This summer has been big for superhero movies. In the last six months, we've gotten Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four, while also getting the new start of the DC Cinematic Universe with James Gunn's Superman. All three of these movies definitely had their strengths, blowing up in the box office, and making us all wonder... what's next for superhero movies?

Thunderbolts

Thunderbolts was expected to be a comedy about a ragtag group of 'heroes,' ex-villains trying to make a change. In some aspects, we did get that, but in others, we got a lot of true grit about the ups and downs of mental health.

From the first shot of the movie, we know it's going to be serious, with Florence Pugh's Yelena describing this 'void' that she is in, very similar to depression. It explores identity, sadness, the importance of friends, making up for your past mistakes, and looking cool doing it (shout out to Bucky's homage to Terminator 2).

The movie was always destined to be a big thing, with it starring new fan favourite Florence Pugh and MCU veteran Sebastian Stan, but it definitely exceeded our expectations and shifted our view on what Marvel can really create.

I loved this movie and left the cinema grinning, thinking 'Marvel is so back,' and I could talk for hours about it; there were so many great parts. It's definitely worth a watch, even if you aren't a Marvel fan, and it's different from anything we've gotten from Marvel Studios since the original Avengers movie back in 2012.

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Superman

Superman was a massive success, marking new beginnings for DC. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult star in this mass of madness. In its two-hour run time, Superman had people laughing out loud and gasping in the same breath.

Hoult's portrayal becomes infinitely more villainous when a new factor is brought into the battle... Superman's dog, Krypto. I think that was the line crossed for all of us. It was a wacky, goofy movie full of bright colours and faithful to the comics.

Personally, I loved the way the focus was being shifted from Superman to Lois Lane, played by Rachel Brosnahan, and how she really had a whole separate plot going. It was far more fun than any other adaptations we've had, with a cast of cool characters like Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl.

Like Thunderbolts, it's definitely worth watching even if you aren't a fan of superhero movies. I myself have never really been a DC girl, but this definitely made me appreciate DC more than any of their other movies that I've watched.

Fantastic Four

Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures from Wikimedia Commons

Fantastic Four heavily focused on familial bonds, both through blood and through friendship. Vanessa Kirby portrays Sue Storm, a woman prepared to move the Earth (literally) for her baby. It is a perfect balance of wholesome and funny, with most comedy coming from Joseph Quinn's Johnny Storm, who definitely keeps the movie upbeat.

I've never read a Fantastic Four comic, and my only knowledge of the plot comes from the 2005 movie, so this was a whole new territory for me. I loved the dynamic between Johnny and Ben, and how they were like family even if they weren't literally related. It's impossible to pick out just one standout actor in the cast because they were all just so good!

I also really liked the emotional depth that we got with each character, being able to see what each of them valued. It's a welcome break from all of the tied-together MCU movies, and overall, a nice movie to watch if you want a light-hearted action one.

What Does This Mean?

With all of these movies doing incredibly well at the box office, I feel that it's fair to say that gone are the days of dark, monotonous superhero movies (yes, I mean you, Zack Snyder's Justice League!), and that we are entering a new era for superhero movies that hasn't been seen for a while.

We're definitely going to be getting a lot more colour and humour, and I am 100% here for it! It's amazing to have some happiness instead of the usual, real-life sort of perspective of these movies. After all, you can hardly make a realistic movie about an alien with superpowers, can you?

I feel that we're getting this because of people who've grown up watching Marvel and DC movies. The MCU was started 17 years ago now, so many kids who watched it then have grown up and want to see more of those humorous scenes they got in the older movies. It's good to see that they aren't rebooting, which is becoming tiring, boring and unfortunately, more common in Hollywood nowadays.

After watching and loving all three of these in the cinema, I can safely say that I want to see more. I love this new, happy style of superhero movies, and hope that we get more with Spiderman: Brand New Day, releasing in July next year, and Milly Alcock's Supergirl, releasing in June. I absolutely can't wait!