DVD front cover for The Adventures of Captain Marvel film serial.

Superhero film is a fantasy, science fiction or horror genre film that is focused on the actions of one or more superheroes, which are individuals, who possess superhuman abilities relative to a normal person. These films are almost always action-oriented, and the first film of a particular character often includes a focus on the origin of the special powers including the first fight against the character's most famous supervillain enemy. The plot typically revolves the efforts of the superheroes to thwart some dire peril of significant consequence. DVD front cover for the film serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel. ... DVD front cover for the film serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... “Horror Movie” redirects here. ... Look up genre in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Batman and Superman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ... Doctor Doom, one of the most archetypal supervillains and his arch-enemies The Fantastic Four (in background). ...

Although the majority of superhero movies are adapted from comic books, there are a number of notable exceptions like RoboCop. A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... RoboCop is a 1987 cyberpunk,action movie and satire of business-driven capitalism, directed by Paul Verhoeven. ...

History

Early years

Christopher Reeve in Superman.

Almost immediately after superheroes rose to prominence in comic books, they were adapted into Saturday movie serials aimed at children, starting with 1941's The Adventures of Captain Marvel, which has been hailed as the best example of the film format.^{[citation needed]} Serials featuring The Phantom, Batman, Superman and Captain America followed. These films were successful despite their limited budgets, primitive special effects, silly plotlines and dialogues. superman movie image, think is ok by fair use File links The following pages link to this file: Superhero ... superman movie image, think is ok by fair use File links The following pages link to this file: Superhero ... The Adventures of Captain Marvel is an acclaimed film serial directed by John English and William Witney for Republic Pictures in 1941. ... For other uses, see Phantom. ... Batman was a 15-chapter serial released in 1943 by Columbia Pictures. ... The Superman serial was a 1948 15-part black-and-white movie serial starring Kirk Alyn as Superman and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. ... Captain America (1944) is a Republic Movie serial based (loosely) on the comic book character Captain America. ...

In the coming decades, the decline of Saturday serials and turmoil in the comic book industry put an end to superhero motion pictures, with exception of edited together episodes of the television series Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves that were released theatrically and 1966's Batman, a big-screen extension of the television series. A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... This article is about the television series. ... George Reeves (January 5,[1] 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor, best known for his role as Superman in the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman and his controversial death at the age of 45. ... Batman was released in 1966 as the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

In 1978, Richard Donner directed Superman, which is considered the first modern superhero film. Almost a biopic of the character instead of an action movie, the film won praises for its lavish production values, state-of-the-art special effects followed by Christopher Reeve's sincere performance as Superman and John Williams's majestic and often imitated film score. In 1980, Superman II was extraordinarily successful and set a new artistic standard for the genre. The Superman movies had begun a new era of superhero films. Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg on April 24, 1930) is an American film director and also producer through the production company, The Donners Company, he and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler-Donner, own. ... Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, Superman Superman, also known as Superman: The Movie, is a 1978 Warner Bros. ... A biographical film or biopic is a film about a particular person or group of people, based on events that actually happened. ... Special effects (abbreviated SPFX or SFX) are used in the film, television, and entertainment industry to create effects that cannot be achieved by normal means, such as depicting travel to other star systems. ... Christopher DOlier Reeve[1] (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. ... This biographical article or section needs additional references for verification. ... A film score is a set of musical compositions written to accompany a film. ... Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 superhero film Superman. ...

The Superman franchise continued, but declined in profitability and critical respect until Superman IV flopped in 1987. However, that year also saw the debut of RoboCop, a highly successful original superhero film inspired by Toei's Metal Hero Series, and Uchuu Keiji Gavan. It was praised for its intelligent satire, exciting action and a touching feel of humanity in the title character. Superman IV: The Quest For Peace is a 1987 film, the last of the Superman theatrical movies starring Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel. ... RoboCop is a 1987 cyberpunk,action movie and satire of business-driven capitalism, directed by Paul Verhoeven. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Toei Animation. ... The Metal Heroes, Space Sherrif Gavan to Ironbark Detective Robotack The Metal Heroes Series ) is a genre of tokusatsu superhero TV series produced by Toei for Japanese television. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ...

Batman revival

In 1989, the film Batman directed by Tim Burton, was the first attempt to create a superhero film with the darker mood of recent comic books. Praised set designs by Anton Furst, and acclaimed performances from Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as The Joker made the film a model for later superhero movies. It was then followed by Batman Returns, a much darker Batman film again starring Michael Keaton. One of the immediate influences was the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. It surpassed comic book fans' expectations with a story based more on the original comics than the animated television series^{[citation needed]}. Batman DVD cover, 1997 release version Batman was released in U.S. theaters on June 23, 1989 by Warner Bros. ... Timothy Tim William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer. ... Anton Furst is a distinguished production designer who won an Oscar for designing the Batmobile and the noirish nightmare version of Gotham City in Tim Burtons Batman (1989). ... Michael John Douglas (Better known by the stage name Michael Keaton) (born September 9, 1951) is an American actor, perhaps best known for his early comedic roles in films such as Night Shift, and Beetlejuice, and for his portrayal of Batman in the two Tim Burton directed films in the... Nicholson as Wilbur Force in The Little Shop of Horrors (1960). ... “The Joker” redirects here. ... Batman Returns is a 1992 superhero thriller film based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ... Michael John Douglas (Better known by the stage name Michael Keaton) (born September 9, 1951) is an American actor, perhaps best known for his early comedic roles in films such as Night Shift, and Beetlejuice, and for his portrayal of Batman in the two Tim Burton directed films in the... For the 2007 film, see TMNT (film). ... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American comic book published by Mirage Studios since 1984. ... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (known as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Sweden) is an American animated television series produced by Fred Wolf Films, which premiered in December 1987, first as a 5-part mini-series. ...

