It was a much-needed, timely response in an era when, for decades, the American public had been disillusioned with the government. S.H.I.E.L.D., which stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, came to represent a counter-terrorism organization that protected the American people as superheroes stood united with the government.

The Marvel Universe began building in 2008 with the release of “Iron Man,” in which a post-credits scene showed director Nick Fury recruiting Tony Stark to what would become S.H.I.E.L.D. His return to the big screen fulfilled American sentiment for a Messiah.Īmerica also needed their faith in the government restored. The state of the world-post-Katrina, post-Iraq war, post-9/11-called for the reemergence of the undefeatable alien from Krypton to defend Metropolis, the fictional stand-in for New York. Superman Returns was released in 2006, approaching the five-year anniversary of September 11. In the movie, Superman returns to Earth after a five-year hiatus. ” This was only the first sign of a ripple that would be felt throughout the superhero movie industry.ĭespite its critical and box office flop, the reemergence of Clark Kent on the big screen in “Superman Returns” is as significant as the title suggests. It was the crumbs of hope the studio could offer and a salute from Spider-Man to the real heroes of America, much like comic books produced Ground Zero issues whose covers read, “The world’s greatest super hero creators honor the world’s greatest heroes. This was an undeniable message of solidarity to the country. Viewers are left with the image of Spider-Man under the American flag. After the terrorist attacks, Sony added a brief scene at the end of the film, where Spidey swings through the city and grabs hold of a flag pole. The Twin Towers are reflected in Spidey’s eyes in an up-close look. The nation clearly hungered for a figure who could save the country-or, in this case, at least defend New York. Spider-Man raked in the highest domestic growth of 2002, beating well-established franchises “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars” (“All Time Worldwide Opening”). admissions-1.64 billion moviegoers-in 2002, according to the 2006 U.S. The nation, still reeling from the horrors of 9/11, flooded the theaters the following year, hitting a record high for U.S. The trailer, which featured Spider-Man trapping a helicopter of bank robbers in a web strung up between the Twin Towers, was quickly pulled out of circulation along with posters featuring the towers reflected in his eyes. 11, 2001 would have seen a trailer for “Spider-Man,” which would be released in the following May. Those who went to the movies to escape the ubiquitous news coverage on Sept. The superhero industry’s response to the unjust tragedy was felt immediately. Its effects would ripple throughout the next decade and continues to impact the world today. The industry returned the favor by reflecting the world around us, giving us not what we deserve, but what we need: hope, assurance, conflict, resurrection, and more questions than we bargained for.ĩ/11 was undeniably a paradigm shift. What caused the sudden increase of adaptations, and the growing audience of fanboys and fangirls? In a post-9/11 world, people turned to superheroes. Studios have already laid out plans for caped crusaders for the next four years-a total of 18 movies have been announced from big boys Marvel Studios and DC Comics to be released from 2017-2020. We have undeniably entered the glorious era of movies as cape-wearing figures bash super villains and cleanse the world of evil on screens five stories high.

Now, thanks to the rise of superhero movies in the 21 st century, names like Iron Man, Captain America, Batman, and Superman not only conjure images of ink lines and primary colors, but also of real-life faces to go with them. Entrenched in the Great Depression and on the cusp of another World War, America needed both a savior and a distraction. Superheroes have been household names since the birth of comic books in the 1930’s.

Superhero movie effects on society