10 Times That Hollywood Misunderstood The Impact Of Big-Budget Movies

2. Some Properties Just Aren't Built For The "Dark And Gritty" Approach

Another remnant of the early 21st century, adapting a beloved franchise and giving it the “serious reimagining” in a manner similar to Casino Royale or Batman Begins was extremely common in the early 2000s to mid-2010s. While it worked for the Dark Knight and 007, it often fell flat for other properties whose sensibilities clash with this approach.

The likes of Man of Steel, Fantastic Four (2015), Power Rangers (2017) and Hellboy (2019) all adopted storytelling tropes to differentiate them from their predecessors, and these choices often boiled down to troubled protagonists, dour colour palettes, gore and so-called mature themes that are only examined on a surface level.

In addition to missing the reasons behind what made the originals successful and beloved, the films’ execution often does not justify their grim tone. For example, Man of Steel's deconstructionist approach stripped Superman of all his agency and warmth, meaning that he was merely a passive character in his own film who seemed detached from the people he was meant to protect.

Hopefully, if future filmmakers say they want to take the source material seriously it does not mean they will slap a dark filter on the film and call it a day.