Comic Book Films – Old News?

ironman

So I’m sure that you all read this yesterday right? Robert Downey was doing an interview plugging his movie The Judge and was asked if he gets jealous when another superhero movie comes out and becomes popular. His response might have surprised some but I think that I see his point and might be slightly siding with him on this. He replied with this:

“Honestly, the whole thing is just showing the beginning signs of fraying around the edges. It’s a little bit old. Last summer there were five or seven different ones out.”

What gives? The guy that I would argue was one of the larger catalysts for comic book movies doing so well now a days basically seems to be getting tired of the superhero genre. I’ll touch on a little more about this after the jump but I’m really looking for the Unrealtors to sound off on this one.

Remember this scene?

Seeing this for the first time in theater just made me want to stand up do a karate kick and scream f*ck yeah!

For me, this was a comic book movie that I had been waiting for. One that did a terrific job utilizing maybe not one of the most popular comic book characters but developing his character so well that he was instantly a favorite – now. Not only that but John Favreau and company manufactured a comic book movie that had great fun, action, acting, and a half way decent plot all wrapped up into one movie that felt grounded and real more than Batman Begins or X-Men ever did. (at least to me) The problem it faced was that it came out the same year the Dark Knight did and everyone jumped on the Christopher Nolan bandwagon. (not that Dark Knight wasn’t great – but I’ve always favored Iron Man more) This is all irrelevant to the point I’m trying to make. I just wanted to reiterate that Robert was part of something that was really kickstarting the superhero genre in a really good way.

Comic book movie adaptations have since blown up and many are saying that they’re out of control. In 2008 alone we had Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, the Dark Knight, Hellboy II, Punisher, Jumper, Wanted, Hancock, and the Spirit. I won’t list off the huge list that has come after this, but suffice it to say that it’s a lot. We’ve been given high points such as Guardians of the Galaxy that shows despite the publics lack of actually knowing any of the source material it can still make a great movie. Then we’ve also had lows like the Green Lantern where everyone second guessed the genre and wondered what would happen next.

Now it seems like the big thing is to mash them all up and have crossover events. This is not only happening in cinema but television too! (see: Arrow/Flash on CW) At first, I loved the idea of having multiple character films being brought together to form a “team-up” film. No one can say that the Avengers was a “bad” movie – at least I don’t think so. Yet, it seems like this has paved the way for the over-saturation in theaters and all the comic book films that are being fed to us year after year.

avengers

Look, I’m a huge comic book fan and I’ll continue dumping my money into the movie theater to go see these flics. As a kid I always dreamed of being able to see this stuff and now that we’re finally getting quality movies (for the most part) I’m going to let my inner child run rampant. Though with that said, I can see the argument from both sides of the coin. Are there far too many comic book movies being made? Sure, yes. Are they all good movies? No, probably not. Now it’s also spilling over into television with Gotham, Arrow, the Flash, Smallville, Agents of Shield, Daredevil, Constantine and the list just goes on and on. Is Hollywood getting lazy or is it simply the easy way to make a lot of money? We watched films like the Dark Knight and Iron Man and thought that those directors/production companies weren’t out just to make good money but that they truly wanted to make good films. Yet, it’s hard to look at everything happening now and still think that 100% of the time.

This is where you guys come in – with the comments from Robert Downey Jr., the talk of Marvel’s Civil War event looming in the future, the Justice League inevitability, and everything happening on TV – is it all too much? What are your thoughts?

 

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Hey guys & gals, my name is Lucas Tetrault and if you like this post or any of the others I’ve done – please feel free to venture over to my Blog and take a gander at some other stuff I write about. I promise I don’t intend to waste your time.

I work as a Creative Director and spend time away from my job with my wife and son, writing for Unreality, and trying to be creative with my own personal projects.

 

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15 Comments

  1. Considering you’re a pronounced comic book fan, I daresay there’s something to this. But I don’t think they’re old news. DC and Marvel characters have had films for something like 70 years. There’s certainly an over saturation now, because when studios see something that works, they milk it. You said some people say it’s ‘out of control’, but in a different way, I think it’s the most in control movies have been for a long time. It took a lot of foresight to build the Marvel movie universe, and they’ve become a sure thing now. I mean, there are always going to movies based on novels, and comic book stores are busier than ‘just’ book stores nowadays.

    Some people may be over them, and maybe they won’t last forever, but RDJ’s comment makes sense for him. I mean, he doesn’t just watch these films, he’s been working on them for years. Same reason I say ‘Subway sandwiches are old news’ lol.

    1. Yeah I’d like to think that they’re not old news.

      Though, there was a time when Westerns ruled the silver screen and now if you try and make a Western *cough Lone Ranger cough* it’s practically theater suicide. Even the combination of Johnny Depp and Disney couldn’t save it. I could see comic movies falling prey to this eventually – and if that day comes, I will be quite sad. I’d miss seeing my childhood heroes even when I’m 70.

      *holds his comic book to his chest as a tear runs down his cheek

      1. Lone Ranger failed though cause it was terrible – no other reason.

        how anybody involved with that movie can step back, watch it and be happy with their work is astounding to me

        1. I won’t derail this thread, especially since I have a column in the works, but I just feel compelled to step in and reiterate my claim that The Lone Ranger is awesome.

          1. Go ahead and derail sir. Love a good argument.

            I actually fell asleep with the Lone Ranger while attempting to watch it at home – that’s how bored I was. By all means I’m open for someone telling me to watch it again – if valid points are made.

            (this is where you say “challenge accepted” )

          2. Challenge accepted.

            Um… not that I’m just taking orders from you now, or something. Because I’m not.

            (I’ll make that argument as soon as I find time to go through the movie again.)

          3. Haha – alright! (it was more for me to use a HIMYM reference than anything)

            Look forward to the post.

          4. Derail away – it fits in with the total derailment that movie was 😀

            I would honestly watch Wild Wild West again before I watch that.

            I mean – the bad guy eats hearts… in a Disney movie with a Lego tie in… I don’t even…

          5. Wild Wild West, Jim West, desperado, rough rider
            No you don’t want nada
            None of this, gun in this, brotha runnin this,
            Buffalo soldier, look it’s like I told ya
            Any damsel that’s in distress
            Be out of that dress when she meet Jim West…

            I dare you to not sing that in your head right now

  2. Nope – I would take this period of ‘more-than-enough’ over any period in the past where I had to live with a Superhero movie coming out once every couple of years – and then being totally changed by Hollywood from the source material in any case.

    This whole thing is what I like to call ‘complaining while you have a white bread under each arm’ – meaning, complaining while being blessed.

    nerds and geeks should stop it – it is irritating

  3. There’s a difference between comic-book movies and superhero movies. Wanted for example is a comic-book movie but I’d hardly consider that a superhero movie, while Hancock is a superhero movie but isn’t based off any comic book.

    Anyway, I love superheroes and comics in general so I’ll never complain about an over saturation. Even this year, all the superhero movies I’ve seen I enjoyed, including ASM 2. So if the studios want to keep making them, I say let them as long as they’re as different as Captain America: Winter Soldier is from Guardians of the Galaxy and that from X-Men: Days of Future Past.

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