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'The Dark Knight' re-raised the bar for comic-based movies. Where do they go from here?

By Don Kaye
Special to MSN Movies

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With over $500 million in the bank, this past summer's Batman blockbuster, "The Dark Knight," along with the $300 million-earning "Iron Man," proved once again that movies based on comic books could cross over in a massive way from cult obsessions to pop culture phenomena. But there was something else at work with these movies, too. Sure, the last "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" entries were also box office heavyweights, but both were widely perceived as disappointments to both fans and critics, victimized by studio interference, creative inertia and an overall lack of vision.

"Iron Man" upped the ante for the comics-based movie world, pairing a charismatic character actor (Robert Downey Jr., considered a slightly risky choice prerelease) with a hip director (Jon Favreau) who bathed in the lore and spirit of the source material. Shortly after, "The Dark Knight" took that to a whole new level: Director Christopher Nolan fashioned a sequel to his impressive "Batman Begins" that was nothing less than an epic, combining the requisite action and thrills with complex characters and serious moral themes. In other words, superhero movies grew up, making the talk of a Best Picture nomination for "The Dark Knight" not as far-fetched as it might have seemed a few years ago.

But comic book readers can't be that surprised; after all, their beloved books have been trafficking in adult themes, mature characters and disturbing, topical subject matter for years. Now the question is whether the genre and the always-eager studios can produce more gems like "The Dark Knight," or whether they will toss out lumps of coal like "Ghost Rider." There's plenty of opportunities ahead for both. Here's our look at the best-known superhero franchises, where they stand, and how they can avoid losing their power to generate massive box office returns and fan-boy delight:

"The Spirit" & "Punisher: War Zone" (December)
Coming off the high of last summer's "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man," this winter's imminent comic book offerings seem less than ambitious. "The Spirit," directed by comics writer Frank Miller ("300," "Sin City") and based on the legendary Will Eisner's masked crime fighter, looks and sounds like nothing less than "Sin City 2" with its heavily stylized visuals and bevy of knockout women. Gabriel Macht makes no particular impression in the trailers we've seen as the titular hero, whose main power seems to be his ability to bed one vixen after another. As for "Punisher: War Zone" ... did anyone actually see the previous two, in '89 with Dolph Lundgren and '04 with Thomas Jane?"

"Watchmen" (March 2009)
The original "Watchmen" comic book/graphic novel arguably did for that medium what "The Dark Knight" did for comic-based movies: elevated them from fanboy obsession to serious art form. "300" director Zack Snyder's cinematic version (after nearly two decades of development) is not only reportedly faithful to the source material, but going where no other film about superheroes has gone before -- into the realm of the R rating. Alan Moore's tale -- a sophisticated allegory about power, heroism, totalitarianism and cultural upheaval -- was not intended for children, but will adults flock to see it on the screen? Whatever happens, we'll be watching "Watchmen" closely to see if it makes the leap from comic book Holy Grail to genuine pop culture blockbuster.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (May 2009)
Sure, "X-Men: The Last Stand" made plenty of money, but does anyone really remember it? If so, are those fond memories? The series' third entry was much more formulaic under the helm of workmanlike director (and fanboy punching bag) Brett Ratner. Fox has now split the franchise up, with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" coming in May and a possible "Magneto" movie on the horizon as well.

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