Update:
“Captain America: The Winter Solider” and “Captain America: Civil War” actor Sebastian Stan has come out in response to “Batman V Superman” director Zack Snyder's dig at Marvel, and “Ant-Man” in particular. Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe defended the studio's ability to keep their material fresh and unique.
“I”m sitting here and I”m listening to you and I”m thinking, 'Do I want to fire some shots at DC right now, at Zack Snyder?,' Stan told Collider. “I read some of those comments where he said something about Batman and Superman, I can”t remember where I read that, somewhere… Something about, 'It”s not going to be your flavor-of-the-week “Ant-Man.”'And I was like, 'Oh thanks, Zack. That”s great. Way to do something original.' But I would say we”re still making something very original in our own way. I mean, the Russos are coming in and taking something people are used to and they”re shaping it up and changing it in a very different way. They”re not trying to mimic a better Christopher Nolan movie or something like that.”
That one does feel like a pretty direct hit…
Original Story Follows:
“Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” director Zack Snyder has weighed in on the “when will superheroes go away?” conversation with a few choice words for Marvel.
In speaking with The Daily Beast, Snyder responded to Steven Spielberg”s recent prediction that caped crusaders (yep) will eventually “go the way of the Western,” by saying “I feel like he”s right.” Adding that this creative death sentence doesn”t apply to his characters.
“But I feel like Batman and Superman are transcendent of superhero movies in a way, because they”re Batman and Superman,” Snyder theorized.
Adding, “They”re not just, like, the flavor of the week ‘Ant-Man”-not to be mean, but whatever it is. What is the next Blank-Man?”
Burn. (Sort of, I guess.)
In the world of entertainment news coverage, the topic of not if, but when audiences will tire of the superhero genre is fairly consistently explored. It”s like we”re in a perpetual feedback loop with our own desires. Inevitably, Westerns are brought up as an apt comparison. Many point out the longevity of that genre”s reign, while others assure that one day the capes will be retired as the mainstay of our cinematic storytelling, just as cowboy boots and horses were.
Whether superhero movies really are as pervasive as some would make them out to be is another question entirely – one which we”ll be circling back to. What”s interesting is that our collective cultural stance seems to be: “Well they won”t be here forever, but as long as they are, let”s turn it into a horserace!” Why not, I suppose. It”s entertainment after all. We love games, we enjoy taking sides, and right now, these films are hugely popular.
So why not combine our pleasures and see how Marvel and DC stack up against one another. Just as long as we maintain a sense of perspective. Inevitably creators are brought into the fray. In all likelihood there's no real sense of malice, and it's really just a part of the spectacle that surrounds the spectacle of these films. At the end of the day, these are pieces of entertainment that we're meant to enjoy — or not. No more, no less. The end will come, but more often than not those advocating for the demise of the superhero genre had no desire to see these films in the first place.
Meanwhile, and I don”t think this will come as a huge surprise to those following the development of the Warner Brothers/DC slate, Snyder also revealed that what was once the sequel to “Man of Steel” will focus more on Batman than Superman.
“Only in that because it”s a different Batman than the Batman that was in the Chris Nolan movies,” Snyder explained to The Daily Beast's Jen Yamato. “So we have a little bit more explaining to do-and you just had a whole Superman movie. But I think only in that way, because you need to understand where Batman is with everything. And that”s more toward the beginning, but it evens back out as it goes on.”
Let us know what you think.
Is it a harmless diversion to play the Marvel vs. DC game? Are you as tired of the “when will superhero movies end?” question as those asking it are of the genre?
Sound off in the comments below!
Meanwhile, those of us still looking forward to several films in the superhero genre speculate about the fate of two beloved characters below.
Edit: I've updated this post a bit to highlight my central point, which is that the Marvel vs DC and superhero fatigue conversations are really just a part of the entertainment at this point. It should all be taken with a grain of salt and sense of fun. Like athletes taking shots at one another.