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SuperHero Movie/TV Overload?

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inki

Member
My other half (who isn't into comics) was getting exasperated with all the comic related tv shows and movies coming out. Looking at the road maps and seeing all the announcements, do you think there is going to be a bubble burst and ultimately the saturation is going to kill off this comic book -> TV/Movie trend?

Seriously, did you see these articles (just TV) ?

The Current TV list per deadbeatspanel website

"64 TV shows based on comics that are in the works"

What does Gaf think?

*Edit* I meant more Comicbook -> TV/Movie phenomenon, not specifically Superhero adaptations (Bad choice in title).
 
We're definitely not there yet.

Marvel movies are, at worst, "Yeah, that was okay", but they still are doing gangbusters at the box office. Jessica Jones and DareDevil seem to be doing very well critics and review wise.. Unless DC fuckin' ruins everything with their crap I don't see a decline any time soon.

That said, will this craze almost certainly die out by the early 2020's, like the 80's action movies before them? Yes I'm pretty sure of that at least.
 
If we had a series of movies at the same quality of BVS or lower for like, 5-6 consecutive movies maybe. Right now, most of them are decent to great.
 
Likely not. Comic books movies bring in a lot of money and a lot of superhero shows draw in audiences. The CW Arrowverse's shows have some of the best views the network has ever had.
 
There is so much media being produced and released every week in every possible format that I really don't understand this train of thought. I hear daily about a new incredible tv show I should watch that is already on it's tenth season. There are 5 or 6 superhero movies being released every year. Compare that to every other genre. There certainly is an overload of publicity for these films but there is plenty of other content for everybody to enjoy.
 

Anth0ny

Member
It certainly doesn't seem like it. Not yet. This golden age of comic book movies/TV has been going on for, what, 8 years now? And is showing no signs of slowing down. We just had an R rated Deadpool movie do fucking gangbusters at the box office and become the higest grossing R rated film of all time. It's going to outgross a Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman movie at the box office.

I think we panic when a legitimately good movie with a high budget and high marketing does terrible. Stuff like Fantastic 4 and BvS underperforming is simply a matter of... the movies being bad and word of mouth being toxic. No bubbles bursting :)
 

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
My wife complains about how many super hero movies there are, then I remind her that she watches nothing but horror movies. At least a dozen each year. When she's not watching horror movies she's watching ghost shows of which there are many.

Really, in relation to other genres there is not an inordinate amount of super hero content. I mean, how many cop/lawyer/doctors shows are there right now?
 
No and people who think that need to get over it like. Because it's obvious that it comes from folks that don't like comic books produced content all that much anyway.

Now the YA adaption crap shoots are way over done and keep getting worse. Same with the two pump chumps that are horror movies.
 

Sephzilla

Member
The only way I see the bubble bursting any time in the near future is if there's a really solid run of mediocre to bad superhero movies. And there's been no sign of that so far.
 
I think we as nerds on a video game forum tend to overestimate how many of these things people actually feel obligated to see. Like, I know I have this weird need to watch as much of it as I can, but I don't think that's true of the general public; they're just gonna pick and choose. They're gonna see Civil War, but Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, Suicide Squad, and Batman v Superman? Not necessarily. That's probably even more true of TV since it requires a more significant time commitment, and even I don't bother with pretty much any superhero TV shows beyond Marvel Netflix stuff. (I will probably check out The Flash one of these days, though).
 

Slayven

Member
First that more than half of those shows are not even close to SuperHero comics.

Second, this list includes stuff like PUNSISHER that marvel people already said it is NOT happening or Y the Last Man that is in development hell for AGES =P

I kinda want that Wyonna Earp,
 
There's what? 6 comic-book movies this year? That's really not that much, nothing on how many Westerns were out per year back in their hey-day. It just seems like there's a lot because they all have huge marketing campaigns.

I kinda want that Wyonna Earp,

They've already aired two episodes of it.
 

Slayven

Member
There's what? 6 comic-book movies this year? That's really not that much, nothing on how many Westerns were out per year back in their hey-day. It just seems like there's a lot because they all have huge marketing campaigns.



They've already aired two episodes of it.

I legit haven't watched Syfy in years. Guess I got some catch up.
 
Well the low point over the last few years has been Iron Man 3. We're still getting solid films like BvS, and your IM3 and Thor 2-tier films are the minority. Still, I agree it's getting oversaturated.
 
Ah yes the annual Superhero fatigue thread, Right on time every April!

Well the low point over the last few years has been Iron Man 3. We're still getting solid films like BvS, and your IM3 and Thor 2-tier films are the minority. Still, I agree it's getting oversaturated.

