If you haven't heard, your local movie theater over the next few years is going to be filled with comic book movies. DC and Warner Bros. recently announced more than 10 comic films coming by the end of 2020, adding to an already large lineup of superheroes coming to the big screen from Marvel, Sony and Fox. You need a chart just to keep track of them all.
Thankfully, courtesy of ComicsAlliance, an impressive new infographic does just that. It maps out 40 upcoming comic book movie releases over the next six years. Let me repeat that: 40 comic book movies over six years. And there are some that aren't even on this list, and probably more to be announced in the next few years.
It's exhausting to think about. Things start off slowly next year in 2015, with only three comic book movies: Ant-Man, Fantastic Four and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Just a few years ago three comic book movies would have been unheard of, but 2015 looks like a slow year compared to the seven superhero films coming in 2016, followed by 10 in 2017. The numbers start to die down past that point, but only because studios besides Warner Bros. have yet to announce their future plans.
As ComicsAlliance points out, many of these dates could change. Some of the films that don't currently have release dates could fill in "unnamed" slots on the timeline, and more films are likely to be added in the next few years. The success, or failure, of certain films will also have an impact on the future of comic book movies. Fox is taking a gamble with its Fantastic Four reboot, and Sony's Amazing Spider-Man 2 underperformed, putting into question just how successful spin-off films like Sinister Six will be. Among all the superheroics are only a handful of women and minority heroes, but Marvel may very well be adding some diversity to their superhero lineup in the coming years by adding rumored heroes like Black Panther and Captain Marvel.
Not mentioned in the timeline is the ever increasing number of comic book inspired television shows, which have also seen a rapid increase. This year alone saw the premiere of Gotham, Arrow season three, The Flash, Constantine and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season two, with more shows on the way like the Netflix exclusive Daredevil.
Comic books are officially a dominant force in pop culture entertainment now that they've invaded the big and small screens, and they aren't showing any sign of slowing down. But with so much superhero content on the way, how long will their popularity last?
