Matt Kelly – Staff Writer, Mad Bracket Status Host
1. Are superheroes facing oversaturation in today’s media?
We could absolutely be facing over saturation in the superhero movie genre.
I have a magazine from 2011 that was specifically about superhero movies. (I know. I’m pretty cool.) The cover of the magazine featured four heroes from four different big ticket movies. We had Captain America, Magneto, Thor, and Green Lantern. I remember how much it blew my mind that we could have FOUR WHOLE MOVIES that are that big coming out in one year.
Fast forward to 2017. We have Deadpool, Batman v Superman, Captain America: Civil War, X-Men Apocalypse, Dr. Strange, Suicide Squad, and Sinister Six. That’s seven movies and we aren’t even counting the Power Ranger reboot and the Ninja Turtles sequel. That’s a ton of movies and they’re all going to be big events. Also look at Marvel’s plan to Netflix the Defenders and DC’s huge superhero TV show plan. That is a TON of content. There could easily be over saturation.
2. How can superhero content stay fresh over the next few years?
The big lesson of Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is this: There is nothing stopping the success of these superhero movies as long as they continue to not just be superhero movies.
Marvel is excellent at turning their superhero movies into different kinds of movies. Cap 2 is a spy movie. Guardians of the Galaxy was a space opera. Apparently, Ant Man is going to be a heist movie. It works. As long as these movies are more than just superhero movies, they should be able to do keep us engaged as an audience and we won’t get tired of the same old thing. Think about it Dr. Strange can be a horror movie. Black Panther can be Indiana Jones. There are so many options.
However, Marvel is able to do take these risks and turn these movies into things people aren’t expecting for a reason. Two words. LOW EXPECTATIONS. This formula of doing new and innovative things is going to come to a grinding halt when DC starts making movies with characters like Wonder Woman that everyone already knows way too well. Comic book fans are notorious for not accepting change. We, as fans, have to give producers the chance to turn Wonder Woman into a 1920’s war film if they want to without pressuring them into making formulaic garbage. That is the key.
3. What will we be saying about the superhero genre in five years?
I think in five years we will be exactly where we were four months ago. After a string of huge hits, Marvel will be poised to fail for the first time (if you don’t count Thor movies) with Inhumans. An unknown property about a bunch of weirdos living on the moon will seem like a joke. It will be just like Guardians of the Galaxy.
And just like Guardians it will restore everyone’s faith in superhero movies. Risky properties like Inhumans will keep everyone excited about the genre. Honestly, I am very concerned about what Marvel will be doing after Infinity Wars. I think everyone will be in five years. It could spell an end to the fun we have been having with all of these great characters. I also have faith that Marvel will be able to come up with a way to keep everything fresh and fun. They always do.
I have no idea what we will be saying about DC. No idea.
4. Out of all the movies that have been announced, what will be the best overall film?
My money is on Captain America: Civil War being the best movie on the horizon. It is hard to judge a lot of these other movies because there is no creative team attached. With CA:CW we have a team of proven actors playing characters we already love and we have the Russo brothers directing again. They have been so successful with the Winter Soldier material that I can’t imagine they won’t knock Civil War out of the park.
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