OK America I Get It: You Like Superhero Movies
Seeing as I’m not a big fan of comic books or Superhero movies, I’m probably not the best person to be writing on this topic, but seriously America: you’re still not tired of seeing Superheroes on the big screen? The level to which these movies have saturated Hollywood is astonishing. My extensive research revealed that over the past 10 years, 99.3% of theatrical releases have been Superhero movies. And as much as you’d like to argue with that, you can’t, because it’s Science.
“Does this Kevlar make my ass look fat?”
But I guess the proof that America can’t get enough of this poop is in the pudding (hm, poor choice of words). Consider the top 5 highest grossing movies so far in 2008:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Iron Man
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. Hancock
5. WALL-E
If you include Indiana Jones as a sorta Superheroey guy, then that means that 4 out of the top 5 highest grossing films this year have been about Superheroes.
What does it all mean America? I would go with the whole “these are dark times and we need escapism” line of reasoning, if it weren’t for the fact that the subject matter just keeps getting darker and darker. Or maybe it’s about re-connecting with our childhoods? Or perhaps the graphic nature of comics lends itself perfectly to the medium of film? Donk doesn’t have the answers, but he does know this: as long as us yahoos continue forking over $50 a ticket to see this stuff, Hollywood’s going to keep churning them out.
Don’t believe Donk? Here’s a partial list of Superhero films in the works:
Conan
Flash Gordon
The Green Hornet
Iron Man 2
Justice League
Nick Fury
Red Sonja
Sgt. Rock
Silver Surfer
Superman: Man of Steel
Captain America
Thor
Watchmen
Wonder Woman
Wolverine
The Avengers
That’s an assload of films folks. And with the likes of Red Sonja and Sgt. Rock, they’re clearly starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel. LOL, next thing you know they’ll be making movies based on little known characters like Ant-Man…oh wait, they ARE making Ant-Man. It’s slated for a 2010 release. I swear to God if it stars Ben Affleck I’m formerly declaring a Jihad on Marvel Comics.
What about you guys? How do you feel about all of these Superhero movies? Is it time to give it a rest already?
What? No Jonah Hex? I guess western-themed superheroes just aren’t in with the kids these days.
Uh..the “Flash Gordon” starring Sam J. Jones was TRULY a cinematic masterpiece…a new one should not be made.
What are folks thinking?
YOU, my friend, have excellent taste in movies
I have to say I’m with you on this one. Some of them are so cheesy awful too, I can’t take it. But then, if you replaced “superhero movies” with “remake movies” I feel the same way.
Good point. In fact I would go a step further and say that remake films are WAY worse in the overall scheme of things. Only Dawn of the Dead comes to mind as a good remake
Before I read the last paragraph I said out loud ‘You’re fucking kidding me about Red Sonja!’
I wanted to see Dark Knight, but not a superheroes lover. Lets face it, these movies are easy, predictable and don’t have to deliver much outside the basic concept producers talk themselves into thinking just because it’s a comic it automatically has an audience.
Sometimes I just want to see some shit get blown up outside of youtube.
Agreed. But I’ll be damned if they’re not right about that audience thing. I mean they relaunched the Hulk franchise a mere 4 years after the last one bombed and people still showed up to see it!
Wiat, they are reking Conan and Red Sonja? Ugh. That’s about as freaking annoying the word that they are remaking Escape to LA and Escape to New York with Clive Owen as Snake Plisskin – a character completely created by Kurt Russell.
On the plus side, nt year Wolverine will be out and filming will start on Witchblade the movie.
It makes me sick to think that anyone would mess with a classic like Conan. Sacrilege!
Wait a sec, Donk, you’re “formerly” declaring a Jihad on Marvel Comics? Damnit, I haven’t got a witty comment to make, I just had to point that out.
But, um, yeah you gotta wonder when people are gonna get sick of the trend.
I was also gonna make a sleazy comment about enjoying the superhero eye candy, batcaves, etc. but lost it.
I saw four out of the five highest grossing movies (I skipped Hancock) and I thought they were all good. I never read comic books, but there are a couple on that list that I’m looking forward too (Captain America, Iron Man 2, and the Avengers, mostly).
Oh, and you forgot two more Spiderman movies and The Incredible Hulk 2.
I take that back, the new Indiana Jones was only okay. George Lucas put in some scenes that are almost unforgivable.
I haven’t seen it but just having the monkey scene EXPLAINED to me makes me cringe. They are really making a Hulk 2 after this one bombed worse than the Ang Lee one? Bizzare
Marvel is making all of those superhero movies so that they can all connect in The Avengers (which comes out in 2011).
And yeah, the monkey scene was the one I had in mind. I call it the Tarzan scene, but no matter what you call it, it sucked.
The fridge scene is so bad that it actually inspired a site: http://www.nukingthefridge.com
Actually, there is a Jonah Hex film, starring Josh Brolin.
The Sgt. Rock thing has been on the books for years, and ever since Die Hard, has had Bruce Willis as the lead in various incarnations.
Watchmen was a graphic novel in 1986, and is already set for release on 3-06-09.
And finally, what would we do at Comic Con if we can’t promote superhero movies?
George Lucas is apparently looking for ideas for another Indy, but he said he wouldn’t do one without Harrison Ford and that Shia LaBeouf wouldn’t necessarily be returning. I would love to see a new Indy without a sidekick and without any stupid scenes like the Tarzan one.