Too Many Comic Book Movies?

If you visited 12 year old me and told me that one day, there will be major motion pictures based on comic book superheroes, I would’ve scarcely believed you. At 12, even the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie was a few years out.  

 

If you went on to tell me that some of those major motion pictures would feature such minor comic book characters like Ant-Man and Black Panther, well, you would’ve really stretched the credulity of my 12 year old mind.

 

And if also told me that there would be so many major motion pictures based on comic book superheroes, there would be concerns of there being too many, I may have begun to cry for my mommy because, dude, I’m only 12 and you’re a strange ass time traveler spouting off about major motion pictures based on comic book superheroes. You’re from the future! Is there anything really important I should know? Like how it’s really important to not let a certain New York City real estate developer anywhere near the White House? That sort of thing? 

 

Anyway, back to major motion pictures based on comic book superheroes, today saw the release of a teaser for Venom.

 

So yeah, there may be too many of these damn things now.

 

Venom is a character from Spider-Man, a villain or an anti-hero, depending on the needs of the plot. Venom appeared on screen in Sam Raimi’s maligned third Spider-Man movie. I’m guessing this version is spinning out of the current iteration of Spider-Man from last year’s Homecoming movie starring Tom Holland as the web spinning Peter Parker. Originally, Sony wanted to spin off some villain themed movies from Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield as Spidey, to create a universe to counter Marvel’s. After the disappointment of Amazing 2, Sony figured if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em and worked out a deal to share Spider-Man with Marvel.

 

But apparently Sony’s plans for spin offs continued and Venom got made.

 

Really? Is anyone really anxiously awaiting a solo film featuring Venom?

 

This year, Marvel is coming out with Black Panther (reviews are coming in and they are very good!), Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-Man & the Wasp. DC has Aquaman this year. I think Fox as an X-Men movie coming out soon. It was already going to be a packed year for comic book movies. Venom seem like just one movie too many. Venom also seems like Sony just trying to squeeze blood out of the one stone it has access to.

 

I think it’s great that we’re living in this golden age of major motion pictures based on comic book superheroes. Even with all that we’ve seen, there is still so much more new ground to cover but I hate to think of those opportunities lost because movie studios strangled the life out of this particular golden goose with too many movies. 12 year old me would be really sad to hear that golden age came to an end.