Do You Believe Comic Book Movie Fatigue Is Setting In?

[HollowSage]

Yes. I see that even the much-maligned "Quantumania" is at $530 million worldwide. Probably within reasonable expectations for an Ant-Man movie.

I think that is the problem. Marvel Studios meteoric rise and dominance has thrown expectations completely off. Once they proved that they could make stars out of a talking raccoon and tree anything was possible. It’s kinda funny how quickly superhero movies went from risky bets, unless you’re Batman, to making close to a billion dollars is just routine.

[Tofali]

Yes. I see that even the much-maligned "Quantumania" is at $530 million worldwide. Probably within reasonable expectations for an Ant-Man movie.

Right now It is at 470M worldwide.

[The Kid]

I certainly have fatigue and I think critics do as well since I think the days of films that are 'fun' and 'colorful' getting at least a 70% in RT are now over. Audiences maybe a little bit. Superhero movies will still do big business but I think their peak has past.

[Colossus1980]

I do think critics have higher standards for CBM whether that's fair or not. I also think Disney is very disappointed in Quantumania's BO. This was not the debut they were hoping for the next big villain and the Avenger's main foe.

[ClassicalComics]

I think that is the problem. Marvel Studios meteoric rise and dominance has thrown expectations completely off. Once they proved that they could make stars out of a talking raccoon and tree anything was possible. It’s kinda funny how quickly superhero movies went from risky bets, unless you’re Batman, to making close to a billion dollars is just routine.

Again, I think the real problem is that they are hiring people who actively dislike the medium.

[Agent Z]

Again, I think the real problem is that they are hiring people who actively dislike the medium.

And what evidence do you have of this? This is a pretty common claim from fans, even though it isn't true most of the time.

[ClassicalComics]

And what evidence do you have of this? This is a pretty common claim from fans, even though it isn't true most of the time.

Jac Schaffer pretty much said as much a few years ago.

“I’m not interested in adhering to comic canon that is discriminatory in any way or that violates my values system... I wasn’t a huge superhero movie fan before starting to work [at Marvel], but now that I’m doing it, there’s just so much opportunity to make big, positive statements... I would like to see alternatives to violence in superhero movies. Maybe I would qualify that by saying, alternatives to glamorizing guns and weaponry... I choose to be a part of projects that are about positive representation. We need to see women, we need to see people of color, we need to see nuanced experiences, and we need to see different perspectives on screen. I choose to work with people who are interested in changing perspectives for the better, and putting a world on screen that is something we can aspire to and have conversations about, and moving in a direction that will create a world I hope will be better for my children."

She clearly cares about sending a message more than comic book canon and remember that she didn't even know who Mephisto was when people were theorizing about Wandavision. And alternatives to violence in superhero movies? Unless you're of the philosophy that fighting doesn't constitute as violence, I don't know how to take it. Practically every superhero has fighting and weaponry. If she wants that removed, she is in the wrong genre. And I don't know what she's on about discriminatory comic canon. Wanda and Natasha never had pro-racist stories.

And then you have Kevin Feige saying that Nate Moore pushed to race and gender swap the Eternals and give the director free rein to change them entirely because nobody knows about them and were such a niche comic. Which is rather insulting to Jack Kirby.

And you have the initial director of the upcoming Blade movie saying that the character has no comic canon. He is off the project now, but it is concerning that someone they would hire would say that in the first place.

But when you really get down to it, look at all the changes these people were making. Such changes they wouldn't be making if they didn't think they were massively improving on the comic books. Which shows distain toward the medium. Hubris and disrespect. There are some changes that have to be made, as it is in a different medium. But when the content is unrecognizable, there is no way the people in charge respect what they should be adapting.

[Fridays]

I do think critics have higher standards for CBM whether that's fair or not. I also think Disney is very disappointed in Quantumania's BO. This was not the debut they were hoping for the next big villain and the Avenger's main foe.

Why does this feel so wrong and the opposite so correct.

Critics lowered the standard for CBM, that is why the genre is in a mess. they lowered the standard because of MCU films. they should have kept the high standard they set in the early 2000s when the first x-men films came out and the first scene showed magneto in a nazi concentration death camp. a comic film set in a grounded world, with a more mature tone directed by an actual director making a film and not a manufactured movie from a corporate producer. when x-men came out in 2000 the genre was forced to grow up 3 years after the mess of batman and robin that was called the death of CBM in 1997

From that 2000s, we got the Sam Raimi movies who made very well directed competent blockbuster movies that just happened to be spiderman films, we had juggernauts like nolan bringing more credibility to CBM with his no nonsense film making approach.

Critics were wiling to toss all of what was been achieved in the early 2000s in CBM for the MCU cinematic set ups, build ups, cross overs, that had little real film substance and critics for a long time gave it pass because everyone wanted to see their favorite heroes interact with each other. well this is where we are now. most are over the interaction and set ups and can now see how terrible this era of CBM are because they failed to do the most basic thing which is make an actual film and show the genre can always progress beyond just been toy commercials.

Ant Man 3 looked way too green screened, even for kids, Maybe this is why it flopped. Shazam 2 has zero momentum, also a flop.

[inisideguy]

I do find it kind of funny how people write these narratives. John Wick just had a 62 percent drop in its second weekend. This is for a highly praised 4th movie. Thats not as bad as Ant-mans drop but it aint good either. More and more movies are massively front loaded.

