Is Hollywood testing the staturation point for superhero films?

[MIB41]

Check out this current schedule:

Thor – May 6th 2011(2D & 3D)
X-Men – June 3, 2011
Green Lantern – June 17th 2011 (2D & 3D)
Captain America - July 22nd 2011 (2D & 3D)
The Avengers – May 4th 2012
Spider-man – July 3rd, 2012 (2D & 3D)
Dark Knight Rises – July 20th 2012
Iron Man 3 – May 3rd 2013

Just this summer alone, this genre has FOUR big budget films coming out from May to July. Could one or more of these films take a hit at the box office if the public's appetite is not up to the challenge? Does it become a domino effect if the first two films fall short of critical and mass appeal? I think those are fair questions to ask. Plus all of those movies are converted to DVD in the fall and winter before the public gets another wave next year. For fans like us, this is a dream come true. But I just wonder if Hollywood is putting out too much for the general public to stomach.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Well, Hollywood can't seem to generate a lot of new ideas, or even new approaches to old ideas. Despite the fact that there has been a steady stream of Super Hero movies for the past 10 years, GL, Thor and Cap are all new properties to mine. Avengers will be a new concept of a team movie. Other than the horror genre, I can't thin of many movies where characters from separate franchises shared a whole film.

Super heroes may just be a new niche genre. Like the buddy movie and romantic comedy. Technology has finally caught up to comic books, so the adaptations are pretty accurate to what the comics portray in most cases.

On the other hand, X-Men is in it's 5th(!) movie at this point. If one of them tanks, it may be X-Men. Without Jackman's Wolverine, I think a lot of the general public is going to look at this one as passable. I'd honestly forgotten it was coming out this summer.

Chris

[The Toyroom]

For this year I think X-Men and Cap are gonna be the flops....X-Men for the reasons Chris mentioned and Cap because it's coming after Thor and GL. I think Thor will open solid as the first super-hero flick of the summer...But once GL comes (along with what I'm assuming will be a VERY aggressive marketing campaign) everything else better just step aside and out of the path of the juggernaut. I think Cap is opening too late (Transformers has the coveted July 4th spot) and the whole World War II period piece may not sell to the general public.

[Mikey]

I think most will flop.

We've been fed a steady diet of hero movies so much lately even the biggest hero fan has got to be getting sick of it all already.

I like cheese cake, but I don't want it for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I'll never get tired of it, as long as they are fun to watch.

Chris

[MIB41]

I agree Anthony. I think X-Men will be short on star power (I don't know if Kevin Bacon counts). And Captain America is just not looking unique enough after the public will be zapped with Gods, mutants, the Green Lantern Corps., and Transformers. Of course I'm hoping a trailer will come along during the Superbowl that will change my thinking there. But right now, Cap' leaves me flat. I thought I saw the last of Cap' in a helmet after that ill advised 1979 television pilot. It's interesting. The consensus was similar in that pilot as with the concerns today. The makers have tampered with his appearance too much. I think some comic book characters have room to be conceptualized. But Captain America is like Spider-man. People want that iconic look. Anything less is not really going to stir much interest. And I don't buy into the 'realism' argument. It would be easier to argue that with Spiderman and Ironman and they worked out just fine.

[Brazoo]

I don't think that's it. There are more spec scripts and independent projects and production companies in Hollywood then ever before. It's not a lack of ideas or a concerted effort on the major studios part to make licensed comic book movies.

It's all about the bottom line. The merchandising, promotional tie-ins, and product placement pays for these productions. Return on investment - that's what it's about - box office is icing on the cake, to some degree with these movies.

[Brazoo]

Pixar/Disney is maybe the only major studio who can do that with original properties - and even then Disney has forcibly bent Pixar to focus on sequels.

EDIT: Just to clarify - I meant with a consistently unflawed track record of hits.

[clemso]

I think X-Men FC looks the weakest, followed by GL. I think Thor and Cap may get the support because of the association with Iron Man & the Avengers tie-in

[Goblin19]

Hollywood will beat this horse until it's dead, just like 3D.

[Batman]

Blah blah blah Cap is going to tank??? Captain America??? Wow! you think Thor is going to be better than Captain America?

Quote me now Cap is going to be better than Thor...Both good but Cap will be better...

[Meule]

I never get tired of superhero movies

On the other hand, X-Men is in it's 5th(!) movie at this point. If one of them tanks, it may be X-Men. Without Jackman's Wolverine, I think a lot of the general public is going to look at this one as passable. I'd honestly forgotten it was coming out this summer.

Although I might pass on this one for the reason listed

[The Bat]

I'll never get tired of it, as long as they are fun to watch.

Chris

Same here Chris! As long as the stories are good, and the acting is good...keep Em' going I say!

[The Bat]

Blah blah blah Cap is going to tank??? Captain America??? Wow! you think Thor is going to be better than Captain America?

Quote me now Cap is going to be better than Thor...Both good but Cap will be better...

I agree with ya...Cap is going to KICK THOR's BUTT!

[Adam West]

As long as the stories are good, they can all be successful.