Dude you mention Iron Man 3 in every thread, did RDJ bone your mom or something?
 
Not their yet but the tone of Marvel is still light and set to please all audience, DC is a mess outside of Batman.

TV side Marvel/DC doing well.. i would love to see Batman Year One TV series...
 
The saturation of superhero content is tremendously overblown. Yes, there's a lot more now than there was 15 years ago, but still probably less than 1% of all content. There are hundreds of theatrically released films every year and hundreds more TV shows.

I mean, if superhero movies went away, the only thing that would happen is that they would be replaced by some other form of sci-fi/fantasy adventures. This is the genre that has been most popular for centuries, maybe millennia.
 

Kevinroc

Member
I think we might see less emphasis on it than is currently provided. But I don't see it fully going away. There are still a number of Westerns being made these days.
 

Slayven

Member
I have no idea if it's any good, I've just seen a handful of Tweets about it.
Syfy use to have the shows with Eureka and Warehouse 13
Not their yet but the tone of Marvel is still light and set to please all audience, DC is a mess outside of Batman.

TV side Marvel/DC doing well.. i would love to see Batman Year One TV series...

Isn't that Gotham? Aren't they about to have Red Hood and Lady Shiva?
 
My other half (who isn't into comics) was getting exasperated with all the comic related tv shows and movies coming out. Looking at the road maps and seeing all the announcements, do you think there is going to be a bubble burst and ultimately the saturation is going to kill off this comic book -> TV/Movie trend?

Seriously, did you see these articles (just TV) ?

The Current TV list per deadbeatspanel website

"64 TV shows based on comics that are in the works"

What does Gaf think?

*Edit* I meant more Comicbook -> TV/Movie phenomenon, not specifically Superhero adaptations (Bad choice in title).

Studios are now realizing that there is money to be made in the mainstream off of fantasy (Game of Thrones), sci-fi (Star Wars), and comics (Marvel, DC).

They are going to saturate the market, yes, but things will have forever been changed. Fantasy topics are no longer going to get the immediate B-movie treatment. They are no longer underground or "nerdy".
 
No and people who think that need to get over it like. Because it's obvious that it comes from folks that don't like comic books produced content all that much anyway.

get over it? it absolutely is a concern for those who like action/heavy CG movies but hate the comic book story formula. it sucks when you want that type of movie but with better writing, less predictable outcomes but keep the awesome CG/fights. all the hollywood money and attention is being given to superhero bullshit because its pandering and guarantees to sell (i.e. no risk, which leads to predictability) which means less movies for someone like me who enjoys variety.

its just becoming very same-y except for the people who already know the stories and can appreciate call-backs and other nuances.
 

inki

Member
Ah yes the annual Superhero fatigue thread, Right on time every April!

I'm not saying I'm fatigued by it at all. I was wondering if and when Gaf thinks things will change, soonish or if you think this will go on for some time?
I'm actually quite pleased with the quality of Marvel's movies recently and the Tv shows seem to get the ratings.

The only reason I mention my partner is that he not being one who frequents Gaf or "geek" news type sites, he is shocked (but watches many of the shows) at the number of comic book related media coming to TV and Movies all of a sudden.
 
My fiancee tells me she's "superheroed out". She watched and enjoyed Daredevil, JJ, and Deadpool. But as far as TV shows and most movies, she's done with them for a long while.

The only show I know I'm going to keep watching is Flash. I don't have any way to watch the current season of Shield right now, Legends of Tomorrow isn't all that appealing to me, I dropped Supergirl after 3 episodes and don't feel like catching up, and Arrow jumped off a cliff after S2.

I'm not fatigued as I still plan to see just about every Marvel or DC movie coming out, but I've cut back on the TV shows.
 

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Looking at the road maps and seeing all the announcements, do you think there is going to be a bubble burst and ultimately the saturation is going to kill off this comic book -> TV/Movie trend?

Maybe eventually, but we're talking about really long term stuff here, on the order of a decade or more at least. Superhero movies still aren't anywhere near the saturation point.

You think comic book stuff is bad, you should check out how insane the Western genre was in TV and movies for like 30-40 years.

Wiki:
The peak year for television westerns was 1959, with 26 such shows airing during prime-time. In one week in March 1959, eight of the top ten shows were westerns.
Just think about how many shows that is. Now remember how few TV networks there were in 1959.
 

B33

Banned
Whenever someone tries to say superhero movies are like westerns, they don't seem to grasp that superhero movies are nowhere near the saturation point of westerns in the genre's prime.
 

