Movies crossovers: what it is and why they are removed

Every year on the big and small screens, there are more scenes where there are multiple characters from the individual stories. The genre has arisen for a long time, but during the years of film and television, he has expanded and supplemented with new elements. For example, all the studios in recent years, not just trying to push different characters, but also to build entire kinovselennye.

What is the movie crossovers

The essence of the crossover is simple: several independent characters familiar to the public, meet and somehow interact within the same story. And this idea was born before the era of cinema. The first crossover in the popular literature is considered to be the novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, where there was known to readers of Tom Sawyer.

A further similar technique was used in other books, comics and, of course, in the movie. The first in the history of film-crossover - "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man" in 1943. He continued stories of two paintings: "Frankenstein" (1931) and "The Wolf Man" (1941).

Over time, they began to appear on the crossovers are increasingly screens. Widely known stories of the clash of various monsters, such as "King Kong vs. Godzilla" or "Dracula vs. Frankenstein "or the comedy such as" Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. " The main themes of these films are apparent from the very names.

The attractive crossovers

Film studios quickly realized that the audience attracted to the idea of ​​such films. And it is to be expected.

Largely crossovers like embody childhood dream: when a child plays with toys, it can introduce Barbie with Terminator and seat them in the car Batman. The same thing happens in the movies.

Studios that brings big profits. Everything is logical, because the interest in the crossover show fans of several characters. For example, "Freddy vs. Jason" look and those who like "A Nightmare on Elm Street", and admirers of "Friday the 13th". And exactly the same principle filmed "Alien vs. Predator"- he also caught the attention of fans of both franchises.

Not far behind, and TV: channels regularly arrange meetings characters of different series, sometimes quite bizarre. For example, the characters' private detective Magnum "and" Murder, She Wrote "once together to investigate the case. And sometimes crossovers are satisfied to the expense of the more popular shows to attract viewers to view the new series. So the authors restart "Hawaii Police" acted by removing the joint episode of failure remake "MacGyver."

How to manage to combine the characters of various works

Sometimes the characters who are due to meet in the film, TV series or even comics, do not belong to the author or the studio. And then there is the question of the rights to the characters. Traditionally, this problem is solved in one of three ways.

1. Buying the rights to the characters or agreement between rightholders

The most glaring example - the famous movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." In it for the first time together showed characters competing animation studios Walt Disney, Universal Pictures, MGM, Warner Bros. and others. Animation in those years was in deep crisis, and all the studio decided it would be useful to issue a major project which will remind about their characters. Under the contract the company received a share in the film, and their heroes were given about the same amount of time.

It allowed viewers to see the same picture of Mickey Mouse with Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, Droopy and other cartoon characters.

2. Using the characters that are in the public domain

Exactly once did comic book author Alan Moore, Creating a "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", which was later removed by the eponymous film. In the plot there are different characters of classic novels: Allan Kvotermeyn, Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll, The Invisible Man, and others. Exclusive copyrights to all of these characters for a long time had expired, so that they can be freely used in new stories.

3. Changing the appearance and the lack of names

Sometimes the writers of films go on stealth to get past the issue of copyright. You can leave the hero of some recognizable features, but not to be named or slightly change, so it does not coincide completely with the original. For example, in the final of the painting "Shed in a woods"The authors show the characters of almost all well-known horror. But to prove that a sinister clown - it Pennivayz of "It" by Stephen King, a monster-scarred - Pinhead from the "Hellraiser", will be very difficult.

What is the difference between a crossover and kinovselennoy

major studios prefer to not just produce crossovers and build entire kinovselennye in recent years. The difference is not very big. Just in the second case, the characters of different movies originally exist in one world and gradually brought together.

This approach has come from the comics, where, for example, Superman and Batman live in a world and sometimes help each other. Yes, and on the screens of the most known superhero universes. The greatest success achieved Marvel and Disney, although initially the rights to many popular characters were sold to other studios. Therefore, Spider-Man, until recently, existed separately on the screens, and return to the X-Men are still in question.

But Marvel for 10 years to build a huge kinovselennuyu, making films about the individual characters, and then creating crossovers "The Avengers." And in 2018 introduced the most ambitious project "The Avengers: Infinity War", where they met almost all the main characters of 18 previous pictures.

