Nerds in Tights, or the Death of the Action Flick

By: Rachel Katz

There was a time not so long ago when action films dominated the box office. The protagonists didn’t have superpowers—unless you count muscles—and they were forced to solve their problems and save cities using their bare hands.

Fast-forward to today and the action landscape is very different. The classic action heroes of the Die Hard era have been replaced by men and women once loved only by avid comic book readers.

In recent years the superhero genre has experienced a surge in popularity. In 2013, both Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel ranked in the top ten grossing films of the year, and so far this year, four of the top ten grossing films have fit into this genre, with Guardians of the Galaxy claiming the first-place ranking. People are so excited about this genre that there are multiple infographics detailing the release schedule for the next installment of their favourite hero’s franchise, some of which stretch to 2020 and beyond.

Where is this sudden appeal coming from?

Following the conclusion of the Harry Potter series, audiences were left without a multi-installment series to follow. Trilogies like The Hunger Games have been extremely successful, but there will only be four films about Katniss Everdeen—half the number of films about The Boy Who Lived. It would be difficult to extend a trilogy much further than four films, so producers may have turned to the superhero genre as a way to maintain cash flow. The genre appeals to a huge demographic, from elementary school students to their grandparents, and theoretically, there is no limit to the number of Batman movies people will pay to see.

The heightened interest in the superhero genre is almost certainly tied to the nerdy-chic trend. The first season of The Big Bang Theory aired in 2007, and since then over 40 superhero films have been released. The adoption of “nerdy” interests and hobbies into mainstream pop culture means that more people are willing to admit their interest in or discover the superhero genre for themselves, and while some avid fans find this to be a corruption of their favourite interests, there is no shortage of new TV shows, books, and films capitalizing on nerd culture.

Some fans have voiced concerns about this fixation on superheroes and nerd culture being just a fad. They raise a valid argument, especially considering the lengthy amount of time before some of the proposed superhero films are set for release. If the trend dies down, though, what will replace it?

With a slew of non-superhero action films scheduled for release in the next year, the reluctant everyman hero/heroine trope still has appeal. Maybe the action genre hasn’t had its last gasp yet.