The Film And TV Shows That Helped Define The Superhero Genre In 2016

2016 has been a defining year for the superhero genre. We’ve seen the launch of the DC Extended Universe - which, admittedly, hasn't gone over too well thus far, unexpected hits like Deadpool, and the first ever major TV crossover event in DC’s “Invasion!” - which featured Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. As we prepare for 2017, a year where the superhero genre is set to become even more mainstream than ever before thanks to some massive releases like Justice League and Logan, we decided it'd be a good time to take a look at the last year and examine some of the moments that helped define the genre. It's been a wild 12 months, with just as many disasters (we're looking at you, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice) as there have been fist-pumping triumphs. And so, as you make the most of this last week of 2016, join us as we dive back into the past to see just how this year helped define superheroes on both the big and small screen. Enjoy! Deadpool Ironically enough, Deadpool was the blockbuster hit Fox never intended to make. The studio had refused to sign off on the project for years, until leaked test footage of Ryan Reynolds playing the wise-cracking mercenary went viral. Deadpool was an unexpected hit, grossing $782.6 million at the worldwide box office. That performance is all the more incredible when you consider that the film only had a budget of $58 million. The movie’s combination of R-rated violence (and sex) and comic-book-accurate humor thrilled fans, and began a campaign for R-rated superhero action that continues to this day. The reality is that Deadpool was a game-changer for Fox, especially given the disappointing performance of X-Men: Apocalypse later in the year. It gave the studio a sense of renewed confidence, leading them to sign off on 2017’s R-rated Logan and also consider Josh Boone’s New Mutants – a movie that promises to be a comic-book-accurate supernatural thriller. Off the back of Deadpool, we’re sure to see the X-Men universe extend away from the tentpole series, and embrace a far more diverse form. Meanwhile, this unexpected success is certain to give other studios – including Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. – renewed confidence to experiment within the superhero genre as well. Daredevil Season 2 Launched in 2015, Marvel’s Netflix shows have continued to go from strength to strength. These take on a far darker, more violent tone than your typical Marvel content, and Daredevil season 2 embraced this with Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. The actor was so well-received in the role that Marvel and Netflix renegotiated their deal, scheduling the production of a spinoff Punisher series which will debut in 2017. Significantly, the launch of this Punisher series completely changed the pattern of Marvel and Netflix. Where Netflix bosses had previously committed to only two Marvel shows a year, the streaming service has now agreed to increase that to three, with Punisher becoming the third Marvel/Netflix show of 2017. It’s a tremendously exciting change in direction, indicating the scale of both companies' success. Meanwhile, Daredevil season 2 also included a renewed focus on mystical elements that look set to be central to 2017’s The Defenders. This included the introduction of Elodie Yung’s Elektra, a character who quickly won fans over and was positioned for a major role in the crossover. Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice Although the DC Extended Universe technically began with 2013’s Man of Steel, it was really Batman V Superman that launched it. Unfortunately, the film was massively controversial – it was critically panned, and divided superhero fans into strongly-opinionated camps. The sour reception left Warner Bros. reeling and over the months that followed they began to systematically reorganize themselves. This ultimately led to the ascension of fan-favorite comic-book wrtier Geoff Johns as head of DC Film, which has us hopeful for movies like Justice League and Wonder Woman. Captain America: Civil War One of Marvel’s boldest movies to date, Captain America: Civil War was an ensemble film that, while starring Chris Evans’ Captain America, also effectively served as a sort of ‘Avengers 2.5’. The threequel is a defining moment in the MCU, not least because it demonstrates the increasing importance of the Russo brothers – with Joss Whedon moving on from Marvel, they’ve taken over Avengers: Infinity War, and there’s a direct through-line between Civil War and Infinity War. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the film, though, was its introduction of two new characters. Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther proved himself to be an absolute scene-stealer, setting the character up for his 2018 solo movie. Meanwhile, Civil War also introduced us to Tom Holland’s iteration of Spider-Man. It’s a matter of public record how much work Marvel put into acquiring Spider-Man for the MCU; the company has made a deal with Sony to share rights to the character, with Marvel Studios producing a Spider-Man trilogy and in return Sony allowing Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to appear in three separate Marvel Studios movies (Civil War being the first of these). Exact details of the deal remain secretive, but Civil War immediately proved it to be a creative success, and fans are now awaiting 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming with eager anticipation. Suicide Squad The third instalment of the DCEU, Suicide Squad, was sadly no less controversial than Batman V Superman. There are strong rumors that the film’s structure was effectively sabotaged during editing, with Warner Bros. panicking at the poor critical reception of Dawn of Justice. Despite this, Suicide Squad still performed admirably at the box office, grossing an outstanding $745.6 million. Suicide Squad saw Warner Bros. begin to reorient the DCEU around Ben Affleck’s popular Batman, and the studio wasted no time on signing off on Gotham-centric sequels and spinoffs. First up is Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, who's set to lead the spinoff Gotham City Sirens, which will also see David Ayer return to the DCEU. