Marvel and DC Comics have brought the superhero genre of movies to new heights. Currently, moviegoers are enthralled by superheroes - each gifted with superpowers but also burdened with personal and social issues which give them a more human character. Hollywood took the superhero from comic book fanboy fantasy to international mega-stardom and there appears to be no end in sight.
Lots more superhero movies are on Hollywood's agenda and new heroes are being added all the time - look for Wonder Woman and Ant-Man to join the already large roster. And it's not just films that bring in the super-dollars, but T-shirts, toys, costumes, video games, books/comics, even exhibitions - like, the Marvel Super Heroes 4D experience at Madame Tussauds.
Why are these films so popular? Because they make us believe in the hero, they make us believe a man can fly. Due to spectacular special effects, fantastic make up and costumes, live action superheroes are made to be believed. Starting on TV in the '50s with George Reeves's Superman the superhero has evolved into a mega $$$ phenomena. Problem was the superhero didn't quite look the part and special effects were subpar and couldn't compete with their comic counterpart, but that all changed with the big-budget grand, computer generated, special effects that started to appear with X-Men in 2000. Coupled with great costuming, A-list actors, and seasoned directors, the genre has taken off to the point where the action was realistic and, more importantly, believable.
Film technology has reached a point where it can do what comic books were always able to do - have a superhero storyline that is enhanced by fantastic imagery. In fact, the current superhero films are better than their comic equivalent. What they do for the moviegoer is to satisfy the need for the spectacular which can only be experienced at a well equipped (picture and sound) cinema.
If the Oscars were awarded based upon global box office grosses, merchandising sales, and fan appeal and approval, the superhero movies would win every category.
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