Are Superhero films dying?

[Paul Farquhar]

It didn't work for the Birds of Prey TV show or a number of others at the time. It just showed they lacked the courage of their convictions. And this is ignoring the question of the line where people can tell themselves they're just looking at action-adventure characters and where they're looking at overt superhumans.

(Someone can point in a counter-point of The Umbrella Academy, but I'd argue the dynamic there is so far from anything resembling conventional supers its more like urban fantasy).

It worked for The Avengers (British version) etc. Both of the shows you mentioned are still burdened with being based on comics.

 

[Amrûnril]

The theater we saw Marvels in this weekend is one we've used before that lets you reserve seats. The seats are really comfortable and reclining and the tickets aren't too expensive. Unfortunately the 1:00 shown didn't start until 1:30 because of the commercials before the previews and that let me realize how bright the exit floor lights were, that the screen wasn't that big, and that our sound system at home is pretty nice. I think even with 20 minutes instead of 30 and $2 more we might have been fine. This was just stupid.

The expansion of commercials is definitely the worst part of the experience. It used to be that the previews were the only commercials. Now, generic commercials extend well past the scheduled start time (with frequent encouragement to arrive early next time, so you don't miss anything). Then the theater plays an announcement hyping the previews as if they're an actual attraction. Finally, once you've waited half an hour for the movie you paid to see, the theater company plays a welcome announcement/advertisement talking about how wonderful a company they are and how much they want you to enjoy your experience.

To invert a common aphorism about free content, when I am paying for the product, I shouldn't also have to be the product. Operating theaters this way while implying that the audience should enjoy being the product feels like an approach calibrated to create resentment.

 

[Ryujin]

The expansion of commercials is definitely the worst part of the experience. It used to be that the previews were the only commercials. Now, generic commercials extend well past the scheduled start time (with frequent encouragement to arrive early next time, so you don't miss anything). Then the theater plays an announcement hyping the previews as if they're an actual attraction. Finally, once you've waited half an hour for the movie you paid to see, the theater company plays a welcome announcement/advertisement talking about how wonderful a company they are and how much they want you to enjoy your experience.

To invert a common aphorism about free content, when I am paying for the product, I shouldn't also have to be the product. Operating theaters this way while implying that the audience should enjoy being the product feels like an approach calibrated to create resentment.

Having to pay a premium for a specific well placed seat in a virtually empty theatre, in the early afternoon, also doesn't exactly breed convivial feelings.

 

[wicked cool]

Not to put to fine a point on it ... but Brie Larson has an Academy Award (aka, Oscar), a SAG Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA, among other awards.

If you don't think that she is a great actor, then I am not sure who could possibly qualify. Again, acting is somewhat subjective* ... but I can't help but notice that there is a certain .... common approach ... that you are taking when you are dismissing some people's acting, and accepting others.

The entire point of this is, of course, that the issue with Marvel isn't on the acting side. In addition, I will reiterate that success (in terms of metrics) and quality can be related, but are not the same thing. You can't just cherrypick random things to support you, and disregard counterexamples. You also shouldn't be comparing across different media- TV and films are quite different; something Marvel is learning.

*Brian Cox is a great actor ... but most importantly he was given a great role in Succession. If you were familiar with his filmography, you'd know that he's been in more than his fair share of stinkers

she was in room which won best picture best actress etc and that was 10 years ago. All the awards are from that 1 movie. Agreed good performance

The problem and yes it’s the female leading roles is they don’t have the screen presence that a Margot Robbie has. Not sure what awards she has but it’s clear she can carry a movie whether she’s a super villian or a toy turned into a leading role
Wheel of time-directing is so bad they are making up the story now. Most part wooden acting

Looking at potential superhero duds in 2024
Kraven-looks awful
Madame web most likely awful

These are just poor choices

 

[Ryujin]

The problem and yes it’s the female leading roles is they don’t have the screen presence that a Margot Robbie has. Not sure what awards she has but it’s clear she can carry a movie whether she’s a super villian or a toy turned into a leading role
Wheel of time-directing is so bad they are making up the story now. Most part wooden acting

Looking at potential superhero duds in 2024
Kraven-looks awful
Madame web most likely awful

These are just poor choices

List of awards and nominations received by Margot Robbie - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And yet this didn't save "Suicide Squad", "The Suicide Squad", or "Birds of Prey" in the box office. I rather liked the latter two. The first was garbage.

 

[Zardnaar]

If they're do a clear out in Hollywood it's not really an actor thing more writing.

There's a handful that may not fit but for the most part they're fine.

12 superhero films this year apparently. Think 2 have been hits. I can think of 9 of them.

 

[wicked cool]

List of awards and nominations received by Margot Robbie - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And yet this didn't save "Suicide Squad", "The Suicide Squad", or "Birds of Prey" in the box office. I rather liked the latter two. The first was garbage.

True but she was some of the better parts of suicide squad and it was during covid and the first 1 was a bad movie plus it was released on HBO within days of release. It’s still in my opinion better than Thor and thunder plus antman

Marvels has an estimated budget of 224-274 million depending on source . Opening weekend around 40 million. It’s practically tied with the dungeons and dragons movie of 37 million and that had a budget of 150 million and it was considered somewhat of a box office flop

I’m sorry but it’s a disaster and I’d hire someone better. It’s a huge investment and a poor product with no box office appeal

 

[Zardnaar]

True but she was some of the better parts of suicide squad and it was during covid and the first 1 was a bad movie plus it was released on HBO within days of release. It’s still in my opinion better than Thor and thunder plus antman

Marvels has an estimated budget of 224-274 million depending on source . Opening weekend around 40 million. It’s practically tied with the dungeons and dragons movie of 37 million and that had a budget of 150 million and it was considered somewhat of a box office flop

I’m sorry but it’s a disaster and I’d hire someone better. It’s a huge investment and a poor product with no box office appeal

Break even point is also considered around 700-800 million.

It's probably gonna end up under 400 million.

It's going to be competing with Indianna Jones for biggest flop of the year and if it's really bad John Carter biggest flop of all time.

 

[Kaodi]

Is he wrong about any of it? Do you think Marvel needs 70+ y/o characters? Is that going to improve things? Is targeting people who miss Dynasty the future for Marvel? I've watched Yellowstone and it is not good, despite Kevin. It's just one of these blathery family sagas and they're for a very certain audience with almost zero crossover with the people who watched Endgame in cinemas (I'm sure there were a few late 40s and older who did, but we're talking single-digit percent).

I think the dismissing "geriatric" actors as worth less is, at least, kinda ageist. Certainly making a show for an older audience is not going to be any kind of silver bullet (pun intended) but I do not think it would hurt, either. An actor who is 75 today would have been thirteen years old when Fantastic Four launched, practically the exact right age to have been around at the start of the Marvel revolution. They should not be dismissed out of hand.

Also, this talk about Yellowstone being just a "rancher" show ignores one of the most significant things that I have heard about it: that its portrayal of its Indigenous characters is multifaceted and has depth, which, if true, is a lot more than can be said about a lot of other properties. In any case here is at article written by Elamin Abdelmahmoud about it. Do not dismiss it because it was for BuzzFeed: Elamin was hired that same month to do a program for CBC, the Canadian national news network.

 

[Kaodi]

So to destroy the argument. If The boys makes a movie it doesn’t make a ton of money ? Any one of the main cast is a better actor than any new current marvel actor

I have defended the virtues of older actors and Yellowstone in my previous post but I want to make sure it is also clear that I think this is complete and utter nonsense.