The Superhero Project and the Superhero Movie Evolution

When it comes to the superhero movie, it feels a bit like “I know it when I see it.” However, it’s more complicated than it sounds. If you don’t count James Bond, do you count Black Widow? Do you include Star Wars? Do you include all movies based on comic books regardless of content? I mean, you obviously include Superman, but do you include Zorro. Answering these questions along with examining the development of the superhero movie is the goal of The Superhero Project.

Back in grad school, I was inspired by a book by Jeanine Basinger called The World War II Combat Film: Anatomy of a Genre. I would encourage anyone interested in genre to read it. In it, she explores the question of genre through the WWII combat film. She demonstrates that genre is more complicated than it sounds.

So, I am going to watch every superhero movie ever made in (mostly) chronological order to try and understand the genre.

The Goals

The Superhero Project is modeled after Basinger’s work. My purposes are currently modeled after her as well which are:

• To establish a definition of a superhero movie
• “To trace the evolution of that genre” from its creation to present day in order to “reflect its shifting ideologies and usages”
• “To indicate what happens to the basic definition when it is altered by comedy, music, and [women]”
• “To demonstrate how this definition, as it evolves and varies, transforms itself, comingles with other genres, disguises itself as another genre, and allows other genres to enter itself” (9)

Here are my preliminary rules for defining a superhero movie:

• They must star characters who have abilities beyond those of a normal human (or who thinks they do/tries to).
• Superheroes might have a separate identity from their hero identity. This excludes Luke Skywalker. Weirdly enough, this includes Zorro.
• No spy films disconnected from a comic book universe. Meaning, Black Widow stays, and James Bond goes.
• No animated films. Animated films have their own rules and including them would be too messy.
• No TV movies, straight-to-DVD, or unreleased films. Theatrical release only.
• Hollywood films only. While I hope to review some foreign superhero films, I will be focusing on Hollywood films.

A movie must follow most or all of these rules in order to earn a spot on The Superhero Project list. Below is my preliminary list for getting started. To be honest, I’m not even sure how many of these films I’m going to be able to find. We’ll have to see.  I’m excited to get started, and don’t be surprised if this project changes as I go along. Be prepared for a review of every single movie (hopefully on my upcoming YouTube channel).

Shout out to Flights, Tights, & Movie Nights which helped me compile this list.

If you’re interested in helping me out with The Superhero Project, consider donating a few dollars so I can rent the movies if I need to. I’m going to try and get everything through the library, but I’m sure it won’t be possible to get every movie. If you donate, I’ll be sure to give you a shout out during my next superhero movie review. Thank you in advance!

The Superhero Project Official Movie List

What do you think? Are there any movies you think should be on the list? Shouldn’t be on the list? Let me know!

// Basinger, Jeanine. The World War II Combat Film. Wesleyan UP, 2003.