Are People Really Sick of Comic Book Movies?

These days, it seems like there’s still an endless stream of comic book movies and TV shows coming from every studio under the sun. Audiences might be getting a bit sick of all the spandex and comic book adaptations. But how much of that is superhero fatigue, and how much is that these movies and shows are starting to stink?

Superheroes on the Silver Screen

Christover Reeve as Superman — Warner Bros

Superhero movies have been a thing for as long as there have been superheroes. Superman was the subject of serials back in the 30s and 40s, right after he debuted. Batman, likewise, has been a popular subject for movies and TV shows since his inception. Both characters got great adaptations, too: Superman in the 70s series starring Christopher Reeve, and Batman in the 1989 Tim Burton movie.

Ramping Up

As special effects advanced and comic books became more mainstream, even more heroes started popping up in theaters. Blade, the X-Men, Spider-Man, and more flooded into theaters in the late 90s through early 00s. Notably, those are all Marvel properties — DC started lagging behind their rivals in this era, with the exception of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins (2005) and its ensuing trilogy.

The MCU

You can’t talk about modern superhero movies without talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. RDJ’s turn as Iron Man in the 2008 film of the same name got the whole MCU started. That sprawling web of interconnected movies is unlike any other film franchise, spanning over 20 movies and what feels like countless TV shows. Everyone from Universal to Warner Bros wanted to make their own version of an interconnected movie franchise, and, in most cases, they failed miserably.

Never Missing

From the release of Iron Man through Avengers: Endgame, it felt like the MCU just couldn’t miss. Nearly twenty films hit theaters in just under 11 years, and most of them were varying degrees of “pretty good” to “really fantastic.” Endgame gave the universe a fulfilling finale, wrapping up long-running plot threads and ending the franchise on a high note.

Except it Wasn’t Over

Well, it probably should have been the end for the MCU. Instead, Marvel saw their sprawling cinematic universe as an infinite money machine that simply couldn’t lose. The twin specters of actors aging out of roles and COVID turning the film industry inside out put an end to that idea. A string of high-profile whiffs from Marvel in the years since Endgame have called the entire superhero genre into question.

Meanwhile, DC…

While Marvel was making all the money you could possibly imagine on the back of the Avengers, DC was flailing to create some kind of cinematic universe. Despite the heroic efforts of the absurdly inconsistent Zack Snyder, it wasn’t meant to be. Notorious stinkers like Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman did nothing to excite fans. The disastrous Joss Whedon cut of Justice League was the final nail in the coffin for Snyder’s vision for DC.

The Current State of the Industry

DC’s planned universe is now a smoldering ruin. Warner Bros.’ flops like Shazam 2, Aquaman 2, Black Adam, and Wonder Woman 1984 are still stinging the company. Marvel, meanwhile, is trying to win fans back with stunt casting like bringing Robert Downey Jr. back to play Doctor Doom in yet still more Avengers films. While the MCU isn’t looking like it’s going away just yet, a few more high-profile box office bombs could change that.

Are Audiences Done?

So, is superhero fatigue finally here? Well, probably not. Deadpool & Wolverine and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 had great box office performances. DC fans are still clamoring for a decent take on Superman, and the ongoing Robert Pattinson Batman series is very popular among viewers. Fans just want better superhero stories.

Marvel’s Course Correction

For Marvel, the next step is clear. They need to slow down. The studio was putting out so much stuff in the post-Endgame era that it was unsustainable. This can be felt in the middling-to-awful CGI in projects like She Hulk and Thor: Love and Thunder. The name of the game for them now needs to be quality over quantity. Conveniently, this will also give audiences time to stop being so burned out by superheroes. It seems this is the approach they’re going with, slowing on their film output while focusing on high-quality shows like the anticipated Daredevil: Born Again.

James Gunn’s New DCU

Meanwhile, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has moved on from Marvel and taken the reins over at DC. Warner Bros is clearly eager to shake off the impression that their movies are terrible (which, to be fair, they really have been). Gunn’s new slate of DC movies will kick off with a (hopefully awesome) Superman movie and will follow the MCU’s lead with tight, interconnected storytelling and a focus on compelling characters.