Steven Spielberg says superhero movies are going the ‘way of the Western’

Steven Spielberg ruffled some feathers in Hollywood this week by suggesting that superhero movies might eventually go “the way of the Western.” In other words, he thinks that audiences will one day get tired of superheros and move on.

Back in 2013, Spielberg famously predicted that the film industry would “implode” because of the over reliance on big blockbusters. In an interview with The Associated Press to promote next month’s Bridge of Spies, he said he still feels the same way. Although, in the two years since Spielberg’s initial comments, the blockbusters have shown no signs of slowing down.

“I still feel that way. We were around when the Western died and there will be a time when the superhero movie goes the way of the Western,” Spielberg explained. “It doesn't mean there won't be another occasion where the Western comes back and the superhero movie someday returns. Of course, right now the superhero movie is alive and thriving.”

Spielberg went on to say that pop culture does go through cycles and we are currently stuck in the superhero dominated cycle.

“There will come a day when the mythological stories are supplanted by some other genre that possibly some young filmmaker is just thinking about discovering for all of us,” Spielberg said.

What Spielberg says is actually true, but if superhero movies go the “way of the Western,” it will take a long time for superhero movies to lose their popularity. The Western was born around the time of Hollywood’s inception and didn’t die down until the 1960s, when the abundance of TV Westerns just tired everyone out. And of course, filmmakers still make Westerns. So again, going the “way of the Western” shouldn’t be thought of negatively. Considering that Westerns have even been awarded by the Oscars, maybe the same can happen to superhero movies some day.

Spielberg was also in the news this week thanks to the rumor that DreamWorks will end its distribution deal with Disney next year.

images courtesy of INFphoto.com