egardless of what flick you check out, an indie or a romantic comedy, moviegoers are constantly reminded of the next big superhero tent pole coming out during the summer or winter season including tons of action, adventure, CGI and some romance. Richard Donner’s “Superman” released in 1978 gave audiences a movie about a man in tights who could fly and somehow brought magic and legitimacy out of the character. At that point, it was no longer a joke to think superhero movies were jokes for kids. Still, studios were hesitant until 1989 when Tim Burton directed a dark “Batman.” The movie took the country by storm. Not only was it the highest grossing film of the year, but merchandise sold like hotcakes. It also helped that legendary actor Jack Nicholson brought credibility to the genre. However, the latest boom in comic movies for this generation started with “Spider-Man.” Released in 2002, the film starring Tobey Maguire earned over $400 million in the states alone. Suddenly, every studio clamored to start a superhero franchise. The results were mixed. For every stellar film like Chris Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” there was a “Daredevil” (the Ben Affleck one, not the superb Netflix series). Throughout the 2000s, the films gained in popularity. Batman and Spider-Man were always big, but it was 2008 when superhero films reached a whole new stratosphere. Marvel formed its own studio and decided to take a chance on “Iron Man,” a favorite among comic fans, but not exactly a household name. Starring Robert Downey Jr., a risky and inspired pick by the studios, the movie wowed audiences, proving that a variety of comic adaptations would resonate. Marvel Studios started a trend by releasing films on characters the general audience didn’t think they cared about. “Thor” was a hit. “Captain America” was solid. Slowly, Marvel Studios created a cinematic universe, where all of the heroes are connected and eventually show up in movies together. The pinnacle of its success was “Marvel’s The Avengers,” which was built up to, with the studio giving each hero a solo film and then uniting them in one film. The movie grossed $1.5 billion worldwide in 2012. So how have superhero films fared since then? Some suggest they are on the decline, destined to experience fatigue among the audience while others say their best days are yet to come. Let’s check out both sides of the argument. Possible decline argument Sequels that don’t match up to predecessors have been a common pitfall since movies were created. For every stellar sequel, such as “The Godfather Part II,” there’s a disappointing one like “Hangover 2.” As great as the first “Avengers” was, expectations were sky high for a sequel. In 2014, “Avengers: Age R QNS.com WINTER 2016 27
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