American comic adaptations, what we often call superhero movies, are the golden hens of 21st-century Hollywood, having created countless box office miracles and fan.
It was once considered to be Hollywood's first formula, and you must make money if you shoot it.
But in 2023, the film genre has hit an unprecedented low, with one superhero movie after another being snubbed and ridiculed by audiences, and even giants like Disney and Warner Bros. cannot escape.
In 2023, superhero movies such as "The Flash", "Captain Marvel 2", "Ant-Man 3", "Aquaman 2", "Thunder Shazam 2" and so on have caused amazing losses.
What the hell is going on?
Some people say that it is because the quality of superhero movies has declined, and the producers only care about making money, regardless of the script and director, which has led to the audience's aesthetic fatigue and disgust.
Some people also say that it is because there are too many superhero movies, and various spin-off dramas and the multiverse make the audience feel stressed and confused, not knowing which one to watch and which one has something to do with which one.
Some people also say that it is because the innovation of superhero movies is insufficient, and they will only reuse those old-fashioned characters and stories, without bringing freshness and surprises to the audience.
However, none of these analyses touches on the essence of the failure of superhero films.
That is, the genre has been exhausted. It has nothing left to bring us.
Those superheroes we used to love, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Panther, etc., they used to be our myths, our dreams, our idols.
However, they are also only man-made gods, their power is limited, their charisma is limited, and their stories are limited. When we see their countless adventures and challenges, when we see their countless resurrections and transformations, when we see their countless collaborations and confrontations, we no longer feel excited and in awe. We start to get tired and numb.
Superhero cinema has risen because it satisfies one of our fantasies, that is, there is a group of people in capes and tights, who can fly, who can be invincible, who can save the world.
It makes us feel happy, feel safe, and feel proud. However, when this fantasy is used repeatedly, infinitely expanded, and infinitely explored, it loses its meaning and value. It becomes a burden, a burden, a laughing stock. We began to yearn for a return to reality, to humanity, to cinema.
Superhero movies don't die because of one or two bad movies. It is because it has fulfilled its mission, and it has nothing left for us. It is because it has been stripped of its mystery and sacredness by us, and it has been consumed by us with its soul and flesh. It is because it has been abandoned by us.
Do you think superhero movies are coming to an end?Does it have a future?
Which superhero movie have you watched in 2023?
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