Are Comic Book Movies Kaput?
A few weeks ago Raju Mudhar of the Toronto Star rang me up to ask me if it was all over for the comic book movie. Now, I’ve had reporters calling me up with this question ever since my Comics2Film website caught fire in 1998. Trend-spotting in Hollywood is an ongoing game and as soon a trend starts its upward trajectory, somebody starts predicting the inevitable demise.
I have to say, this is the first time in a decade plus of writing Comics2Film where I’ve switched my answer from “nah” to “mmmmmaybe.”
Raju, who is covering the Toronto International Film Festival and it’s superhero entries Super and Griff the Invisible, was pointing to the weak box office generated by Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World as the latest evidence.
Scott Pilgrim Gets Knocked Out
While I wouldn’t call Kick-Ass a failure of any kind, I’d definitely score Scott Pilgrim in the “bitter disappointment” column. And I mean that only in terms of the lack of reception for what is one of the liveliest, most enjoyable films of the year so far.
But as I told Raju, you can expand the window all the way back to the end of 2008 and what we have is now a fairly long string of comic book movie duds. That’s the time frame when Punisher: War Zone became the third failed attempt by Marvel to launch their film-friendly vigilante. Hot on the heels of that was Frank Miller’s under-appreciated The Spirit, which was too weird for the average moviegoer and too Frank Miller for fans of Will Eisner’s classic comic.
Then came 2009, and with it: Watchmen. Zack Snyder’s equally gallant and foolish attempt to bring the ground-breaking graphic novel to the big screen fell far short of the massive hype and anticipation that preceded it. 2009′s other comic book movies? Astro Boy, Whiteout, Dragonball Evolution and Surrogates.
It’s a pretty sad year for the comic book movie when the sole winner is the lackluster X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
This year? Throw Jonah Hex and The Losers on the compost heap along with the aforementioned indie darlings. Marvel wins again with Iron Man 2, a box-office titan, however unworthy of the original.
So is it the end for comic book movies? Mmmmmaybe, but nah. It’s a slump.
The mysterious shunning of Scott Pilgrim aside, Hollywood might do better to look beyond superhero fare to other comics that are out there. It could be that we’re having our fill of heroic action adventure but I think it’s more about quality than any trends.
If Green Lantern and Thor are great movies, then people will embrace them.
Check out the Toronto Star article for commentary from myself along with Cameron Stewart and Mark Askwith.
Read MoreChow Yun Fat
Here’s me hanging out with Chow Yun Fat in a Mexican bar…
That’s it. No story.
Read MoreRobbo meets Spider-Man at IMAX this Saturday
Come see me this Saturday at the Henry Ford IMAX theater as part of their SpiderMania event. Webby festivities start with the midnight screening of “Spider-Man 3″ on Thursday. There’s a costume part on Friday and then a whole mess O’ stuff happening on Saturday, including the “Comic Book Forum” from 1:00-2:00pm in the Anderson theater.
Not sure who else sits on the Forum. I know my buddy, local comic writer Paul D. Storrie is the one who referred me to the museum folks, so he’s on the panel for sure.
So anyhow, if you’re in Dearborn, stop by and pose some tough questions to us at the forum, check out “Spider-Man 3″ on the HUGE screen, and then swing by Green Brain Comics because Saturday is Free Comic Book Day!
Read MoreThose comic book movies are gonna catch on some day
Here’s me in yesterday’s USA Today blabbing about the terrific casting of Robert Downey Jr. in the “Iron Man” movie. There’s also a cool photo of Downey with the Tony Stark atomic pacemaker in his chest.
The movie looks coooooooooooooooooool.
Read More
Smart-Popcorn podcast is up
‘Batman Begins’ restored Robbo’s waning faith in movies. Now he tells ALL in the SMART-POPCORN podcast episode 6!
Rob Elsewhere...