But like all stories, before we can talk about the end, we must talk about the beginning.
Comic book movies are nothing new. The niche superhero flicks of the late 1990s and early 2000s found fanfare among devoted comic book readers, or “true believers,” as Marvel powerhouse Stan Lee described. However, once Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe took the world by storm with the release of “Iron Man” in 2008, the product returned to drawing general audiences. Cinephiles fell in love with comic book movies because of their larger-than-life characters and overarching storylines, which offered a sense of escapism and a reflection of American cultural identity.
Characters clad in skin-tight spandex with extraordinary abilities tapped into the universal themes of heroism, morality, and the struggle between good and evil, much like Westerns decades before. Marvel’s success sparked a superhero frenzy as competitors like DC, Prime Video, and other companies fought to gain relevance in the race to record-setting box office success. These media juggernauts recognized the immense potential and audience demand for superhero content and began developing their own cinematic universes and standalone superhero films to capitalize on the sensation. Film companies created CGI popcorn event projects to justify ticket prices. As Guardian writer Steve Rose wrote, “A night at the cinema is now a big investment.” Suddenly, comic book characters weren’t only on the big screen but also in television series, merchandise, video games, and other forms of media.
Much like the medium of film, heroes can be molded to fit the story the artist is trying to tell. Nevertheless, superhero content doesn’t guarantee a profitable box office. Many argue that the abundance of superhero movies in recent years has led to oversaturation and a desire for more variety in the movie market. However, this sentiment is false. Oversaturation is not the enemy of comic book movies, but rather it is lackluster storytelling and the gatekeeping of interconnected story arcs that have led to superhero fatigue. Director James Gunn said, “I get fatigued by most spectacle films, by the grind of not having an emotionally grounded story. It doesn’t have anything to do with whether they’re superhero movies or not.”