Do You Believe Comic Book Movie Fatigue Is Setting In?

[Amadeus Arkham]

For a long time Capes and Cowls ruled the box office, particularly with Marvel Studios being the one to rule over the biggest box office throne previously belonging to earth 2000 film franchises like Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings.

With the recent struggles of Marvel and DC at the box office, now with Ant-Man underperforming and Shazam outright tanking, it’s being suggested that days of Marvel and DC dominating the movies are long behind them. Do you believe audiences are fatigued on superhero movies, or are these recent examples of underperformance is merely exception to the rule - an anomaly that isn’t a sign of growing audience disinterest in the genre. What’s your take?

[caj]

For a long time Capes and Cowls ruled the box office, particularly with Marvel Studios being the one to rule over the biggest box office throne previously belonging to earth 2000 film franchises like Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings.

With the recent struggles of Marvel and DC at the box office, now with Ant-Man underperforming and Shazam outright tanking, it’s being suggested that days of Marvel and DC dominating the movies are long behind them. Do you believe audiences are fatigued on superhero movies, or are these recent examples of underperformance is merely exception to the rule - an anomaly that isn’t a sign of growing audience disinterest in the genre. What’s your take?

I know I'm tired of them. I think Marvel usually does great with their films but I never read Marvel growing up so I could not care less about the films. DC usually royally screws up any film they put out, so yeah, I'm pretty much fed up right now.

[frankiedetroit]

Yes, for me. I wish it wasn't this way. I haven't cared much about the DC output post-Christian Bale, but was a diehard for Marvel movies. After being disappointed by the latest Thor and Ant-Man movies -- both of which I was REALLY looking forward to -- my expectations going forward have fallen off a cliff. My son (who is 11) asked about seeing the latest Shazam. We saw the original in the theater, but we also saw Black Adam at his request, which for me was dull and uninspired. (My son enjoyed it.) With Shazam, I just couldn't envision paying however many bucks to see yet another movie that I felt was going to be just as paint by numbers. Despite it all, I am intrigued by the last Guardians and the upcoming Flash, but will see them in a theater only if they get good reviews.

[thwhtGuardian]

Almost half of the top ten highest grossing films of last year were superhero movies... so if you think superhero fatigue is a real thing then I have some wonderful beachfront property in Kansas, a mountain in Illinois and a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd love to sell to you.

[kingaliencracker]

Almost half of the top ten highest grossing films of last year were superhero movies... so if you think superhero fatigue is a real thing then I have some wonderful beachfront property in Kansas, a mountain in Illinois and a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd love to sell to you.

When all that's being released into theaters are tent pole movies, including a huge chunk being super hero films, they're naturally going to rank in a top 5 or top 10 listing of box office gross. It doesn't mean there isn't burnout with them.

[SpiderTBliss]

they're naturally going to rank in a top 5 or top 10 listing of box office gross.

If they're "naturally" going to do that then then there's no burn out.

[kingaliencracker]

If they're "naturally" going to do that then then there's no burn out.

If you have ten different types of candy bars to provide to ten people, the tenth candy bar taken will still rank in the top ten. It doesn't mean that tenth person is satisfied with what he or she got.

[BeastieRunner]

This thread comes up everytime a new super movie is about to drop.

So no, not even close.

[Noodle]

If you have ten different types of candy bars to provide to ten people, the tenth candy bar taken will still rank in the top ten. It doesn't mean that tenth person is satisfied with what he or she got.

Or that people are just tired of candy bars.

If five of your top ten grossing films of the year are super hero movies, them taking in less money isn't a problem with the genre. It's with the film industry itself. Movies like Top Gun and Avatar are outliers, not the rule. The bulk of films are making a fraction of what they used to at the box office. The industry is changing.

[kingaliencracker]

Or that people are just tired of candy bars.

If five of your top ten grossing films of the year are super hero movies, them taking in less money isn't a problem with the genre. It's with the film industry itself. Movies like Top Gun and Avatar are outliers, not the rule. The bulk of films are making a fraction of what they used to at the box office. The industry is changing.

I posted an LA Times article elsewhere that said there are substantially less movies going to theaters and almost everything being released is a tentpole film. Even when smaller movies are given a theatrical release, they're made available on some streaming platform the following weekend.

Point is, if the box office rankings are all tent pole movies because that's all that's going to be released, then Black Panther ranking 4th is good, but doesn't tell you the full picture in that it made $500 million less than its predecessor, and that this is the first phase in which only one MCU film crossed $1 billion at the box office.

[80sbaby]

This thread comes up everytime a new super movie is about to drop.

So no, not even close.

It has very much become like "the boy who cried wolf" at this point. And I get that "this time it's different" because they'll cite current trends/stats (which can still be interpreted various ways.)

But I think that people are fatigued talking about superhero fatigue lol

[kingaliencracker]

It has very much become like "the boy who cried wolf" at this point. And I get that "this time it's different" because they'll cite current trends/stats (which can still be interpreted various ways.)

But I think that people are fatigued talking about superhero fatigue lol

With all due respect, the super hero genre fatigue isn't just being discussed by fans, but also reported on several credible sites discussing box office and critical response. You may choose to ignore that, which is fine. But I certainly think there's credence to it. Even Disney's CEO is telling you they might be oversaturating the market.

[80sbaby]

With all due respect, the super hero genre fatigue isn't just being discussed by fans, but also reported on several credible sites discussing box office and critical response. You may choose to ignore that, which is fine. But I certainly think there's credence to it. Even Disney's CEO is telling you they might be oversaturating the market.

That doesn't change anything I said nor the post I was responding to.

[kingaliencracker]

That doesn't change anything I said nor the post I was responding to.

Well, except you're trying to refute the notion that there's a level of fatigue going on (agreeing that fans who think so are "crying wolf), when even the head of the company that makes the films is telling you that "yeah, we may need to dial it back a bit".

[80sbaby]

Well, except you're trying to refute the notion that there's a level of fatigue going on (agreeing that fans who think so are "crying wolf), when even the head of the company that makes the films is telling you that "yeah, we may need to dial it back a bit".

I didn't actually try to refute anything. Just agreeing with that poster about the constant talk becoming tiresome, whether it's true or not. Hence "the boy who cried wolf" analogy.