Do superheroes ruin Hollywood? The box office says otherwise

2021 was the year of superheroes with many projects spread between DC, Sony and Marvel Studios. Given this, criticism of this genre of cinema has not been slow to re-emerge.

By 2022, the trend will not seem to change with premieres in sight that will tell the story of famous comic book characters. The question is: do they really ruin Hollywood? What does the box office say about it?

Marvel alone grossed 30% of the global box office last year

Unfortunately for its detractors, superhero cinema continues to be a reality. Only in just ended 2021, 30% of the world box office was led by Marvel Studios content. Or, failing that, projects where he maintained an association.

The return to movie theaters suggested that the general population has changed its cultural habits. Now, the most anticipated seem to be superhero movies.

Analysts have estimated that the return of the big screen amassed a fortune of 4,400 million dollars in 2021. A third of the figure obtained in previous years, for example, in 2019. But, the truly alarming thing is that more than 1,000 million fell on Marvel accounts.

The Wrap, an important news site on the Internet, has been the one who highlighted this overwhelming fact. Between Spider-Man: No Way Home, Shang Chi, Venom Let There Be Carnage, and Black Widow, the top profits were collected. All this without counting the also launched Eternals.

Since December, the third film that closes the Marvel Studios Spider-Man trilogy, they have remained at the top. Being in the first place of earnings, it has overshadowed movies like F ast & Furies 9, No Time To Die and West Side Story.

It is not surprising that great film personalities such as Ridley Scott and Alan Moore ended the year criticizing these events. In short, the superhero genre "ate" Hollywood more than thought.

The harsh criticism of superhero cinema continued as a trend in 2021

From series like WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki and What if, to movies like Black Widow, Spider-Man and Venom, the previous year's calendar marked a new turning point on the big screens.

In addition, other non-Marvel Studios productions such as The Suicide Squad and Jupiter's Legacy, also seized their opportunity to shine. As a result, criticism continued to be a topic of interest both on social networks and in large digital media.

The most recent was led by Sir Ridley Scott, the iconic 84-year-old filmmaker.

Under its creation, great films such as Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator have left audiences speechless. Therefore, his statements did not take long to generate media impact.

"Superhero movies are boring, their scripts are not good at all. Why don't movies of this genre have good stories? They are only saved thanks to their great special effects, but even that is already getting boring." — Scott commented.

To those words are added those of Alan Moore ending 2021. The scriptwriter of important projects such as V for Vendetta and Watchmen, has surprised with what he declared in an interview for Deadline.

"Superheroes have ruined cinema and also culture to some extent. Now thousands of people stand in long lines to see characters that were created 50 years ago aimed at a child audience. When you try to bring them into the adult world it becomes grotesque." — Moore concluded.

It is not the first time that leading figures of cinema have spoken about it. Indeed, they are harsh statements that are added to those of other great directors.

Top 3 great directors who have demonstrated against superhero cinema

As already mentioned, Scott and Moore are not the only influential personalities who have spoken out against this type of cinema. Other personalities of unsurpassed caliber such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and James Cameron have left their opinion.

Steven spielberg

Spielberg is an award-winning film director, producer, and screenwriter with an enviable career. At 75 years old, he has garnered 3 Academy Awards and countless honors for his work.

Under his name is a vast legacy of films such as Jaws, ET The Alien, Jurassick Park, Indiana Jones, Saving Private Ryan and more. Therefore, Spielberg's name is well tied to traditional film culture.

And like all traditional men, he has not hesitated to speak out about superhero movies. A genre that from its beginnings, has been overshadowing other currents.

"The day will come when these mythological stories are replaced by another genre. These cycles have a finite time; we were there when the western died and the same will happen with superheroes".

James cameron

Canadian filmmaker James Cameron is another vaunted traditional filmmaker. Although his specialty is science fiction and special effects, he has also surprised with his statements against superheroes.

Movies like Terminator, Avatar or Titanic have earned Cameron countless nominations and awards from The Academy. Along with Spielberg and Scorsese, he is probably one of the most influential directors in the industry.

"It's not that I don't love movies, but I hope we get tired of The Avengers very soon. There are other more interesting stories to tell than those of superheroes without families who go around destroying cities."

Similarly, he was more pragmatic and analytical compared to Spielberg's statements. At the time, Cameron criticized the lack of story or narrative in these films.

"They only focus on fun and science fiction without taking into account technical consultants. On the one hand you have Guardians of the Galaxy and, on the other, The Martian or Interstellar that are scientifically backed." — Cameron concluded.

Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese's vision is respected by Seventh Art audiences because of its proven influence. The 79-year-old film / television director, producer and screenwriter is renowned for the depth of his films.

All of them explore the ideologies of the human being and certain behaviors of society. From the Catholic concepts, redemption, crime and others such as feminism and machismo, have been the center of his attention.

Faced with the emptiness, from the plot point of view, of superhero movies, Scorsese has made his position clear. For him, it is also a cycle that will soon come to an end.

"I have tried to see movies, for example, by Marvel; but the fact that this is not cinema stops me. It is not the cinema that I know, the one where human beings act to transmit experiences, emotions and teachings to other human beings". — Scorsese finished.

The story continues in favor of the superheroes

The exploitation of the superhero genre has left its mark well reflected with the contribution of Marvel and DC. The creative divisions of Disney and Warner Bros respectively, greatly favored the cinema box office.

A clear example of its impact on culture and revenue is by analyzing the highest grossing films in history. In the top 10, three superhero productions are sighted: Avengers Endgame; Avengers Infinity War and The Avengers.

Avengers Endgame is positioned in second place, very close to Avatar. For their part, Infinity Way and The Avengers occupy the fifth and eighth place respectively.

If the analysis deepens towards the top 20, Spider-Man: No Way Home already ranks at number eleven. With less than a month of being released, in the near future it will probably climb to the top ten.

Within that top, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther also stand out. And if the gaze drops even lower on each rung, superhero movies will continue to appear progressively. In conclusion, they have revolutionized the way cinema is consumed and enjoyed.