10 Reasons The Comic Book Movie Fad Is Here To Stay
8. They Appeal To A Wide Range of Audiences
In North America, if a movie is rated PG-13, its chances of making a huge profit increase exponentially. PG-13 appeals to a wide range of demographics: the rating doesn't exclude preteens from attending and also provides enough serious content to keep teens and adults interested. Seven of 2014s top ten highest-grossing movies at the North American box office earned a PG-13 rating. Successful movie genres need to be able to cater to PG-13 demographic. The comic book genre possesses a unique ability to appeal to the widest possible range of audiences. In the 80's the action blockbuster fad employed foul language and violent gunplay to entertain audiences. In the 90's, the erotic thriller fad (see: Fatal Attraction) enticed adult audiences with the promise of naughty titillation. These fads excluded general audiences and eventually fell out of favour. Comic book movies cater to all tastes and sensibilities. They can be grim and grounded like The Dark Knight Trilogy, or, crowd-pleasing comic romps like Guardians of The Galaxy. The action is cartoonish enough that the violence doesn't seem excessive, but still packs enough of a punch to satisfy visceral thrill-seekers. Comic books offer a careful blend of fluff and grit, which should give them a lasting appeal.
