Unless you live under a rock, you are probably well aware that there are tons of movies based on comic book characters, specifically superheroes. Already this year we’ve seen Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Power Rangers, and Wonder Woman, and there are still a few more superhero films to be released in 2017.
With all of these superheroes making the jump from comic book panels onto the big screen, even some of the most devoted comic book fans are getting tired of superhero movies. Even Mark Hamill, known for his role as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars and the voice of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, thinks there are too many superhero movies, saying, "I don’t know what’s going on with superhero movies. They’re fantastic, but I think we’re reaching a point of oversaturation. So that’s why the story is so important, is that the gimmicks and all that, they can only take you so far..." and I think I agree with him.
Lately, I’ve noticed that I have been less and less excited whenever new superhero movies are announced or behind the scenes images are released (with some exceptions, like the Black Panther teaser, which was amazing).
So what happened? Have I outgrown superheroes? No, I don’t think so. If anything I’m just tired of seeing the same stories over and over again with characters that I know everything about, from their origin story to their favorite late night snack. Looking at superhero movies as a business, which it is, it makes sense to produce films with a story that has repeatedly drawn in audiences with characters that studios know are popular.
As much as I understand this business model, I feel like it keeps directors and writers from telling creative and unique superheroes using stories and characters from comic books. Superheroes have become their own genre in movies, while in comic books, superheroes exist is a wide array of genres and stories by diverse and brilliant writers and artists. I would like to see the kind of variety that is found in comic books appear in the movies. Here are just three superhero concepts that I would like to see appear on the big screen.
1. A GOOD Supervillain Movie
Even though there are many superhero movies released every year, there are very few movies about supervillains, and they tend to be either unsuccessful or cannot really be called supervillain movies. Suicide Squad was one of the first movies with supervillains as the main characters; however, the movie received very poor reviews and I still have a hard time defending it. X-Men: First Class told the origin story of Magneto, but it also told the story of Professor X and the X-Men, so it’s not exclusively a super villain movie.
Perhaps Hollywood is afraid of telling a story about morally bankrupt villains without some hero to defeat them or some redemption arc to... well, redeem them. But if Hollywood is willing to produce gangster films like The Godfather and Scarface, where the characters are despicable and never really seek or find redemption, I think that movies about sinister characters like The Joker or Dr. Doom would be awesome. Sony has announced that they will be making a Venom movie, and even though I am hesitant to get excited, I hope that they are able to successfully tell a story about Spider-Man’s nemesis.
2. An Alternate Universe
In comic books, it is not uncommon to read about alternate worlds where familiar characters are re-imagined in different scenarios or time periods that drastically change the character. While the movies are kind of their own universe separate from the comic books, they are still faithful, removing and changing elements to adjust to the medium and work within the restraints of time. Besides these small changes, the stories are just modern day versions of stories that were originally printed anywhere from the 1940’s to the 2000’s.
I would like to see a superhero movie that explores alternate realities and timelines-- for example, an adaptation of Superman: Red Son, a story where Superman crash landed in Soviet Russia, rather than Kansas. Tell a Batman story set during Medieval times, a Wonder Woman story set 1000 years into the future, or a Green Lantern story in a world where color doesn’t exist.
The reason why I would want to see superhero movies with such strange and outlandish settings and twists is because I would like Hollywood writers and directors to have more creative freedom with characters that already have established backstories and mythos.
3. A Non-Action Movie
Even though superhero movies have become their own genre, they are technically action movies, complete with fast-paced fight scenes and several huge explosions per flick. I have nothing against action movies; in fact, most of my favorite movies are very action-oriented. I just want writers and directors to show audiences that comic book characters are capable of doing much more than show off intense special effects and gripping fight scenes.
I would like to see a superhero movie that is more terrifying than the best horror films, complete with monsters and suspense, elements that there are an abundance of in comic book stories like Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. I also think that superheroes are able to be the stars in epic romances, full of drama and angst. If you thought the Notebook was sad, just imagine how dramatic a romance would be if it starred Batman and Catwoman. Comedies are also a perfect genre for superheroes. There is very little that I want more than a movie starring the superhero comedy duo, Booster Gold and the Blue Beetle.
I do not think that superhero movies are going to go away anytime soon, but I do worry that as time goes on, the genre will become so stagnant that even the most devoted fans will get bored with the movies. I hope that as writers and directors, both famed and new, attempt to create even more superhero movies, that there will be more diversity and variety in terms of stories and genres.