Mengetsu

Member
After not having any good ones to what we have now I'll take it till it's last breath. I smile at every MCU movie I've seen and I couldn't be happier.
 

mjc

Member
I don't think the saturation point is there yet, and it totally depends on the quality of the product.
 
Honestly, I'm hooked on the MCU. Marvel's got my money for the foreseeable future unless they start producing a series of 'Thor the Dark World' level mediocrity. But right now, I want more not less. Bring on Civil War, bring on Spidey, being on Infinity War, bring on Black Panther, GOTG 2, etc etc and etc.
 

inky

Member
get over it? it absolutely is a concern for those who like action/heavy CG movies but hate the comic book story formula. it sucks when you want that type of movie but with better writing, less predictable outcomes but keep the awesome CG/fights. all the hollywood money and attention is being given to superhero bullshit because its pandering and guarantees to sell (i.e. no risk, which leads to predictability) which means less movies for someone like me who enjoys variety.

its just becoming very same-y except for the people who already know the stories and can appreciate call-backs and other nuances.

Then watch other shit:

Alice Through the Looking Glass
Ninja turtles
Warcraft
Independence Day 2
Tarzan
Start Trek
Ghostbusters
Star Wars
King Arthur
World War Z 2
Kong Skull Island
Ghost in the Shell
Power Rangers
New Planet of the Apes
Jason Bourne
Pirates of the Caribbean
Fast 8
Indiana Jones
New Jurassic World

etc. etc. etc. That's not even counting animated features. If you want all new original content, then don't expect it in the most expensive movie slots because that's not how it usually works.
 
I'm actually most interested in some of the films that you'd want to prune if you wanted to reduce the total number of superhero films to a more reasonable number, namely Dr. Strange and Black Panther.

Fox needs to stop doing anything but X-Men, and Sony needs to stop doing anything in the genre. Warner Bros would ideally not do most of the solo films. I'd be interested in Aquaman if Adrian Grenier were playing the role, but not with Carl Drogo playing the part.
 

DeathoftheEndless

Crashing this plane... with no survivors!
Most of the TV shows have ratings that are just good enough to continue. If their quality dips, they won't last long. (Netflix being the exception)

There would have to be a string of bad movies for the entire genre to decline.
 
Most of the TV shows have ratings that are just good enough to continue. If their quality dips, they won't last long. (Netflix being the exception)

There would have to be a string of bad movies for the entire genre to decline.

And there have already been some real disasters and everything seems fine.
 

zeemumu

Member
There are too many of them but most of them are pretty good as opposed to the last comic book overload were 70% were hot garbage. We're getting quality and quantity so until quality drops or quantity severely outweighs it, we won't have that problem.
 

Penguin

Member
Eh I don't think so...

Like it's weird to paint them all in a broad sense

Like popular, but doubt many consider The Walking Dead a comic book show.

iZombie is more police procedural than capes.

Heck look at stuff like Snowpiercer or Kingsman.

There's a ton of diversity in the genre and as long as that keeps up, I think audiences won't tire of it. Granted may tire of the cape stuff, but even then still getting a ton of diversity (good or bad) in that sense
 

taybul

Member
Some time ago I wanted to post a thread about the un-originality of movies/TV nowadays, how everything is either a remake or something based on a comic. There seem to be fewer and fewer original movies that didn't start out initially as written work. Either that or the industry is completely inundated with superhero movies and getting all the focus and attention. Either way I can't really complain since they're pretty damn entertaining and it's also driving the economy in a way (ie, Star Wars branded mascara or Bruce Wayne driving a jeep).
 
I don't think most people who like superhero fiction are feeling any fatigue, but for someone who doesn't like them, like me, boy oh boy is there crippling fatigue. Although objectively they don't make all that many movies and TV shows, it FEELS like that's all they make. I'm just so tired of them. I borderline get depressed every time a new one is announced, and I pray that the bubble bursts and they quit making them. I know it's irrational for me to feel that way, (it's not like anyone is making me watch them), but I can't help how I feel.
 

Anth0ny

Member
It's also kinda amazing that the biggest show on TV is a comic book adaptation.

You have stuff like Daredevil KILLING IT on Netflix, and as far as I know Arrow and Flash are doing very well also.

The demand is very clearly there and doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Millennials grew up watching Batman, Spider-Man, Superman and X-Men cartoons every week. They can keep up, and enjoy, a bunch of TV shows and 6 or so movies a year.
 

f0lken

Member
As long as they are good I am ok with that. And also there is a huuuuuuuge difference between a show like the Walking Dead, the future Preacher series, and Daredevil or even that new Lucifer series, so you can't really say "Really? Another comic TV show? Why? They are all the same"
 
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