[Zelena]

To answer the question of the thread, I think people are tired of sequels, prequels, remakes without originality. You had a success, they think: why not reproducing the success?

Wouldn’t they be delighted of a movie featuring the “Squirrel Girl” which isn’t a comic that is only about action and special effects… All movies need to talk about “real life”, in a way… even SF movies.

[HollowSage]

But when you really get down to it, look at all the changes these people were making. Such changes they wouldn't be making if they didn't think they were massively improving on the comic books. Which shows distain toward the medium. Hubris and disrespect. There are some changes that have to be made, as it is in a different medium. But when the content is unrecognizable, there is no way the people in charge respect what they should be adapting.

Nothing you posted proves a dislike for comics. The real hubris is thinking that comics written decades ago need no improving. New creators with new ideas and perspectives is what keeps things fresh.

[80sbaby]

Nothing you posted proves a dislike for comics. The real hubris is thinking that comics written decades ago need no improving. New creators with new ideas and perspectives is what keeps things fresh.

Exactly this. But I think we can read between the lines and see what ClassicalComics really means.

[Mister Mets]

I do find it kind of funny how people write these narratives. John Wick just had a 62 percent drop in its second weekend. This is for a highly praised 4th movie. Thats not as bad as Ant-mans drop but it aint good either. More and more movies are massively front loaded.

Antman's dropoff was bigger. We'll also see how John Wick does in later weeks. Antman barely had a 2 multiple (meaning it will barely make twice its opening weekend box office in its entire run) so we'll know in a few weeks if John Wick 4 has similar problems (Antman 3 had twice the production budget.)

To answer the question of the thread, I think people are tired of sequels, prequels, remakes without originality. You had a success, they think: why not reproducing the success?

Wouldn’t they be delighted of a movie featuring the “Squirrel Girl” which isn’t a comic that is only about action and special effects… All movies need to talk about “real life”, in a way… even SF movies.

This is a fair point.

People complaining about superhero films may actually be complaining about sequels and a lack of original content.

But there is a lack of original content.

Looking at the top ten from 2022...
Avatar: The Way of Water was a sequel
Top Gun: Maverick was also a sequel
Jurassic World: Dominion was a sequel and the sixth film in a larger franchise based on a 1990s novel
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a comic book sequel
Minions: The Rise of Gru was a sequel to a prequel, where they were able to bring in Steve Carell's Gru into the spinoff.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was a comic book sequel
The Batman was a reset in that comic book franchise bringing back the villains of Batman Returns, along with Riddler
Thor: Love and Thunder was a comic book sequel
Water Gate Bridge is a sequel to the Chinese film The Battle at Lake Changjin
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a sequel to the Shrek spinoff.

And in case anyone thinks this is Covid-related, let's look at 2019.
Avengers: Endgame was a comic book sequel
The Lion King was a remake
Frozen II was a sequel
Spider-Man: Far from Home was a sequel
Captain Marvel was a prequel about how Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury lost his eye
Joker was a new take on a character who had been the main bad guy in the top films of 1989 and 2008.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker was a sequel
Toy Story 4 was a sequel
Aladdin was a remake
Jumanji: The Next Level was a sequel.

[HollowSage]

Exactly this. But I think we can read between the lines and see what ClassicalComics really means.

Sadly we can. At least he didn’t use the “W” word.

[Powerboy]

Jac Schaffer pretty much said as much a few years ago.

“I’m not interested in adhering to comic canon that is discriminatory in any way or that violates my values system... I wasn’t a huge superhero movie fan before starting to work [at Marvel], but now that I’m doing it, there’s just so much opportunity to make big, positive statements... I would like to see alternatives to violence in superhero movies. Maybe I would qualify that by saying, alternatives to glamorizing guns and weaponry... I choose to be a part of projects that are about positive representation. We need to see women, we need to see people of color, we need to see nuanced experiences, and we need to see different perspectives on screen. I choose to work with people who are interested in changing perspectives for the better, and putting a world on screen that is something we can aspire to and have conversations about, and moving in a direction that will create a world I hope will be better for my children."

She clearly cares about sending a message more than comic book canon and remember that she didn't even know who Mephisto was when people were theorizing about Wandavision. And alternatives to violence in superhero movies? Unless you're of the philosophy that fighting doesn't constitute as violence, I don't know how to take it. Practically every superhero has fighting and weaponry. If she wants that removed, she is in the wrong genre. And I don't know what she's on about discriminatory comic canon. Wanda and Natasha never had pro-racist stories.

And then you have Kevin Feige saying that Nate Moore pushed to race and gender swap the Eternals and give the director free rein to change them entirely because nobody knows about them and were such a niche comic. Which is rather insulting to Jack Kirby.

And you have the initial director of the upcoming Blade movie saying that the character has no comic canon. He is off the project now, but it is concerning that someone they would hire would say that in the first place.

But when you really get down to it, look at all the changes these people were making. Such changes they wouldn't be making if they didn't think they were massively improving on the comic books. Which shows distain toward the medium. Hubris and disrespect. There are some changes that have to be made, as it is in a different medium. But when the content is unrecognizable, there is no way the people in charge respect what they should be adapting.

But that's ONE person. Most of them are just updating characters to a later era and a different medium.