Why are big-screen superheroes so popular?

Unless you live in some form of cave or underground lair, you’ll likely know by now that superhero movies are very big money indeed. Marvel and DC are constantly duking it out for box office spoils, and over the past decade, the concept of the Comic Book Movie, or CBM, has really exploded. However, superhero movies are nothing new, and neither are the big, colorful characters that come along for the ride.

It’s not just superheroes per se that we need to consider in this phenomenon either. There has always been an attraction when it comes to superhuman or exceptional characters. One of the oldest examples, of course, is Sherlock Holmes! We can, of course, also include the likes of James Bond and Indiana Jones.

What is it about these characters that makes people want to buy cinema tickets?

Escapism – pure and simple

The simplest answer to this question is, of course, that it’s pure escapism. There aren’t people like Captain Marvel or Black Panther out there. Superman doesn’t really exist. Therefore, people who go to see their heroes’ adventures want to step away from the mundane for a while.

Yes, some of our favorite characters do have rooted moments. James Bond, for example, might be the most exceptional super-spy that’s ever lived, but he still has firm roots. He is human. In the modern age, particular given 2020, he might be spending downtime playing live dealer blackjack in New Jersey – who knows? If you’re particularly enamored with the Bond lifestyle, checking out a list of live dealers might actually be a great place to start.

This is a pretty quick answer. Superheroes are extraordinary. However, there’s more to it than that. After all, movies are, by and large, complete fantasy. What makes heroes so special?

Projection and wish fulfilment

Anyone who has ever taken a class in film studies will likely know all about projection. This is where you can imagine yourself actually doing what’s up on the screen. People went to see the original Star Wars movies because they imagined that they were Leia or Luke, or even Han (or Chewie in some cases).

This – according to the makers of DC’s hugely successful movie Shazam! – might tie in with the concept of wish fulfillment. The movie Shazam! revolves around the idea that kids can transform into heroes – and this is the concept that we are tapping into in this exploration. Even as adults, we all have fantasies that we can transform into fantastic beings and people who can help others in need.

Going to watch a superhero movie is no longer just about escapism. It’s about viewing the characters on the big screen as extensions of ourselves. Whether we want to affiliate with these characters or actually, actively be them, it’s an experience beyond just watching the odd bit of fantasy.

High fantasy

There’s also the fact that superheroes present a very different kind of fantasy movie from those that we are otherwise used to. The big CBM boom of the past few years has come after decades of other kinds of fantasy escapism. We’re used to crime thrillers, horror movies and the like.

There’s no easy point for us to tell when Marvel and DC really upped the ante as far as superhero movies are concerned. Some will point to the X-Men movies or the Spider-Man films of the early 2000s as the tipping point.

Regardless, CBMs are normalized now. They have become event movies. Wonder Woman 1984 is set to be a major event as it’s heading to home streaming and theaters on Christmas Day this year. Avengers: Endgame was possibly the biggest CBM event of all time, bringing together a decade plus of intensive work in bringing some incredible characters and stories to life.

The fact is that these stories and characters present themes and ideas to us that we’ve never really seen before. Batman and Superman movies of the past few decades have been cheesy, or largely comical in tone.

Now, they are epic – big, bold and unafraid to really throw down some dramatic gauntlets. These are movies that really push high fantasy – and they are so well-crafted, most of the time, thanks to their brilliant source materials.

Superheroes are going to be on our big screens for many more years to come. The fact is that even though 2020 has taken a bite out of DC and Marvel’s plans, the thirst for more comic book heroes at the movies will only grow once we’re on the other side of the pandemic.