Superhero fatigue is a buzzword that has taken film culture by storm, with more and more parts of the fandom succumbing to it in the wake of mediocre box office numbers for Marvel and DC films. With star-studded casts like Chris Pratt and Brie Larson raking in less than expected at the box office, the future might look grim for the genre right now. However, there is one beacon of hope for the genre, one that is perhaps in the most unlikely place.
Seth Rogen is a writer, director, producer, and actor, but he might also be the salvation of the superhero genre. Having partnered with Amazon Studios for mega-hits like Invincible and The Boys, and producing films like TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, Rogen has cemented himself as the quintessential indie superhero film producer. His unique approach to comic book properties, especially the ones that involve superheroes, might be the boost that the genre needs to stay relevant in the industry.
Seth Rogen approaches films like a kid in a comic book store.
Seth Rogen seems to understand the way comic book properties function. The producer has gone on record to say that he is approaching a comic book adaptation the way a kid would approach comics in a comic book store. The idea is to see how a property would catch the reader’s (or in this case the viewer’s) eye. Properties like Garth Ennis’s The Boys and Robert Kirkman’s Invincible create a unique world for their superheroes to inhabit. This, along with their peculiar visual style, yields a compelling narrative that can draw in fans.
Another notch in Rogen’s favor is the fact that he does not shy away from being non-comic accurate. Storylines are of no consequence, just the worlds that are created. This is especially true for a property like The Boys, which already takes a bunch of risks in its source material. Rogen, as a producer, green lights changes to the plot that is more beneficial for the small screen, producing a show that is equal parts compelling and fun, without losing out on the essence of the source material.
Despite Rogen’s superhero expertise, Marvel and DC might still be in trouble
Despite the fresh wave of superhero fiction that has entered the market thanks to Seth Rogen, it does not mean that this will fix the issues that exist with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe. According to Rogen, the problem lies with “the process” of these films, ones that he admits have served these franchises well. But Rogen has his reservations with them. He says:
“We really have a pretty specific way we work; me and Evan [Goldberg] have been writers for 20 years at this point. It’s a fear of the process, honestly. And I say that knowing nothing about the process.”
Given the amount of control Rogen enjoys over his content (and they are better for it), structures like Marvel and DC that have tons of studio influence on the works they put in are not conducive to how Rogen and his long-time collaborator Evan Goldberg make their films and shows. This, in the long run, could spell doom for Marvel and DC, given that Rogen’s entries in the superhero genre have critically outperformed Marvel and DC films for the most part, while also raking in a significant amount of commercial gains for all studios involved.
