X is for Crossovers

Seriously. Think about it. X. What the fuck goes with X? I mean, I could write about porno, but that wouldn't be very good without pictures.

Ya know what I mean?

But, let's face it, I will always be an entertainment writer and here is something I can actually sink my canines into.

Cross (the "X" part, get it?)overs.

When I was in high school and fancied myself a possible future filmmaker, I would wonder, out loud, why my precious comic books hadn't been snatched up. They have prewritten, mulitple storylines; vaguely familiar characters; and a crapload of action.

Of course, I would counter myself. Special effects would have to be out of this world, origin stories, and youth culture. Surely, the penetration of the superhero genre would be huge, from elementary to fanboys in their fifties, but it would have to be, like Star Wars caliber.

Up to that point, Superman was really our only successful superhero movie, and rightfully so. The story was massively flimsy, surely, but the actors were all taking it seriously, and, yes, they invested everything into making the flying look as good as it could get.

Time flies and I'm an adult with a blog.

Thank you Disney, for proving this little author correct.

Last month, we were treated to Batman v Superman and, next week, Captain America:  Civil War.

Proving, again, that no one actually listens to me.

No wonder I find hope in working with the Deaf.

But the part I pointed out in the late 80s?

Multiple storylines. The fact is, there's money to be mad in fan-boy-ism. The drawback, however, can be seen in Trekkies.

These are not stupid people. If they were? Their addictions would be drugs and alcohol. Instead, if anyone's noticed, these are highly qualified professionals with slight (and, many times, not so slight) expendable cash. They read books. They scan the internet. Star Trek movies may sometimes suck, but they'll go and post about it and discuss it.

But such intelligence means family and lack of time for vice. They want to see the movies, surely, to keep up on their fan-boy-ish-ness (that was a mouthful), but they're not going to waste money on another Batman and Robin, no matter how gay they are and it having George Clooney.

So if you make sequels and crossovers, they have to have a reason to exist, other than the profoundly obvious-to give studio exes another house in Mexico.

The reason this is on my brain is the latest bit on the interwebs. There's a crossover story coming from Disney, called A Star Wars Story:  Rogue One. The rumors are delicious, regardless of their validity. It's a tale that runs parallel to the original Star Wars, taking people like me back to those wonderful moments of discovery from the seventies and early eighties. Get this, an entire movie based on the line in Star Wars, "a great many spies died to get this message to us." (sic)

The movie might have Darth Vader and is a mediation on those spies. It might even contain the TIE fighter pilot who clips ole Darthy's wing in the final seconds.

And it has eye level AT-ATs attacking the Yavin base from Star Wars.

Crossover joy, right there.

Crossovers are fine. Sequels are fine. But, take us places we've not gone. It's what I love about Disney. Monsters Inc? Fuck it, let's do a prequel..about them in college with Monsters U!

Creative.

But here's the thing.

Bury it. Don't make it look like a plain old money grab. Look at the trailer for Rogue One. Every. Dollar. On. The. Screen.