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 2016 was a difficult year for Marvel Television, with ABC passing on Marvel’s Most Wanted – even after Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had effectively written two popular characters out in preparation for it – and canceling Agent Carter. That said, the year ended on a high, with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4 effectively reinventing the show when it was moved to a 10pm time slot, allowing for darker, edgier storytelling. This change in timeslot was accompanied by a decision to avoid overt ties with Marvel’s next movie, Doctor Strange, and instead go for a thematic tie-in. The show introduced Gabriel Luna as Robbie Reyes, the latest incarnation of Marvel’s Ghost Rider, and marked the first time Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had used a character on this scale of importance. Meanwhile, Marvel teased the existence of Johnny Blaze, hinting at the possibility that the pre-MCU Ghost Rider movies may actually have been absorbed into the canon. Luke Cage Season 1 Continuing Marvel’s proud tradition of Netflix shows, Luke Cage is the first real superhero show to explore black culture, and as such it’s groundbreaking. The series is centred around Mike Colter’s Luke Cage, who was previously introduced in Jessica Jones season 1. That said, it’s most notable for a tremendous portrayal of black culture in Harlem, and stands unique among superhero shows in its love for the Harlem neighborhood. Luke Cage has already been renewed for a second season, and although it won’t stream before 2018, you can bet that fans are already eagerly anticipating more of the Hero for Hire. Supergirl Season 2 Perhaps one of the most unexpected TV hits, Supergirl season 2 saw Melissa Benoist’s popular show transition over to The CW. Already the season has been characterized by bold choices, building on the pre-existing canon while incorporating whole new elements; the casting of Dean Cain and Helen Slater was particularly well-received. Perhaps the most delightful aspect of this season, though, was the introduction of Tyler Hoechlin as Superman. Although fans were initially sceptical, Hoechlin proved himself capable as both the Man of Steel and as Clark Kent, and played a major role in the first two episodes. He drew positive comparisons with Christopher Reeve’s iconic Superman, and contrasts notably with Henry Cavill’s darker DCEU portrayal. Doctor Strange Doctor Strange marked an important shift in tone for the MCU, introducing the concept of magic to a science-based universe that had traditionally avoided the supernatural. Marvel worked hard in order to ensure magic was integrated seamlessly though; the movie touched on everything from string theory to quantum mechanics. 2015 had seen Marvel Studios separated out from the wider Marvel group in an organizational restructure that essentially limited the importance of Marvel’s CEO Ike Perlmutter. The build-up to Doctor Strange, though, showed that the separate companies could still work together closely; prelude tie-in comics were strong, and the drip-feed of information about the film was perfectly co-ordinated with the tie-ins and news about Marvel’s Runaways project. "Invasion" With not one but four DCTV shows airing on The CW, the network saw the chance to launch an unprecedented crossover – one that spanned all four series. The “Invasion” event was a difficult balancing act, with each show retaining its own identity and overarching narratives, but with the unifying thread of an alien invasion. Matters were made all the more complicated by Arrow’s 100th episode anniversary, which sat within the event. “Invasion” was a critical and ratings success, and clearly sets up the potential for future crossovers. For comic book fans, this was an unexpected reminder of the popularity of crossovers, and the event clearly took inspiration from the tone and style of these events. There’s a very real sense in which “Invasion” is a defining moment for the superhero genre, proving that we now have a strong and diverse enough range of superhero shows to do crossovers in the style of the comics. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot With Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. hitting its mid-season break, fans were surprised with the announcement of a web-series – Slingshot. Aired on YouTube and the ABC app, Slingshot is essentially an extra episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., starring Natalia Cordova’s Yo-Yo Rodriguez. It’s a pioneering approach for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and was positively received; it’s hard to know how successful the approach was, though, as there aren’t really any viewing figures to go by. That being said, fans seem to have reacted well to the series and welcomed it with open arms. As you can see, 2016 has been an eventful year for the superhero genre. These are the moments that have (re)defined the genre over the past 12 months and the impact of these decisions will surely continue into 2017. Next year already has 10 superhero TV shows booked – ranging from FX’s Legion to DC’s Powerless – and 7 live-action movies, so we’re sure to see the genre continue to change and develop even more as time goes on.