Since 2000, there has been one fewer Peter Parkers than presidents. We have had four different Batmen. From Avengers to X-Men, the adaptation of comic book heroes has made billions of dollars in box office receipts and completely changed the movie landscape in the process.
So it makes sense that when the studios rushed toward streaming, they looked to superheroes to bring in subscribers. Shows were tied into movies, that were tied into shows, and on and on. There was so much content to keep up with that audiences felt exhausted—“superhero fatigue” set in, and movies like “The Marvels,” “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” and “Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania” subsequently failed to meet expectations.
The fix? Studios have pulled back, trying to make superhero movies feel like events again. Marvel has reduced their usual output of three or four movies per year to one in 2024: “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which opens at The Triplex this week. It is as profane and violent as its predecessors and serves as a celebration and farewell to Fox’s “X-Men” franchise. It is fun and funny and reminds you of why these movies became a phenomenon in the first place.
But if the genre that has powered the box office for the last two decades is running out of steam, what will the box office of the future look like?
The excitement around “Deadpool” is a reminder that enthusiasm needs a space to breathe. If you constantly consume the same product, you never have time to look forward to the next installment. Add in the rolling effects of last year’s industry strikes and the diminishing returns from streaming, and maybe it is enough for studios to start diversifying their programming and bring mid-size, adult-oriented movies back to the big screen.
At the very least, let’s hope they allow comic-book movies to feel super again.
Now Playing
“Twisters”
A new generation of storm chasers comes to the big screen.
Lee Isaac Chung’s (“Minari”) follow-up to Jan De Bont’s 1996 disaster classic, “Twisters” follows a new generation of storm chasers as they put their lives on the line to learn more about nature’s most destructive storms. Led by rising stars Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Normal People”) and Glen Powell (“Hit Man”), “Twisters” is a throwback action movie for people who like their films as big and loud as possible.
“Despicable Me 4”
The latest entry in the beloved family franchise comes to The Triplex.
Sometimes it takes an evil genius to be a dad. Gru and family welcome baby Gru Jr. in “Despicable Me 4″—and immediately find themselves on the run from new supervillains Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara) in this latest entry in the beloved family franchise.
Triplex Anniversary Celebration
It has been one year since we purchased The Triplex and began the process of renovating and reopening, and we are celebrating! Join Triplex staff, board members, and your fellow movie lovers for a free reception on Saturday, July 27, honoring a year’s worth of movies and community events. Enjoy hor-d’oeuvres and drinks from Guido’s and be the first to see the future of The Triplex when we unveil samples of our new chairs!
Coming Soon
“How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer”
Eleven bestselling books, two Pulitzer Prizes, six marriages, and nine children. Take an intimate look at the life of a towering figure of American literature in “How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer,” the new documentary from Director Jeff Zimbalist. Stay after the 7:15 screening on August 9 when Maggie Mailer sits down with The Bookstore’s Matt Tannenbaum to discuss her father’s life and legacy. More tickets just released!
“It Ends With Us”
Romance returns to the big screen in “It Ends With Us.” Based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover, “It Ends With Us” is the story of Lily (Blake Lively), a young woman who starts to see echoes of her traumatic childhood in her relationship with charming neurosurgeon Ryle (Director Justin Baldoni). When Lily’s first love, Atlas, reenters her life and upends her relationship with Ryle, she must rely on her strength to decide what her future will look like. Opens August 9.
A Celebration of the Music Inn
Woody Guthrie. Miles Davis. Bruce Springsteen. Bob Marley. For nearly three decades, the Music Inn hosted some of the biggest names in music history right here in the Berkshires. Celebrate the amazing legacy of the Music Inn with a weekend of film screenings, panel discussions, interviews, exhibits, and live music. Festivities kick off at the Lions Den on August 9 and 10, with a day-long festival of screenings, interviews, and music coming to The Triplex on August 11.
“Dory Previn: On My Way to Where”
“Dory Previn: On My Way to Where” follows the life of acclaimed singer-songwriter (and longtime Berkshires resident) Dory Previn from her start as an Academy Award-nominated lyricist for Hollywood musicals through a public breakdown following a tabloid scandal and her re-emergence as a cult artist in the Laurel Canyon scene.
Director Julia Greenberg and animator Emily Hubley will join us for a talkback following this advance screening on August 17.
“Bill Cunningham New York”
One of the most joyful documentaries of the 21st century, The Triplex is thrilled to have Director Richard Press and Producer Philp Gefter join for a screening of their 2011 documentary “Bill Cunningham New York” on August 14. Following the famed fashion photographer as documents New York from his bicycle, the film also sits down with Cunningham’s famous friends (and frequent subjects), including Tom Wolfe, David Rockefeller, and Vogue magazine’s Anna Wintour.
