Matthew Vaughn has positively scandalized the internet fan community by saying he thinks the superhero genre's on the way out at the movies. In his eyes, the subject’s “…been mined to death and the quality control is not what it’s supposed to be…" Soon, it’s “…going to be dead for a while because the audience have just been pummeled too much.” It might seem counter-intuitive for him to say this, given that he’s just about to start shooting X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, but Vaughan asserts that he chose to direct that movie now precisely on anticipation of this decline. He’s always wanted to do a blockbuster-sized superhero flick (you’ll recall he was originally attached to do X3: THE LAST STAND for a while) and he fears he may not get many more chances after this. The LA TIMES relayed his comments and responses have been popping up. CHUD thinks the real issue is that the scope of these movies has been too narrow while First Showing thinks there are too many exciting superhero movies in the pipeline for any enthusiasm to abate.
I think the answer’s even more basic. Superhero movies are going to keep going on, just as they have in comics and cartoons... for decades. A lot of the commentary I’ve read about the “media takeover” of Comic Con explains studios’ presence there as a direct attempt to woo the comics fanbase. That is, the elusive “18 to 30-year-old demographic” who’ll be so enthusiastic about their entertainment that they’ll keep coming back, month after month, year after year, buying the collector’s editions and the reissues and so on. They’ve more or less transferred that kind of fandom to these movies, and I think Batman's movie fanbase is going to endure as long as his comics fan base has endured. That is, almost endlessly. == TEASER ==
I do definitely agree with Devin Farraci at CHUD over scope being an issue. Above anything else, what I liked about the DARK KNIGHT was that you finally had a super villain - - a genuinely-menacing threat instead of some misunderstood soul who's focused on getting revenge on just the hero.
Anyway, this sure to be plenty of gristle for the gnashing. Do you Comic Vine maniacs agree with Vaughan? Are superheros' days at the theater numbered?
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here.
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