Comic Book Films & TV

[TKz]

It makes me laugh that people have this idea that there's a bubble to burst. It's no different than any other genre of films; we'll probably see it scale back eventually when something else gets big, but they're not going to stop making superhero films any more than they are romantic comedies or horror films. I'd predict companies like Sony and Fox might scale back sooner than the rest, but Marvel and DC have got a long way to go before people stop seeing their films. DC especially, they're literally just starting to build their own universe. They've been adapting comics into films for more than a decade now, it didn't start with The Dark Knight. They're more popular than ever, but they're not a new thing.

[JasonM]

Agreed with TKz.

I feel the reason superhero movies have really started to become very popular is because the movies themselves have become extremely well made with notable actors doing the work too.

They have stepped away from the campy and cheesy stuff to more grown up filming as shown by the Batman trilogy which is darker than 20 dead kittens in a cellar.

Marvel has done brilliant by bringing it all in-house and choosing their own directors and scripts instead of selling off the rights to whoever the hell paid the most. This way you get films that are true to the source material (which the fans love) and also adds great action and a story people can understand (which the casuals love).

This way the films are bigger and better than before, and the entire mentality of ''Superhero movies are badly acted camp-fests" has gone out of the window. Superhero movies have become completely mainstream and the non-comic people regard them as great movies to watch.

The thing is quite simple, due to great quality control on the part of Marvel/DC, the films have become better. And people now go to those flicks because they know they will get a great action flick that's worth the price of admission.

[zero]

I think the best comparison for the staying power of superhero movies is James Bond. People have been going to see James Bond movies for over 50 years now; actors come and go, quality varies, box office grosses fluctuate, but people still go. Superhero movies will fluctuate as well, but they're here to stay, just as the characters that inspired them.

[JasonM]

I think the best comparison for the staying power of superhero movies is James Bond. People have been going to see James Bond movies for over 50 years now; actors come and go, quality varies, box office grosses fluctuate, but people still go. Superhero movies will fluctuate as well, but they're here to stay, just as the characters that inspired them.

Agreed.

The name Bond just rings a bell with everyone as a movie that will guarantee you 2 hours of viewing pleasure. Some Bonds are better than others, but they all have their fun factors.

And with the way DC/Marvel are keeping everything close to their chest, they are making sure that their superhero franchises are also known for great entertainment.

[Benjamin]

It's after all the credits Ben.

And I agree with Jason and zero on the bubble thing. Names like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Wolverine and now Iron Man, Captain America and Hulk are going to be known to almost anyone that's watching a movie. The quality of film may deteriorate over time, but no way will people get sick of them.

Now, for after watching DoFP, I was a little letdown. It's really, really, really good, but considering First Class was way better in comparison, this one kind of was a letdown for me. Also, my biggest gripe

Did they ever mention how come Charles is mysteriously alive in 2014? All I can tell is that in The Wolverine (which I watched just before this, that's how I remember), he says "You're not the only one with powers".

I'm sure there are actually other gripes that might be bigger, but I can't remember them.

[TKz]

Ugh, is it after all of the credits?

Like, I got it the first few times, but at this point we know it's coming, do you really need to make us sit through the additional 10 minutes of names?

[Johnny Latino Heat]

It's after all the credits Ben.

And I agree with Jason and zero on the bubble thing. Names like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Wolverine and now Iron Man, Captain America and Hulk are going to be known to almost anyone that's watching a movie. The quality of film may deteriorate over time, but no way will people get sick of them.

Now, for after watching DoFP, I was a little letdown. It's really, really, really good, but considering First Class was way better in comparison, this one kind of was a letdown for me. Also, my biggest gripe

Did they ever mention how come Charles is mysteriously alive in 2014? All I can tell is that in The Wolverine (which I watched just before this, that's how I remember), he says "You're not the only one with powers".

I'm sure there are actually other gripes that might be bigger, but I can't remember them.

They didn't, but they had hinted at him being alive in the post-credits scene of X-Men 3 as well. IIRC, in that scene, a scientist (Moira? Though Moira was in First Class, so it may have been another scientist) was looking after a comatose or brain dead patient of Charles' when we hear Charles' voice saying "Hello" or something, meaning he transferred his mind into that body. How he looks exactly the same and can't walk, though... I dunno. Plastic surgery?

