superhero/ villain Do you have fatigue?

BY STEVE BRYAN

IIn 1978, Christopher Reeve played dual roles in “Superman,” an epic adventure that arrived in time for the Christmas holidays. Directed by Richard Donner, the film had a great ensemble cast featuring Marlon Brando as Jor-El, a scientist on the planet Krypton who warned citizens that their planet was doomed. As time ran out, Jor-El sent his son Kal-El to Earth in a rocket ship where he would grow up and gain amazing powers. Reeve was the perfect choice to play both reporter Clark Kent and his heroic alter ego. 1981’s “Superman II” showed Kryptonian criminals arriving on Earth where they learned that Superman was the son of Jor-El, the man who imprisoned them in the Phantom Zone. The first two “Superman” movies were crowd-pleasers and can be considered the predecessors of both the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). During the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con, director Jon Favreau teased the audience with old Marvel cartoon footage from the 1960’s before unveiling exciting scenes from “Iron Man,” the 2008 film that initiated a storyline that culminated in “Avengers: Endgame.” After intergalactic bad guy Thanos used the Infinity Stones to wipe out half of all life in the universe, the remaining heroes used time travel to acquire the stones and defeat Thanos once and for all. While talking about these characters and references to time travel, however, it’s easy to feel “Superhero/Villain Fatigue,” especially with an anticipated release like the DCEU’s “The Flash.” Ezra Miller played Barry Allen, a police scientist and Justice League member who could run at super speed. His attempts at time travel, however, had unintended side effects. In the film, Miller also portrayed versions of his younger and older self. Actress Sasha Calle joined the cast as Kara Zor-El, a Kryptonian and Superman’s cousin while Michael Shannon reprised his General Zod role from 2013’s “Man of Steel.” Michael Keaton, who starred in 1989’s “Batman” as well as 1992’s “Batman Returns,” also appeared in “The Flash.”

With the robust cast of characters referenced above, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the heroes, villains and their respective powers and loyalties. After helping to stop a bank robbery in “The Flash,” Barry Allen revisited his childhood home and inadvertently used the “Speed Force” that gave him his powers to go back in time. However, he had been warned that time travel had serious consequences. When talking about his character, Miller described Barry Allen as “multi-dimensional with human flaws.” Although “The Flash” brought in $55.1 million at the domestic box office, Ezra Miller’s behavior off the set raised some eyebrows. On the “Rotten Tomatoes” website, the film had a 66% rating “Fresh” rating.

As of this writing, the Writer’s Strike is still under way, which means production dates for both MCU and DCEU movies will most likely be pushed back.