Fading Relevance of the Science fiction genre?

ninXeno426

Legacy MemberMemberPraetorianJune 06, 20174449 Views23 Replies

It's goes without saying that Alien Covenant's Box office numbers are more than a little underwhelming,but if you look over the past few years then you'll notice with the exception of Star Wars,the New Planet of the Apes films,or Movies like The Martian or Gravity,sci fi has not been doing that great.This year already saw Ghost in the Shell and Life underwhelm critically and financially.Last year Star Trek Beyond became the poorest performing of the new Star Trek films despite solid reviews.Other sci fi revivals such as Terminator Genisys,Independence Day Resurgence,Tron Legacy were even less impressive,both failing with critics and the box office.Even Mad Max Fury Road while Being the most successful Mad Max movie didn't draw much of a croud.Other original films like Edge of Tomorrow have been met with a similar fate.And some films just plain suck(John Carter,Chappie,Jupiter Ascending or The recent Passengers to name a few)So what has happened to Science fiction?I know I've kinda been over this before but is the world's fascination with super heroes to blame?After all when a sci fi movie does make an impression,it's a movie Like Guardians of The Galaxy,a movie that's still technically a super hero movie,or god help me The Transformers movies.It's just seems as if sci fi has ran out of gas at the box office,can't forget other sci fi stand outs like Pacific Rim more or less floped(not hard enough to stop a sequel though)Same goes for Dredd,great movie but nobody saw it.Could Alien Covenant's weak box office numbers been predicted?Does this cast doubt on movies next year like The Predator,Alita:Battle Angel and Ready Player One or even this summer's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets?Is Sc Fi dying?What do you guys think?

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The Eighth Passenger
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June 06, 2017

I think there will be an eventual burn-out on the Superhero trend. It's definitely saturated other genres. I'd wager that the new Robocop and John Connor in Terminator: Genisys were modeled in such a way as if you could dump them into an Avengers or X-Men flick and nobody would bat an eye. When the Marvel movies run dry, Hollywood will just seek to milk the next franchise it can find.

Science Fiction may have a stronger future in TV than film. In that format you can take time and offer the audience something more immersive. I'd cite Westworld and Black Mirror as two examples of popular Sci-Fi shows at the moment.

I've heard most filmgoers are teens, and movies are something to do on the weekends. If so, then that's the prime demographic that Hollywood caters to. That's probably why there's an Emoji movie and less chance for a cerebral Science Fiction film. Why bother ruminating about philosophy in a space setting when there's a talking blob of poop on the big screen? (I meant the emoji, but that probably applies to some actors as well.)

Ripleys_Ghost
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June 06, 2017

@Batchpool: "In my neck of the woods, in the UK, I have seen a growing interest in Steam Punk Sci-Fi over the last few years. Much of the scene is dominated by older and senior Sci-fi fans, the interest tends to lean towards a Jules Verne look, with Victorian fashion and retro-fitted technology."

I thought that steampunk had its day years ago?

Batchpool
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June 07, 2017

@ Ripleys_Ghost

Steam Punk is certainly alive and well from what I can see of it. I think one of the reasons why it maintains a level of popularity where I am, is that the geography of the area has plenty of old Victorian mills and early industrial structures. One of the highlights coming up is the Whitby SteamPunk festival in July. Whitby is certainly a magnet for such things as it was the place which inspired Bram Stoker. Needless to say it attracts lots of attention from Goths and vampire hunters.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/victorian/dracula-whitby/