5 Reasons The Superhero Bubble Won't Burst Any Time Soon
5. The Genre is Flexible
The Dark Knight is a gritty urban story about order and chaos. Iron Man is a redemption story with anti-militaristic themes. Thor is a mash-up of Shakespearean themes and science-fantasy. Guardians is a feel-good sci-fi adventure coupled with a love letter to music of the past. The Amazing Spider-Man is a romantic comedy with occasional superpowered fisticuffs. Captain America: The First Avenger is a retro love-letter to 40s action serials, but its sequel is a down-to-earth political thriller. Ant-Man is a family friendly heist film. Man of Steel is a destruction movie. The Avengers is a mix of all its other elements.
People like to describe the superhero genre as a monolith, but really its a combination of many disparate genres that just so happen to feature superheroes. There are elements of Film Noir, Action Adventure, Comedy (except for the generally humorless DC movies, although Green Lantern was a joke), Science Fiction, Fantasy - you name it. Superheroes differ from Westerns in this way. They are not limited by historical period or location. There can be movies set in space. There can be movies set underwater. There can be movies set during World War II. There can be movies set in the future. The sky's the limit.