The ‘Marvel’ Marathon
Superhero franchises are quite the draw in entertainment
In what was a passing conversation with a friend who was clearly a disciplined fan of the comic book saga, I was made privy to a rather amusing fact about him.
He had profusely worked on a list detailing the right order in which one must watch the films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe leading up to the finale ‘Avengers: The Endgame’ to capture the story in its rightful chronology. With around twenty-three films, spanning a decade in releases, this didn’t seem an easy undertaking for someone like me with a fleeting interest in superheroes.
I had been till then largely guilty of ‘skipping’ to the end of the book. I mostly sought to catch the more popular films from the franchise or its final chapter in theatres. Yes, almost criminal, I realize.
I set out to recap on the earlier movies, but like much of the resolutions made that year, this too vaned in time. I did clearly enjoy the process, although it was rather short lived.
The appeal was evident. The films, a visual indulgence worth yielding to. A rewarding escape into the false promise of heroic triumph over villainous plots.
It did, however, make me wonder whether comic book audiences were always this revered by movie sellers. Reviving superhero movies were almost certainly a thing of the past too.
The Superman © from DC Comics has had several adaptations since the first movie. Marvel’s friendly neighborhood Spiderman ©, has also had a similar career at the movies, with each adaptation exploring the many love interests and the many more vengeful enemies of Peter Parker. Revivals seldom garnered the infectious fanfare it does today.
I suspect, for one, it is the entourage. Twenty-some movies, borrowing from different realms of fantasy, linked together in plot with each setting the stage for a climactic end is, gripping. Also having been released at close quarters to one another, the movies managed to retain the wave of suspense. Then, there is the ensemble. I didn’t need much convincing to catch a movie with a single superhero lead. I certainly didn’t need any for one with multiple leads fighting to save the day. Speak of the camaraderie!
Of course, it also helps that superhero movies have become a part of today’s pop culture. There has been a stark shift in the reception of comic nerd culture among millennials, just like how it has become widely acceptable to be socially reclusive and stay indoors to play video games.
Movie theatres were quick to cash in on this, even past the initial releases. Movie marathons, stretching over 59 hours, were showcased in some parts of the world leading up to the release of the final film. Marvel is already making way for the next set of movie launches that would continue the saga and bring new superheroes from their comic-verse to the silver screen.
Television has been the latest entrant to the big draw. Both Marvel and DC had produced spin-offs from their original stories for primetime television, with more being scripted along the way. With streaming services gaining popularity, the race to capture viewership was on for production houses; Disney+, Netflix, and the likes are now directly collaborating with the duopoly on creating newer content.
I for one certainly could use the extra options while mindlessly browsing through the video library before falling asleep on the couch.
