7 Superhero Stories Too Big For Movies

Pretty good post talking about some hard-to-make super hero films. A simple answer to this would be: make sequels. However, the simpler answer is that none of these are very sexy prospects. Whenever you start pulling focus from one central character, it thins the movie’s mojo. Even Wolverine emerged as the star of the X-Men films. So, having a cavalcade of heroes on screen at all times would be big movie FAIL (see “Watchmen” for proof), especially when there’s no societal context for the heroes adventures. Superman, Spider-Man, Batman have broad societal appeal (as do a few other characters). Crisis on Infinite Earths does not.

Besides, no one wants that much change, killing off characters and changing the landscape. Kill Superman? Kill Wolverine? C’Mon. That doesn’t wash in the largest box office market on Earth. Those are more vital reasons why these movies wouldn’t get made any time soon.

Here’s the article.

4 Responses to “7 Superhero Stories Too Big For Movies”

1. Derek Coward says:

   18/11/2009 at 11:36 pm

   The problem with the list is that he picked a bunch of stories that are heavy on continuity (and Flex Mentallo). He could have put pretty much any company wide crossover or miniseries. Secret Invasion, House of M, Infinite Crisis, Zero Hour, Millennium and Fire of Heaven would fit on the list. The problem isn’t that they are necessarily too big, but more that they are too specific without context.

2. Streebo says:

   19/11/2009 at 11:39 pm

   Lord Shaper – I have one question for you. Were you saying the Watchmen movie itself was a fail or that it’s box office was a fail?

   “So, having a cavalcade of heroes on screen at all times would be big movie FAIL (see “Watchmen” for proof)”

   Did you review the film anywhere. Would love to check it out.

   Streebo

   aka

   Invisible Man

3. jst5150 says:

   19/11/2009 at 11:53 pm

   Streebo, overall, critically and in box office recepits, the movie panned (though the Rotten Tomatoes rating is 64%). The bigger point was that a group of widely unknown commodities won’t resonate with theater goers and the box office take would be down. I personally LOVED ‘Watchmen.’

4. Streebo says:

   21/11/2009 at 12:20 am

   I loved Watchmen as well. Just checking. 😉