What the hell is going on…
Americans are absolutely obsessed with CGI Superhero movies. I knew that some superhero hits had really set a new bar in successful sales, yet, I had no idea that these were the only movies doing so. I love a good mystery, psychological thriller, the odd horror movie with plot-twists–something with a puzzle you have to figure out. Apparently, making your audience think no longer works. Taken from Box Office Mojo, see what I’m talking about:
These numbers are extraordinary. Pirates of Caribbean, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Superhero movies are the only big sellers with few exceptions. Disney followed by Universal Pictures & Warner Bros are the only producers ranking in the top (others appear like Paramount Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox rank but later down the list).
A Little Searching
Since people are having less children, a “boom” of children cannot explain these numbers. According to Statistica 2023, 66% of Americans seeing Superhero films in the cinema are between the ages 18-29. A poll on Strawpoll found very similar results. According to the Strawpoll results those who are 13-18 only accounted for 14.5%, meaning 85.5% of legal adults are watching comic book characters, pirates, lightsaber duels and magic wands.
I’m unsure what to make of this. Are people more immature than they were decades before? These stories are very predictable & obviously designed for younger audiences. They are often without substance, without meaning, without art (all green screens), without controversy, without scares. The reason why the Lord of The Rings (Return of The King) (which ranks 132nd I may add) has been become a classic in a way is because of its profound messages that are throughout. No there are not magic rings or orcs but they are symbolisms that can become life-lessons. What’s symbolic about Thor bashing Loki over the head with his hammer?
Except for eye-candy action where the good guys predictably win, I’m unclear why they generate such massive interest relative to everything else. Is it dangerous to assume the world is divided by good and bad characters?
I’ve searched some more into why this could be and there have been 4 recurring responses on why they’re so popular
- Due to the amazing special effects we can leave the theatre feeling great and inspired in life
- They cover many genres within these movies (romance, action, drama, suspense) + we see ourselves in the heroes as a force for good aiming to defeat evil in life.
- Superhero movies are a nice break from reality
- Their interconnectedness is appealing (I have to see the next one now!)
So there you have it ladies, millions of American men are inspired by billionaire Tony Stark who sees himself as a hero inside of a flying suit to escape the reality of living with you. As for the story-telling motive, I guess once you watched the first 33 films it makes sense to keep going.
I believe this is a testament to some sort of waning intellect or at minimum, a waning attentional capacity that invades the Western populations. You do not need to think during these movies. They are entertaining, but uninspiring in the philosophical sense. It’s no different than scanning TikTok endlessly (I cannot ride public transit anymore without witnessing 50% of people doing this). There is little thought, observation or attention to detail in these 30-second videos—but nevertheless, they’re entertaining. Perhaps this is the 3-hour version of this.
It’s been said before, ‘you are a product of your environment’. If your average person induces (or suppresses) emotions synthetically with prescription medication, saves a (fake) currency losing it’s value anywhere from 5-15% a year, sustains relationship connections through apps/social media, consumes (fake) fast food & learns from (fake) teachers without any real life experience themselves—perhaps it’s not a stretch at all that the best-selling movies would be the most fake motion pictures of all! If everything is in some sense a simulation, escaping reality is the norm.
Your conservative types may be inclined to suggest that this amazing success is due to the rot in Hollywood; political correctness is not desirable and therefore the only movies left are these flashy fantasy characters. While I agree with the “Go Woke, Go Broke” phrase, this doesn’t hold water. First of all, the success is too extreme, far above displacement from other films. Second of all, Barbie which some have remarked is the most political correct, ideologically-packed movie ever made ranks 20th all time. Lastly, Disney also produces a majority of the top-ranking movies as well, who haven’t been shy with spreading progressive messages to children.
Regardless, this is surely a symptom of some change that has occurred and remains changing in Western countries.
Do let me know your thoughts, please share and once again, make sure to #StayOnTheBall
