The latest superhero movie opened to disappointing numbers. "The Flash" generated just $55 million which, by Hollywood summer blockbuster standards, is actually low, and a real disappointment, evidently.
Here's the thing: superhero movies have dominated for a long time. But they are growing a bit tiresome, are they not?
I mean, don't get me wrong. Like many kids, I grew up reading comic books and watching cartoons and collecting toys of superheroes. Back then, I would surely have loved this "age of superheroes" dominating the film industry. Hell, I was even a bit excited about it when they became more popular in the 2000's, especially with the prospect of taking my young son to see them, so we could share the experiences.
However, they have dominated for quite some time now. And one thing is clear: they have crowded out other potentially high quality movies from ever seeing the light of day. I recently watched "Meet Joe Black," and remember movies like "Good Will Hunting," which are the kinds of movies that you just don't really see being made any longer. You know, movies for grown-ups, in other words. Movies that can challenge you, which don't insult your intelligence.
Sooner or later, people are bound to grow tired of almost anything. And right now, I feel that superhero movies have rather wore out their welcome. Some people will always be loyal fans, and I'm not just talking about kids here. A few years ago, there was a coworkers of mine who was actually older than me, and he claimed that superhero movies and other, similar non-stop action movies were the only kinds of movies that he liked, because he got bored easily. But I would argue two things to counter that. First of all, I think that he is now in the minority, because more and more people are tired of superhero movies. Secondly, maybe his attention span might actually increase if there are movies with actual story lines that he has to make an effort to follow, as opposed to movies that cater to his short attention span with special effects and blowing things up every few minutes.
Now, I know that I still enjoy some movies that are more or less in the superhero and/or action movie kind of mode. The new Indiana Jones movie is coming out soon, for example. Or Star Wars. Hell, I don't even outright dislike superhero movies, and would likely go see some projects currently in the works.
Yet, that does not change my main argument here, which is that superhero movies have dominated for simply too long, and that people are growing tired of them. The numbers here for the Flash do not bode well for either the DC or Marvel cinematic universe. Perhaps that is a sign of things to come. If so, it's about time, frankly.
'The Flash' opens to $55 million, a step off the typical superhero pace by Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer, June 18, 2023:
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/flash-races-55-million-busy-box-office-weekend-100179404?cb=1h37jmsgi&fbclid=IwAR3vt8M32qgzfcIOZNGI_a4rjsyYr49ukCFZ39p7UZ_j_0b8qOS8BW4mH_w
No comments:
Post a Comment