Will the Kaiju Genre ever grow to become as popular as the Superhero Genre?

Gojirafan2013

I ask this because I feel a lot of fans overestimate how much the general audience cares about Godzilla or Kaiju in general. While fans really value giant monster movies and get really hyped for them, I believe most people in the general audience view them as mindless entertainment and don’t really go crazy for them like they do with Marvel films.

I think people in the general audience generally love Marvel films almost as much as Marvel fans do. That’s because superheroes have been a thing in American culture.

While general audiences many initially enjoy a Kaiju film, as soon as a Marvel film comes out, they’ll probably forget about it within a few days. Their mentality after seeing a Kaiju film is probably like “Alright! Seeing those big monsters destroy cities and kick the crap out of each other was awesome...but it’s just good mindless entertainment...and look, Eternals is coming out! Gotta see that film!”

What I’m trying to say is that unlike Godzilla fans, most people in the general audience don’t really rave about these types of movies. They just don’t find them as appealing as Superhero movies.

And while I’m sure that most fans would run to see over twenty MonsterVerse installments, I don’t think the general audience would keep coming back to watch giant monsters punch each other over and over again, even if they’re Godzilla and Kong. I believe the general audience has a very finite interest in the Kaiju Genre compared to the Superhero Genre.

But what do you all think? 

Djdndnejwnwn

Jack Capellini

I think it could be if done well and in the right way. But I find it unlikely. 

That being said. Monsterverse isn’t really mainstream, many people who have seen GvK haven’t seen any other movie in the series. 

I feel Godzilla shouldn’t be served as an equalivalent to Marvel, like Monsterverse has done. That’s one of the reasons I think G14 did well.

G. H. (Gman)

I don't know if "popular" is the right word since Godzilla himself certainly exceeds popularity beyond say, Shang-Chi, based on longevity and pop cultural significance. Will the kaiju genre ever be as mainstream as superhero movies? I don't see it happening and that's perfectly okay. I actually prefer the genre being something tighter and smaller that is for the proverbial "cool kids" club.

A lot of what makes the genre unique is its Japanese inspired roots--Meaning the special effects, the Japanese cultural influences, etc. I for one didn't get into the genre because of western effects and mentalities. I got into it because it did look so foreign and unique. Whenever we try to Hollywood-ize this stuff it doesn't quite hit the same. Even in cases where it's extraordinarily well made, like Pacific Rim, there's a western mandate looming over it that has clearly not appealed to either myself and clearly not huge swaths of general audiences.

I think the best mentality is to stop worrying and let the kaiju sub-genre be the entity it is. It doesn't have to be "MCU popular" and honestly I'm very happy with that. It's something else entirely for a different audience.

sonictiger

Things don't have to be MCU popular, but maybe the MonsterVerse should stop bringing people that should be in the MCU in THEIR universe (examples: Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Wantanabe, etc.)

SasquaDash

As someone who, for a good chunk of my life, was constantly bullied and viewed as an "outcast" because of my love of monster movies like Godzilla and King Kong, I would LOVE to see the kaiju/giant monster genre be as popular as superhero movies. Sadly, though I don't see it happening anytime soon. :(

Monsterzero9

i dought

Kattozilla

i'm just happy that i'm in the cool kids club

but yeah now i'm sad-

none of my irl friends get my references

Djdndnejwnwn

Kattozilla

Make them get the references

Kattozilla

i do have one friend who i got into the franchise

it was interesting

Monsterzero9

once when it was raining really hard out i opened my window aand yelled:

"What is this, typhoon 13!?" 

i bet even you wont get that reference.

*8-year-old me was such an idiot*

Djdndnejwnwn

monsterzero9

*=

(°-°)

Monsterzero9

......?