Warner BrothersA number of fans and critics have since described the summer of 2008 as "peak superhero", the point at which the hugely popular releases of The Dark Knight and Iron Man represented the summit of the genre. The suggestion is that in the early years of the 21st century the market has become increasingly saturated with comic book action blockbusters that are increasingly similar and lacking in standout or unique characters, plots or sequences, leaving audiences jaded. Film studios have obviously become just as aware as fans have of this potential problem with a crowded market and have opted for a solution straight out of the comics themselves: the crossover. Despite the notion that it represents the peak of the genre's potential Iron Man actually pointed the way to this new practice. Although not much noticed by the original audiences on the film's release, the fact that Iron Man represented Marvel Studios' first attempt at their own production rather than licensing the rights to their characters elsewhere paved the way for a shared Marvel universe. Small teasers in early Marvel movies grew to whole shared narratives by the time Captain America: The First Avenger set up The Avengers, which was an even bigger hit than The Dark Knight (or its sequel released at the same time as Marvel's crossover hit). All of the later films in Marvel's "Phase 2" have received a boost in audience figures from their earlier pre-Avengers episodes making an obvious template for other companies to follow. Marvel products owned by Fox and Sony have also been developed into shared "cinematic universes". Rather than reboot the X-Men series with another prequel, Fox brought both generations of characters together with X-Men: Days of Future Past and plan on adding the new version of Fantastic Four to the same continuity, while Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 set up not only its own sequel but a series of villain based spin-offs. Now that Marvel is the leading innovator in comic book film, DC and parent company Warner Brothers have followed suit. After years of struggling to get a Justice League film made the success of The Avengers has provided a commercial rather than artistic drive to do so. With Batman v Superman to come next summer, a DC shared universe is sure to follow. Captain Marvel (Shazam), the first onscreen superhero, has been suggested as DC's next movie hero, bringing things full circle. In fact, for all the talk of "peak superhero", it is the movies of superhero comics that continue to generate audience and critical notices in the current age, while films from other comic sources can struggle to get a look in. Francophone adventurers Tintin and Adele Blanc-Sec might have stood a good chance of a wider audience in the Justice Age. As it is, despite the attachment of big name directors Luc Besson (for 2010's The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec) and Steven Spielberg (for 2011's The Adventures of Tintin), neither's modern film drew a great deal of attention.
Key Film: The Avengers (2012)
The biggest comic book movie of them all, The Avengers has been the stimulus not just for all of the recent Marvel movies and TV spin-offs, but also for other studios. Writer-director Joss Whedon has established a light, witty caper as Marvel Studios' house style and later filmmakers Shane Black and James Gunn have been hired accordingly. A DC movie house style has appeared in contrast, based on their star director Christopher Nolan's gritty realism, setting up a potential rivalry for the comics giants on screen that could run and run.
Warner BrothersA number of fans and critics have since described the summer of 2008 as "peak superhero", the point at which the hugely popular releases of The Dark Knight and Iron Man represented the summit of the genre. The suggestion is that in the early years of the 21st century the market has become increasingly saturated with comic book action blockbusters that are increasingly similar and lacking in standout or unique characters, plots or sequences, leaving audiences jaded. Film studios have obviously become just as aware as fans have of this potential problem with a crowded market and have opted for a solution straight out of the comics themselves: the crossover. Despite the notion that it represents the peak of the genre's potential Iron Man actually pointed the way to this new practice. Although not much noticed by the original audiences on the film's release, the fact that Iron Man represented Marvel Studios' first attempt at their own production rather than licensing the rights to their characters elsewhere paved the way for a shared Marvel universe. Small teasers in early Marvel movies grew to whole shared narratives by the time Captain America: The First Avenger set up The Avengers, which was an even bigger hit than The Dark Knight (or its sequel released at the same time as Marvel's crossover hit). All of the later films in Marvel's "Phase 2" have received a boost in audience figures from their earlier pre-Avengers episodes making an obvious template for other companies to follow. Marvel products owned by Fox and Sony have also been developed into shared "cinematic universes". Rather than reboot the X-Men series with another prequel, Fox brought both generations of characters together with X-Men: Days of Future Past and plan on adding the new version of Fantastic Four to the same continuity, while Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 set up not only its own sequel but a series of villain based spin-offs. Now that Marvel is the leading innovator in comic book film, DC and parent company Warner Brothers have followed suit. After years of struggling to get a Justice League film made the success of The Avengers has provided a commercial rather than artistic drive to do so. With Batman v Superman to come next summer, a DC shared universe is sure to follow. Captain Marvel (Shazam), the first onscreen superhero, has been suggested as DC's next movie hero, bringing things full circle. In fact, for all the talk of "peak superhero", it is the movies of superhero comics that continue to generate audience and critical notices in the current age, while films from other comic sources can struggle to get a look in. Francophone adventurers Tintin and Adele Blanc-Sec might have stood a good chance of a wider audience in the Justice Age. As it is, despite the attachment of big name directors Luc Besson (for 2010's The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec) and Steven Spielberg (for 2011's The Adventures of Tintin), neither's modern film drew a great deal of attention. 