In addition to the Marvel have kinovselennaya DC crossovers with "Batman vs. Superman: the dawn of justice" and "Justice League." As well as a serial universe Arrows on channel The CW. Heroes TV projects sometimes move from one series to another, and each year is arranged global crossover series at 3-4, where all the characters are found, as well as represent new projects.

In addition to the superhero universe exists kinovselennyh monsters. So far, in its modern version has only a few films as "Godzilla" (2014) and "Kong: Skull Island" (2017). But in both paintings featured organization "Monarch", linking stories. In the nearest plans of the studio to unite the monsters in the new crossover.

While the whereabouts of the dark universe, which was launched in 2017 with the movie "The Mummy." The picture appeared Dr. Jekyll (Russell Crowe). That it is the original idea was to assemble a team of characters from the upcoming films: Frankenstein's monster (Javier Bardem), an invisible man (Johnny Depp) and others. However, the failure of the first scene questioned the future development of the universe and possible crossover of all the characters.

What problems have crossovers movies

Despite the fact that such plots go more often and almost always collected a good cashier, the ratings of these films are often not very good. And most of the claims about the same.

1. They are not always interested in new audiences

Many of these films are removed from the expectation of the public prepared. The authors pay practically no time history characters, and immediately immersed in the action. It pleases fans but leaves perplexed beginners. The plot will probably be clear and without preamble, but imbued with sympathy for the heroes, or, conversely, to understand why they are evil, it is unlikely to succeed. Therefore, you should at least superficially know before seeing what the characters are and why they met.

2. The plot is often too simple

When the screen there are two distinctive character, authors can still try to somehow uncover the plot. But if the important characters more, to the complex and twisted scenarios rare exceptions should be forgotten. Most likely, the characters are or just fight with each other, or to confront a common problem.

3. One hero is still more important than others

Many large crossovers continue the story of one character, while others are only his assistants. So the authors easier to create a solid script, without wasting time on the set of side storylines. In this case, the fans may not like their pet overshadowed.

4. Viewers have high expectations

When viewers see the ads as many as five favorite characters, they certainly are waitingThat the film would be five times more interesting than the solo story characters. Given that such projects are very long and massively advertised in production, fans have time build a perfect story in my head, and so with the release of the film with a fairly simple story, many are disappointed.

What crossovers really surprised

Crossovers usually involve meeting the characters from one of the genre. Detectives help detectives monsters fighting monsters and so on. But there are also more unusual and even very strange examples. On the big screen few dare to like too great a chance that the audience did not appreciate the idea. But the authors of the TV series and cartoons sometimes arranged meetings most unexpected characters.

1. "I Love Lucy" and "Superman"

Classic sitcom about a housewife who dreams of becoming an actress, has repeatedly called the best TV series of all time. In six seasons with the heroine many unusual happened. And once she even met the real Superman. Or almost real.

2. "Supernatural" and "Scooby-Doo"

Adventures Winchester brothers, Winning all sorts of evil, and creatures from other worlds, have lasted for more than 10 years. During this time they have visited the sitcom, and even go out into the real world to the set. And in one episode even managed to become the heroes of cartoons and meet the children's animated series characters "Scooby Doo."

3. "Bones" and "Sleepy Hollow"

A great example of the collision completely different genres. The series "Sleepy Hollow" is dedicated to the hero who has moved out of the past and fight with evil spirits. The "Bones" - detective series without any hint of mystique. But the authors were able to push the protagonists to Hallowe'en episode and make sure that both projects were satisfied fans.

4. "Mr. Robot" and "Alf"

What could be more surprising than to see in a dark techno-thriller hero of the classic sitcom? However, in the world Mr. Robot I managed to get cheerful alien Alf. Then the authors explain how this happened. Yet the first impression was very unexpected.

5. "Bambi" and "Godzilla"

But any kinovselennye and series crossovers pale in comparison to polutoraminutnym animated film in 1969, which created the animator Marv Newland while studying in college. According to surveys of thousands of professionals in the animation, the movie came to the 38th place in the list 50 greatest cartoons ever. And clearly this is the best crossover in the world. So fateful encounter Bambi and Godzilla.