The Batman series continued throughout the 1990s, grossing millions and drawing several star actors, until the fourth film Batman and Robin became a critical and commercial failure. However, many consider it influential since its failure discredited the mocking tone of the 1960s television series and encouraged film makers to treat the source material more seriously. Nevertheless, in the short term, the underperformance of this film, along with unsuccessful movies based on The Shadow, The Phantom and The Rocketeer (all three period pieces, inspired by the sense of fun and adventure from the Indiana Jones movies), made movie studios nervous about superhero movies. Batman and Robin, see Batman and Robin (serial). ... The Shadow is a fictional character created by Walter B. Gibson in 1931 with the first story title The Living Shadow. The character is one of the most famous of the pulp heroes of the 1930s and 1940s -- made even more famous through a popular radio series originally played by... The Phantom is a 1996 action/adventure movie starring Billy Zane, and directed by Simon Wincer. ... The Rocketeer is a 1991 superhero adventure film produced by Walt Disney Pictures/Touchstone Pictures[1] and directed by Joe Johnston. ... Dr. Henry Indiana Jones, Jr. ...

2000's new golden era

Several movies based on Marvel Comics characters began production in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The company had a minor success with 1998's Blade, (which was styled more along the lines of a horror or martial arts film than a full superhero film), but 2000's blockbuster X-Men opened the door once again to highly successful superhero movies and 2002's Spider-Man broke the record for money grossed in a film's opening five days thanks in part to Tobey Maguire's acclaimed performance in the title role. This article is about the comic book company. ... Blade is a 1998 film starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the the Blade comics series. ... X-Men is a 2000 superhero film, based upon the fictional characters the X-Men. ... Spider-Man is a 2002 superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. ... Tobias Vincent Maguire (born June 27, 1975) is an American actor. ...

X-Men and Spider-Man led to a widespread revival, which included 2003's Daredevil, Hulk and X2: X-Men United; 2004's Punisher, Hellboy and Spider-Man 2; and 2005’s Batman Begins (a reboot of the Batman franchise) and Fantastic Four, which met with varying degrees of critical and commercial success. Daredevil is a 2003 movie directed by Mark Steven Johnson, who also wrote the screenplay. ... Hulk is a 2003 superhero film based on the comic book series The Incredible Hulk published by Marvel Comics. ... This page is about the 2003 movie X2; see X2 (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... The Punisher is a 2004 movie, based on the Marvel Comics character, starring Thomas Jane as Frank Castle and John Travolta as Howard Saint, the gangster who orders the death of Castles entire family. ... Hellboy (also known as Super Sapiens in Malaysia) is an American supernatural thriller, directed by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro. ... This article is about the 2004 film. ... For the novel based on the film, see Batman Begins (novelization). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Fantastic Four is a 2005 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics comic Fantastic Four. ...

Some original films took an unusual look at the superhero genre. 2000’s Unbreakable is a dark tale about a man, who learns from a mysterious comic book dealer that he is destined to become a modern day superhero. Pixar's digitally-animated The Incredibles combined a more comedic, but affectionate approach with commentary on the superhero genre and its history, while Sky High successfully created a fusion of the superhero and teen comedy genres. This page refers to Unbreakable the film. ... Pixars studio lot in Emeryville Pixar Animation Studios is an American computer animation studio based in Emeryville, California (USA) notable for its seven Academy Awards. ... For the journal by ACM SIGGRAPH, see Computer Graphics (Publication). ... The Incredibles is a 2004 Academy Award-winning computer-animated feature film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures, centering around a family of superheroes. ... Sky High is a superhero film from Walt Disney Pictures that opened in the United States on July 29, 2005. ...

In 2006, the success of the genre continued with X-Men: The Last Stand, the third installment of the X-Men films, opening with tremendous financial, if mixed critical success while Superman Returns, a follow-up to Superman II (retconning films three and four) was more critically successful, although not as financially successful. Likewise, the 2007 success of the film adaptation of Ghost Rider starring Nicolas Cage, despite critical dismissal, has led to suggestions that the numerous minor superhero properties could have similar commercial potential if presented and marketed skillfully while the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film franchise was successfully revived with the release of TMNT. Spider-Man 3 was released in May 2007, toppling box-office records, but receiving a critical response much less warm than the previous two films while Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was considered marginally better than its predecessor. For the video game of the same name, see Superman Returns (video game). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Ghost Rider. ... Nicolas Cage (born Nicholas Kim Coppola on January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in some countries), to be released March 22, 2007 in Israel and Russia and on March 23, 2007 in the United Kingdom and the United States, It will be the fourth film released in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. ... Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. ...

