the Punisher movies had a budget juuuust north of your average exploitation flick and so the result was probably less of a surprise to folks.

 

[wetfart]

With films being interconnected and having long connected stories, I wonder if we're going to see a return to serials. Maybe we'll get a reboot of Radar Men fro the Moon!

Though I think the Punisher movies had a budget juuuust north of your average exploitation flick and so the result was probably less of a surprise to folks.

Wasn't one of the reasons Punisher War Zone flopped was that it received an R rating? Which meant that all those kids with disposable income couldn't go see it? It's the same thing that everyone is afraid will happen to the Deadpool movie.

*quietly* I liked the last two Punisher movies.... Though it's been a long time since I've watched the Dolph Lundgren one.

 

[LazyAza]

The only thing that will really lessen the number of comic movies is other comic-like movies coming along and taking some of the popular interest. I think we're going to get several more american film adaptations of japanese manga/anime similar to what was done with Edge of Tomorrow. And I think a lot of that is currently riding on whether or not Ghost in the Shell happens and is done well and successful.

With how well pacific rim and the transformer movies did I'm surprised their isn't a gundam, evangelion, voltron or robotech film in the works either yet but I suspect at least one of those will happen in the next few years.

 

[Scarim Coral]

The only way I can see the superheroes films can be shifted to be less popular is probably a new fad (it never occur to me that Superheroes are like the new Western or horror film of this generation until Bob pointed it out) or maybe they outlived their stay, I mean how long can a contiunity can last but yet again Doctor Who is still going strong.

 

[Jason Chapman]

I can imagine Batfleck Vs. Baleman in DC's Crisis...

 

[GebGuy]

I love it when Bob is super enthusiastic about his subject matter and I can hear his accent. As an Australian, I don't get to hear that sweet accent often enough.

 

[Aggieknight]

Honestly, what I think is going to kill the genre is the budgets. One of these doesn't have to bomb to make a loss, it just has to not be a worldwide super hit.

I tend to agree with you, though I'd aggregate the statement to all of the current state of hollywood.

The latest Bayformers movie cost $220M to produce, not counting all the marketing hype that went into it. Of course, one needs to reduce that amount by the metric ton of product placement. If that thing had bombed...

 

[Cranyx]

So according to Bob, TDKR has officially gone from "somewhat disappointing sequel to TDK" to "almost genre-killing bomb comparable to the worst superhero movies ever."

Tune in next week when we learn that TDKR directly caused the rise of ISIS and might even be the source of cancer.

 

[deathbydeath]

The "problem" with this imho is that the creation process has to be so big that the movies can't have balls or take legitimate risks with audience favor to satisfy the creative vision. Worm [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/] is easily the best superhero story I have ever seen, but its greatness comes from a brilliant writer free from the constraints of marketers and a need for mass appeal for financial sustainability. These freedoms are why Wildbow (the author) doesn't have to pull his punches and as a result, why Worm is so damn good.

Very nice video, though.

 

[el_emmens]

I'm right with bob on this. especially on the train being put into a permanent state of "KEEP GOING"

though, I am thinking ant man might be a dud, though I've not yet seen the trailer, but I keep imagining his skillset being highly niche and might not appeal to everyone at large.

I'm also kind of waiting for the internet reactionary groups (tumblr) to discover that one instance where while possessed by alien plot stuff and under insanity hit his wife, and see whether or not they take it out of context and try to boycott the film.

 

[Nuxxy]

Goodness people - if all you are taking from this is "He mentioned Dark Knight Rises/Man of Steel with Green Lantern/Catwoman", then not only have you missed his point; you have proved it as well.

Bob's point is that all the criticism that could be used against superhero movies as a GENRE has already come and gone. Whether it's abject awfulness like Catwomen to barely missing the mark like The Dark Knight Rises. And nothing has stopped the Juggernaut. The GENRE has grown, it has become more dominant. It's grown to the point of being self-perpetuating. It has so much momentum that opinions of a single movie don't matter. Even if a bad movie kills an entire franchise, the GENRE has become too strong to be toppled. Or at least, it has no threats in the foreseeable future.

 

[WarpedLord]

*quietly* I still think Daredevil was pretty decent.

Now, Punisher, on the other hand...

I didn't care much for Daredevil when I saw it in theaters, but I own the director's cut and I really enjoy it.

The Thomas Jane Punisher is pretty bad, but it's a guilty pleasure. It's one of those movies that every time FX has is on, I somehow end up watching a good chunk of it. War Zone was terrible though... just terrible.

 

[TKretts3]

I don't care much about when or if it's gonna end. I know of they go, but that time, I will no longer care, like the cop action movies from the 80's, which I love, but no longer crave.

But it's interesting to think how far they will go with this. Considering they're mostly adapting stories from 20 years ago or even longer than that.

Will they make it to superior Spiderman/Iron Man?

New 52?

That's another big difference between this fad and previous ones. Adaptation. Spaghetti Westerns weren't adaptations of other media. Some horrors movies were, but it was never the focus, and most of them are original, same for action flicks, so, it's interesting the newest fad is based on adaptations and rarely the spotlight is in original super hero movies... which reminds me, I'm not from the states, so is Meteor Man original or is an adaptation?

Well the DC Animated movies (Which thus far have been really damn good) are already dipping into New 52, what with JL: Flashpoint Paradox (At the end), JL: War, and the upcoming JL: Throne of Atlantis. In terms of live action adaptation of the newer material, yeah, it probably won't happen for a while.

 

[Paul10238]

I can imagine Batfleck Vs. Baleman in DC's Crisis...

I want Singerman vs Snyderman.

 

[Paul10238]

Goodness people - if all you are taking from this is "He mentioned Dark Knight Rises/Man of Steel with Green Lantern/Catwoman", then not only have you missed his point; you have proved it as well.

Bob's point is that all the criticism that could be used against superhero movies as a GENRE has already come and gone. Whether it's abject awfulness like Catwomen to barely missing the mark like The Dark Knight Rises. And nothing has stopped the Juggernaut. The GENRE has grown, it has become more dominant. It's grown to the point of being self-perpetuating. It has so much momentum that opinions of a single movie don't matter. Even if a bad movie kills an entire franchise, the GENRE has become too strong to be toppled. Or at least, it has no threats in the foreseeable future.

Yes and that's the kind of genre security we always wanted back when the best we could hope for was a Batman or Superman film every 3 years or so and pretty much nothing else.

Plus B&R never killed anything except Batman movies for a while since Blade came out the very next year and started the Marvel tsunami.