Hollywood is defined by its eras. We're knee-deep in the Franchise Era, spearheaded by the superhero genre. Inasmuch as the 70s are remembered for the Auteur Era, studios battling for lucrative intellectual properties is what modern Hollywood will be recognized for. The critics who chide superhero films for being unartistic and banal are patiently waiting for this era to come to an end, as they believe it stifles creativity. Those critics clamor for a return of mid-budget movies that are innovative and daring.
Despite being a lifelong superhero comics fan, my cinephile sensibilities force me to agree with their perspective. There's only one element of their critique that I find questionable. In their haste to herald the end of the superhero blockbuster, most critics incorrectly compare superhero films to the western genre. Superhero films are more akin to the big Hollywood musical.
In her excellent video essay, YouTuber Lindsay Ellis highlights the connections between the Hollywood musical and the current state of superhero cinema. In addition, Ellis also details what crippled the song and dance genre in film. The answer might surprise you.