Upcoming projects

As of 2007, many superhero films are in development. Upcoming sequels include The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man) from Marvel Comics' roster; DC Comics characters will be appearing in the highly anticipated Batman film, The Dark Knight, and a possible Superman Returns sequel.^[1] . 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character the Hulk, directed by Louis Leterrier and starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, and William Hurt. ... This article is about the upcoming live action film. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. ... For the video game of the same name, see Superman Returns (video game). ...

New franchises include the eponymous adaptations of Iron Man – Iron Man – and Wonder Woman – Wonder Woman, to be produced by Joel Silver – as well as The Ghost Who Walks, based on The Phantom, and adaptations of The Shadow and Mandrake the Magician. For the film, see Iron Man (film). ... This article is about the upcoming live action film. ... Wonder Woman is a fictional DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. ... Wonder Woman is an announced superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Wonder Woman. ... Joel Silver (born July 14, 1952) is a successful Hollywood film producer. ... The Ghost Who Walks is a planned movie adaptation of Lee Falks comic strip The Phantom. ... For other uses, see Phantom. ... Mandrake the Magician is a U.S. comic strip created in 1934 by Lee Falk (also creator of The Phantom) and mainly appearing in syndication in newspapers. ...

Numerous other relatively obscure properties such as the Doom Patrol are also in undergoing adaptation. There have been rumors of film adaptations of characters such as Iron Fist (said to star Ray Park) and Deadpool (in which David S. Goyer and, according to Goyer, Christopher Nolan are interested), although they have not been confirmed. The Doom Patrol is an idiosyncratic DC Comics superhero team. ... Iron Fist (Daniel Danny Thomas Rand-Kai) is a fictional character, a superhero martial artist in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Raymond Park (born August 23, 1974), better known as Ray Park, is a British stunt man and actor. ... For other uses of Wade Wilson, see Wade Wilson Deadpool is a fictional comic book character sometimes depicted as a, mercenary, villain, or anti-hero; who appears in books published by Marvel Comics, usually in the X-Men family of titles. ... David S. Goyer is a comic book writer, screenwriter, and film director. ... Christopher Nolan (born July 30, 1970) is an Academy Award nominated film director, writer and producer. ...

Parody

As superhero films have increasingly become more prevalent in the film industry, they have become targets for parody. Kevin Smith's 2001 Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, parody film companies seemingly compulsive purchase of comic book film rights, like the fictional comic book "Bluntman and Chronic"; one character in the film rather accurately, if bluntly, describes the process: "After X-Men hit at the box office, the movie companies started buying out all the comic books they could get their dirty little hands on". Mark Hammil's 2004 parody Comic Book: The Movie, about a comic book fan and a film adaptation of his favorite character, was released direct-to-video and achieved mild success, garnering a cult following among comic book readers. David Zucker is directing the more direct parody Superhero!, set for release in 2008, which will parody several superhero films. Filmmakers are wary, however, of mixing farce with serious superhero films, the technique which was disastrous with late-1990s superhero films such as Batman & Robin. In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... For other persons named Kevin Smith, see Kevin Smith (disambiguation). ... Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) is a film written by, directed and starring Kevin Smith, the fifth to be set in his View Askewniverse, a growing collection of characters and settings that developed out of his cult favorite Clerks. ... The cover for the actual Bluntman and Chronic comic book. ... Mark Richard Hamill (born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and voice actor. ... A film that is released direct-to-video (also straight-to-video) is one which has been released to the public on home video formats first rather than first being released in movie theaters. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... David Zucker (born October 16, 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American film director. ... Look up farce in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Attractions of the genre

Despite critics' and fans' complaints about Hollywood milking an idea dry, the comic book superhero has become a promising subject for blockbuster filmmaking. Even without highly expensive stars, the film is likely to get some level of attention with its distinctive visual style. Furthermore the serial nature of their source material makes story material for sequels easy to come by with major characters often having decades of stories to use for adaptations. The producers of the Daredevil and Sin City film adaptations took that source further and used the pages themselves as preliminary storyboards to help establish the films' visuals and action. Sin City is a 2005 neo-noir anthology film written, produced and directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez. ... . ...

See also

• List of films based on comics
• List of films based on DC Comics
• List of films based on Marvel Comics
• Fantasy film
• Horror film
• Science fiction film
• Superhero live-action television series
• List of superheroes

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of movies based on comic books. ... Below is a list of feature films based on DC characters and properties. ... Below is a list of films based on Marvel Comics characters and properties. ... Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. ... “Horror Movie” redirects here. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... George Reeves as Superman Live action series featuring superheroes have been featured on television almost since the beginning of the medium and continue until present day. ...

Notes and citations

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Comic Book Movie, a news website devoted to movies adapted from comics
• Superhero Hype, a news website devoted to any media adapted from superheroes
• Agent DVD, Contains a discussion about superhero movies with comic book creators, and a poll to choose the best film.