Alec Maynard

I hate superhero films! I can’t stand them, the genre is a massive pain in the arse. Worse than the zombie craze; they just keep coming sequel after sequel. And the churn it never ends. A deluge of numbers and capes.

Like horror films in the 40s and 80s buddy cop movies, all superhero films are slight variations of the same formula. How can ‘normal’ people stand it? Hundreds of millions are spent on them every year and for what? The production companies think this is what we want. The same hero journey repeated with ever bland villains and increasingly whacky plots. Yes, the hundreds of nerds that make the movies do a great job with the CGI – sometimes. But really?

If you don’t believe that the market is catastrophically oversaturated with superhero movies then here is a list:

• Batman the movie

• Batman

• Batman Forever

• Batman and Robin

• Batman Begins

• The Dark Knight

• The Dark Knight Rises

• Superman

• Superman II

• Superman III

• Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

• Superman Returns

• Man of Steel

• Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

• Supergirl

• Wonder Woman

• Aquaman

• Green Lantern

• Catwoman

• Justice League

• Suicide Squad

• Fantastic 4

• Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

• Fan4stic

• X-Men

• X2

• X-Men III: The Last Stand

• The Wolverine

• X-Men Origins: The Wolverine

• X-Men: First Class

• X-Men: Days of Future Past

• X-Men: Apocalypse

• Deadpool

• Spider-Man

• Spider-Man 2

• Spider-Man 3

• The Amazing Spider-Man

• The Amazing Spider-Man 2

• Hulk

• The Incredible Hulk

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Iron Man 3

• Thor

• Thor: The Dark World

• Thor: Ragnarok

• Captain America: The First Avenger

• Captain America: The Winter Soldier

• Captain America: Civil War

• Ant-Man

• Doctor Strange

• Black Panther

• The Avengers

• Avengers: Age of Ultron

• Avengers: Infinity War

• Avengers: Endgame

• Guardians of the Galaxy

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2

• Daredevil

• Electra

• Blade

• Blade 2

• Blade: Trinity

• Ghost Rider

• Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

• Punisher

• Punisher: Warzone

• Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

• Robocop

• Robocop 2

• Robocop 3

• Spawn

• Sin City

• Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

• The Spirit

• Constantine

• 300

• Watchmen

• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

• Judge Dredd

• Dredd

• The Green Hornet

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of Ooze

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

• TNMT

• Kick-Ass

• Kick-Ass 2

• Jumper

• Hancock

• Super

• Unbreakable

• The Rocketeer

• Dark Man

• The Crow

• The Crow: City of Angels

• The Crow: Salvation

• The Crow: Wicked Prayer

• The Mask

• Chronicle

• Aeon Flux

• Jonah Hex

• My Super Ex-Girlfriend

• Superhero Movie

• The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl

• Megamind

• Despicable Me

• Despicable Me 2

• Monsters vs Aliens

• The Incredibles

• And there are many more to come…

As you can see this cultural obsession with superheroes has to end. There are so many new ideas that could be produced; so many quality unused screenplays. I implore you to boycott these monstrosities and enjoy something else, something different.

At first, the genre was fresh and had a purpose, but when will the illusion fade? When will we realise how cheesy and ridiculous they look? Our children's children will. Mark my words. They will look back at the genre just like we look back at 90s fashion sense.

What does the future hold for superhero films? Hundreds and hundreds more pumped-out every year. Marvel has its own universe and now DC is in on the game. They just realised how much money they can make. And they just keep coming rebooted hero after rebooted hero, each on a depressingly predictable journey to discover a taste for fighting crime - and spandex.

Superhero movies have to go! It’s time for a new era of popular movies! It’s time for justice!