[MalaCloudy Black]

Benkid, re: Xavier, this is all I can find

In an after-credits scene in X-Men: The Last Stand, Xavier speaks to Moira McTaggert through the body of a comatose man, implying that his consciousness survived by transferring itself into the body (An action that Xavier had discussed at the beginning of the film as part of an ethics class, the question being if it would be ethically right for a mutant like himself to attempt such a transference, noting that the man in question was virtually brain-dead).

On the DVD Commentary, it is revealed that the body on Muir Island was a "P. Xavier". One of the writers noted that this is an original twin brother, written for the scene, who was born braindead (due to Professor X's amount of power). This brother can apparently walk. This is an example of a comic book death; this scene was not in the script but was secretly added during filming.

That's from the wiki page for "Professor X in other media".

Edited May 23, 2014 by Cloudy Rocker

[livid]

Another thing about superhero movies in relation to a bubble being burst is the fact that unlike other genres, 99.9% of them are based on existing material that already has a fanbase. That will, at the very least, delay any bubble bursting.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

The movies will be made as long as they're good and people still see them. The thing is now that studios don't seem to be hesitant at all to hitting the reset button and starting over completely. The Eric Bana "Hulk" stunk and 5 years later they rebooted it. Most everybody seemed to dislike the third Spiderman and X-Men, so they hit the reset button on those very successful franchises and just keep churning them out. Heck, it looks like that Marvel already has an exit strategy for Robert Downey Jr. The genre isn't going anywhere, now it's just up to the individual movies to stay good so a franchise can continue.

Edited May 23, 2014 by TheSqauredCircleMessiah

[livid]

Edgar Wright will no longer direct Ant-Man.

Wow.

[GoGo Yubari]

Well that's a gigantic bummer. Not a dealbreaker by any means for me but I was really excited about that particular aspect of the movie.

[GA!]

Here's what happened...

Edgar Wright: "Can I be creative with this film?"

Marvel: "Yyeeaahhhhnnoooooooo."

They should stick with newish directors who want to get their big break, and don't mind giving up their artistic aspirations for the Marvel machine.

[GoGo Yubari]

EDIT: Nah this post is dumb.

[GA!]

Edgar Wright: "Can I be creative with this film?"

Marvel: "Yyeeaahhhhnnoooooooo."

That is definitely what happened. Good analysis.

I mean, we're hearing more about Marvel's interference as time goes by. Which is why Jon Favreau left after Iron Man 2, and which is why The Avengers played out differently than what Joss Whedon originally envisioned. There's a reason why Marvel films are structurally and visually the same (albeit it's a successful and enjoyable formula) - If it was physically possible for a single director to oversee all of them, that's what they would do.

Why they thought Edgar Wright and his very distinctive directorial style would adhere to that is beyond me. That they're changing directors just 13 months before the filming shows Marvel knows exactly what they want, even if they have to now bring in Director For Hire 2B to do it.

[Ant]

Won't be long before Edwards, BDT and Jackson get linked to a marvel movie

[zero]

Huge bummer and possibly a dealbreaker. Ant-Man is going to be a hard sell, but Wright being on board pretty much guaranteed it would at least be fun. Such a bummer that he dropped out because he'd been attached to the project for so long now.

Marvel films keep getting better, so I'm hopeful they'll figure it out, but I worry when they start getting really controlling with films that we're going to start seeing the "directing by committee" problem that has plagued Sony and Fox films.

[Colly]

Is this still a Joe Cornish script?

[GoGo Yubari]

It's still Wright and Cornish's script as far as anyone knows.

[TKz]

Maybe people will actually see it in the cinema if Wright isn't directing. >_>

... I kid! Massive bummer, I was psyched to see his vision for the film. If Cornish is attached, I'm pretty okay with that though.

As for the "Marvel Machine", from everything we've heard it seems like the films get given certain world building points they need to incorporate, everything else except character death is fair game. Winter Soldier was just told "Hey, we're ditching SHIELD". I'd imagine if anything Wright just had a more distinct vision for his Ant-Man film that maybe didn't fit the MCU. Which sucks, but I like the Marvel film model, so I'm not exactly crying my eyes out that we'll get one that might fit in better.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping they'd now juggle the casting around and have Rudd as Hank Pym, though. As much sense as that doesn't make. >_>