Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
This past Sunday, February 24th was the Oscars, but it was also a huge night for the superhero genre. For the last ten years, superhero films have been present at all award shows and even taken home some awards, most notably The Dark Knight with the legendary Heath Legder taking home the award for Best Supporting Role. Superhero films are always there but they rarely win. Many felt as if Hugh Jackman’s last adventure as Wolverine in James Mangold’s 2017 film Logan should have been in the conversation for Best Picture. The Academy has always taken other movies in place of them, except for this year. Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther walked away with two awards, which is outstanding. Honestly, if it had not walked out with at least one award, my head would have shattered as the costume design and set design were spectacular. I guess the Academy feels similarly. Not to mention what the film did for the genre as well as the impact it had on the industry. I would like to focus on the other superhero winner of that night though, and that is Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
What a win! Spider-Verse is a massive win for the comic book industry, filmmakers, and the superhero genre as a whole. Let’s start with the comic book industry. As someone who has been reading comics for pretty much their whole life, I can understand why many filmmakers are scared to be faithful to some source material. The wacky, weird world of comics does not always translate to the big screen well; at least until Spider-Verse came around. Sony’s project is like a comic book come to life, with the source material all intact. Sure, they mix and match certain universes, but that is what is so cool.
The studio stayed faithful to the source material, which is huge for the comic industry as it gives us hope and motivation to keep telling these stories through the medium. As for filmmakers, this film is a huge win! Co-producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have done the impossible and made a superhero movie that is so influential while sticking to his guns and using the style he wanted. This film shows that if you have an idea that might not work at first, just try it! The style and feeling of this film is a testimony to what happens when you stick to your ideas and make them come through and not listening to the media or others around you! Last but certainly not least, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a massive win for the superhero genre and subculture as a whole. Sony knocked it out of the park, and the film touches every cornerstone of popular culture while still feeling relevant. They made Spider-Ham a household name, which is also great! The world of comics and superheroes is daunting and scary, but Sony provided that it can be fun and entering if you just treat it the right way. Congrats into the Spider-Verse and to everyone involved in it! You deserve it!
Any thoughts? Let us know!
