Origin movie and character introductions

[Saitou Hajime]

Every time I read a new review on the latest "origin movie" of a comic book superhero, I see complaints about people being tired of the formula. So how do you introduce a new character without using the origin movie paradigm?

 

[psylockolussus]

I like the formula because it explains so much about the character. Where they came from, how they got their powers, their 1st adventure as a superhero.

The only Marvel film that I can think right now that didn't have the "origin movie" feel for a 1st movie was the first X-Men movie.

 

[Iron_Stark]

Every time I read a new review on the latest "origin movie" of a comic book superhero, I see complaints about people being tired of the formula. So how do you introduce a new character without using the origin movie paradigm?

Batman '89

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Every time I read a new review on the latest "origin movie" of a comic book superhero, I see complaints about people being tired of the formula. So how do you introduce a new character without using the origin movie paradigm?

Thing is, it's not just a comic book movie thing, it's the entire hollywood paradigm itself. In fact it's the entire forum of storytelling argueably.

Introduce your character by setting up their 'normal' life. Introduce the thing that changes it all. Explore how the character deals with those changes.

It's the formula of the majority of films.

Take the simplest completely not comic book movie I can think of - Legally Blonde.

Arguably it is the origin story of how Elle Woods becomes a succesful lawyer.

The only reason it's so prominent in comic book movies is that the fans are obsessed with which origin is going to be employed.

 

[R_Hythlodeus]

TIH did it quite well, I think.

 

[cherokeesam]

In the earliest superhero flicks, superheros were new and needed a long origin intro to explain who they were, how they got there, how they fit into the world.

Now that Marvel is establishing a world full of superheroes, origin stories are going to be less and less necessary (at least in the MFU). With very few exceptions, I'm hoping that future MFU films will limit exposition and backstory to the first 15-20 minutes, tops.

 

[Mackers50]

Most people can't enjoy a nice movie

 

[kedrell]

I find the origin stories to almost always be the best movies of whatever particular series there is with probably only 2 real exceptions(Spider-Man1 & AngHulk). Origin stories are the most character driven, title character centric, and fully rounded(complete character arc). Sequels after that almost inevitably drop the ball usually either by making the villain too much the focus(hey, these movies are still supposed to be about the hero, right?) or having whatever new arc for the hero be not as interesting as their initial one(usually revolves around deciding to remain a hero or give it up to get with the love interest).

 

[kedrell]

In the earliest superhero flicks, superheros were new and needed a long origin intro to explain who they were, how they got there, how they fit into the world.

Now that Marvel is establishing a world full of superheroes, origin stories are going to be less and less necessary (at least in the MFU). With very few exceptions, I'm hoping that future MFU films will limit exposition and backstory to the first 15-20 minutes, tops.

I don't think the MCU will ever eliminate the need for an origin. It may(as you say) make them not need to be as long but I can't see them ever going away entirely. Especially for characters who still have really good origin stories left to tell(like Dr. Strange).

 

[DrCosmic]

Every time I read a new review on the latest "origin movie" of a comic book superhero, I see complaints about people being tired of the formula. So how do you introduce a new character without using the origin movie paradigm?

Well, the short answer is, you don't.

You can create a world, where the origin is so simple (some people are born with powers) that you can't really 'show' it, even if you wanted to, you just have to show the results of it, such as, the world that is affected by this simple change.

Or, if you have a character that is already known (Batman, Hulk) you can condense the origin into a montage or flashback.

But if you have a new character with a unique power, you have to show the origin. This is true of non super characters. If you have a new character with a unique ability, position in life, or whatever, you have to show how they got there, assuming, of course, that they're the main character.