OK, what's the deal with the Dark Universes?

Thanks for the insights, Houdini! Very interesting to read your observations :)

I must be the frog in the pot of water here, because I only started really noticing it in more recent years (post Dark Knight).

It does seem like people are more focused on seriousness and realism, and less so on... whimsy, I guess. There's not much desire for the silly stuff anymore. Which is odd, because a man in blue and red tights, that flies around, is extremely silly. And if there's any genre (if I can call it that), that should be purely fun, light entertainment, it's these superhero/sci-fi*/disaster movies. Armageddon is a ridiculous film, but we except it, because it's fun (well, I accept it).

I wouldn't put The Matrix and Lord of the Rings in the same category, since they seem to have more serious themes and such (haven't seen V for Vendetta), thought they are big, epic movies.

And maybe comedy isn't that funny anymore either. Is it because of the current climate, when you can't make a joke, without having a bunch of people jump on you in outrage? Or because people are trying too hard to be edgy, to combat that, that it's not funny anymore? Though, Marvel movies do try to inject some humour into the whole thing. I don't find it particularly funny, but they do try...

There's always room for dark movies, even big ones, but it seems to me like now, they're trying to forcefully make things that aren't dark (or shouldn't be) just that. Even the colour schemes are dark. What happened to bright, vibrant colours? Or any? Did we run out?

But I guess you're right, it does sell. Though, it feels very counterintuitive to me.

*Not all sci-fi.

I'm not sure, either. Because times are pretty bad, but the trend is that mass movies are going dark as well. Odd that one.

The Burton Batman was dark, but it also had fancifulness to it. Nolan's goes more for gritty realism. Which is cool for him, but it bothers me that studios/filmmakers try to capitalise on its success, even when it doesn't make sense. Nolan made an artistic choice, Zack Snyder is just trying to make something that'll make lots of money (in my view).

P.S. I'll always love the Burton Batman movies!

I tend to agree with you actually.
I've no problem with escapism at all,silliness is also fine!
Not everything needs to be a work of art or have a message.

Talking about Robin Hood, Ridley Scott did a dark retelling of that, so it too, fell into the trend.

Maybe the desire to be taken seriously plays a role in it as well. I’m sure some of these filmmakers want to be exploring more serious themes, but all that’s on offer to them is this superhero stuff. As for the audience, it probably makes some people feel better for watching, what are eccentrically kids stories, injected with some sort of realism and relevance to social issues. And some material lends to that, and some doesn’t.

But I think you can have escapism with a message. I think Mad Max: Fury Road is a good example. It’s extremely entertaining (cool cars, explosions, beautifully shot and coloured, GUY WITH A FLAMETHROWING GUITAR), and along with that, it also deals with some heavy stuff, with the inhumane treatment of the people in it (not the just women, but young men as well). But it knew what it was First, and left it up to you how deep you want to explore the other things. So, it can be done, but it’s not as easy as “Just make it dark!”

So, filmmakers should know what movie they’re making, and adjust the level of “message delivery” accordingly.