The Impact of Batman Robin’s Success on the Superhero Film Industry

It is hard to imagine Batman Robin becoming a financial success. However, had the film achieved financial success, the landscape of superhero films would have fundamentally changed. Without Batman Robin, we might have never seen films such as Blade, the X-Men franchise, or the Spider-Man films as we know them. The success or failure of this campy, somewhat ill-conceived film would have significantly altered the destiny of the superhero genre in cinema.

The Aftermath of Financial Success

Had Batman Robin been a financial success, it is likely that camp and 'crap' would have risen to supremacy in superhero films. Studios, not just Warner Brothers, would have deemed the superhero genre inherently stupid and silly, deserving only the lowest form of comedy. After all, the studio merely farted on the film and market forces gave them a billion-dollar return for it. Given this scenario, one can assume that the studios would have continued to produce low-budget, campy superhero films, believing that bad superhero movies are a magic money machine.

A Crisis in Hollywood

Two years after the release of Batman Robin, Hollywood would face a major crisis due to a sudden lack of profit from superhero movies. The major film audiences would have merely lost their minds when they went to see the film, and the trend would have ended abruptly. Following this, the trend of ‘Sensational Spider-Man: The Musical’ and films like ‘Batman Loves Robin: Sliding Down the Bat-pole’ would have failed to generate the expected returns, leaving a significant hole in studio earnings. All studios would have bankrupted themselves for some period, leading to a significant turnover in Hollywood. As a result, many studios would decide that superheroes are box office poison and would never make another superhero movie.

The End of Marvel and DC’s Dominance

Marvel and DC, the two major players in the comic book industry, would have experienced a significant setback. Since they still own the rights to major characters like Batman and Spider-Man, there would have been no licensing agreements for other films or even video games. Marvel and DC would have temporarily profited from licensing their properties, but as the years went by, comic sales would have collapsed. Those who saw or heard about the terrible superhero films would have shunned the comics. Marvel and DC, while having too much cash to truly die, would have seen the end of their relevancy for decades. Artists and writers would have abandoned the major companies for more lucrative and riskier independent publishing franchises like Image, Malibu, or Valiant.

Artistic Triumph and Independent Success

In contrast, Image comics would have prospered as artists who had total control over their creations did not license them for terrible Schumacher-style films. These artists retained and even grew their comic credibility. In the late 2000s, we might have seen films based on properties like Spawn, Wildcats, Young Blood, and other inventions after the death of Marvel and DC, signaling a new era of superhero films.

Joel Schumacher's Apology

Long after the disaster, Joel Schumacher would make his apology to the world by casting Corey Feldman and Corey Haims in Lost Boys 2: The Return of the Sax Man. This move would help restore his legacy, and all would be forgiven. However, the dark days of Batman Robin would forever change the landscape of superhero films and the comic book industry.

Understanding the hypothetical impact of Batman Robin on the superhero film industry provides a unique perspective on the current and future landscape of the comic book and superhero genres. It highlights the importance of getting the right balance between creativity and commercial success in the production and marketing of films.