Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel, Shazam!—these are just a few of the superhero films released in 2019. Now, the red-hot summer has seen the openings of horror flicks like Annabelle Comes Home and Midsommar. If you’re new to the genre, Annabelle is a doll and demon conduit. She’s also a franchise within a franchise of conjuring-themed horror releases. Midsommar is about a pagan cult in Sweden that targets American tourists. It was directed by Ari Aster, whose previous film, Hereditary, practically raised the hair on my arms. Having studied this genre as long as I have, that’s saying something.

The point is that these themes sell, year after year. Superheroes, horror, occult symbols, angels, demons, conjuring, and vampires are magnets for moviegoers.

So what’s the fascination? Why do mentors tell screenwriters and filmmakers that “you can never go wrong with horror”? And how does a flick like Avengers: Endgame rake in “an estimated $1.2 billion in its first five days of release”? Shouldn’t superheroes be dated by now?

Apparently not. Can you even count how many superhero films you or your loved ones have seen? Is anyone getting tired of them yet?

Not even close.

So what’s the draw? Are superhero fans super adrenaline junkies desperate for another “fix”?

I don’t think so. After years of tracing these genres’ historical and spiritual roots, I’m convinced that the driver is what everyone knows on some level: there is more to this world than what we see. Vampires, superheroes, werewolves, and demon-possessed dolls don’t just entertain us. They are clues to what’s happening behind the seen.

No wonder we keep forking over the cash! These themes poke our curiosity about the supernatural because we know it’s more than a fantasy. We know this way down deep, even when we seem oblivious to it or swear that we don’t believe it.

We humans were built to engage the supernatural because we are also spirit creatures. Filmmakers know this and tap into it. Making their films increasingly graphic is not the only thing ensuring their success. They succeed because our endless capacity for the supernatural is part of who we are.

So, am I recommending these movies to you? No, but I’m not forbidding of them, either. My role is to inform. That’s the purpose of my book, Behind The Seen. It’s the distillation of years of study I believe was God-inspired for the benefit of others.

Here’s the deal: informed people can (1) make their own decisions about which movies they and their kids will see, and (2) understand the deeper meaning behind them. Then the entertainment value of films won’t trick them into believing they’re watching pure fantasy.

They’re not. The ideas and images in these film genres (and comics) have common ancient origins. Mythology, space travel, and spirituality are connected.

Want to know how? Stay tuned to future posts for some mind-blowing clues that will change the way you see entertainment and the supernatural.

Want even more? Read a free chapter of Behind The Seen here.

Ready for the deep dive? Preorder the book here.

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(Keywords: Annabelle Comes Home, Captain Marvel, Shazam!, Avengers: Endgame, supernatural, superhero movies)

Frederick PriceAugust 8, 2019Superhero, Shazam, Avengers, Engame, Supernatural, Superhero movies, Annabelle Comes Home