How much should romance matter in superhero and action movies and shows?

[Agent Z]

You're kind of mixing things up. The hero doesn't need a love interest to raise the stakes. The audience does.

No they don't. Audiences are not going to see superhero movies because of the romance. If they like the romance if it is done well, that is one thing. But they do not need a romance to be invested.

[Agent Z]

I don't know about that many heroes are motivated by romantic love.

I never said they were.

[C_Miller]

No they don't. Audiences are not going to see superhero movies because of the romance. If they like the romance if it is done well, that is one thing. But they do not need a romance to be invested.

I think you're talking about two different things though. It's not mutually exclusive by any means. Sure, I'll give you the point that people aren't going to see a superhero movie because of the romance, but I do believe it can add something to the movie that makes the audience invested. It adds a human element that can be difficult to convey when dealing in stories that most people can't inherently relate to.

[JBatmanFan05]

No matter what, romance shouldn't be forced on heroes/antiheroes that rely less on it, where it is less a core.

While Batman is a romance character, some of his movies feel like they force it down your throat too much when the films could have done a little less with that aspect given the stage of his life, etc. I'm looking at Chris Nolan and Rachel Dawes.

The Punisher is another character where you perhaps see movies/shows trying to force romance or flirtation in where it doesn't belong.

[CliffHanger2]

They should sleep with escorts so they cannot be blackmailed by bad guys.

That works until the hero falls in love with the escort. lol

[Osiris-Rex]

No matter what, romance shouldn't be forced on heroes/antiheroes that rely less on it, where it is less a core.

While Batman is a romance character, some of his movies feel like they force it down your throat too much when the films could have done a little less with that aspect given the stage of his life, etc. I'm looking at Chris Nolan and Rachel Dawes.

Though in the Batman comic books, Bruce proposed marriage to Selina and she said yes. That's pretty much the current theme of the current run of the Batman comic book, Bruce and Selina are a romantic couple.
Going on adventures together. And now they are going on double dates with Clark and Lois. At least in "Batman Returns" when Bruce asked Selina to live with him, she flatly rejected the idea.

[areacode212]

Romance in stories can be great. Problem is, their execution in superhero adaptations is pretty terrible a lot of the time for many reasons.

[Agent Z]

I think you're talking about two different things though. It's not mutually exclusive by any means. Sure, I'll give you the point that people aren't going to see a superhero movie because of the romance, but I do believe it can add something to the movie that makes the audience invested. It adds a human element that can be difficult to convey when dealing in stories that most people can't inherently relate to.

There are ways to do this without romance.

[cadet]

If it wasn't for the romance subplot, a lot of action movies wouldn't even have a named female character.

[Captain Smith]

It's all the writing. Iris and Barry is an incredible distraction and poorly done. Lois and Clark is classic and organic to the story. Cap and Carter - nice touch. Optimus and a Dodge Ram truck - well, let's not go there.

[Osiris-Rex]

It's all the writing. Iris and Barry is an incredible distraction and poorly done. Lois and Clark is classic and organic to the story. Cap and Carter - nice touch. Optimus and a Dodge Ram truck - well, let's not go there.

Just one question. Who does the ramming? Optimus or the Dodge?

If it wasn't for the romance subplot, a lot of action movies wouldn't even have a named female character.

Iris probably wouldn't exist on Flash. James Olsen probably wouldn't have been on Supergirl. If Felicity were still on Arrow she'd probably just be there for tech support.

[Red Robe Jaldari]

That works until the hero falls in love with the escort. lol

Still less oppurtunity for blackmail.

[TheInvisibleMan]

RE: Flash television show

this is a whole other conversation, but a lot of the heat Iris gets isn't because of her relationship with Barry

[WontonGirl]

Romance never goes well in superhero comics, I doubt it would go well in superhero movies. Did anyone watch the thing between Captain America and Black Widow in the Winter Soldier film?

Romance never goes well in superhero comics or movies? Of course it does. And that goes for TV too.

[WontonGirl]

RE: Flash television show

this is a whole other conversation, but a lot of the heat Iris gets isn't because of her relationship with Barry

You can say that again.