AGATHA ALL ALONG Showrunner Jac Schaeffer On Superhero Fatigue Debate: "Every Story Is The Same Story"

AGATHA ALL ALONG Showrunner Jac Schaeffer On Superhero Fatigue Debate: "Every Story Is The Same Story"

Agatha All Along writer/director Jac Schaeffer has shared her thoughts on the ongoing superhero fatigue debate, explaining why "it doesn't rattle me or freak me out."

By MarkCassidy - Sep 15, 2024 10:09 AM EST
Filed Under: Agatha: Coven of Chaos

The "superhero fatigue" debate tends to reignite every time a major comic book movie underperforms... and quietens down again whenever something like Deadpool and Wolverine comes along and slices up the box office.

To be fair, it's hard to argue with the notion that cinemagoers do appear to be growing tired with the usual comic book movie formula, and Marvel and DC Comics-based films are not as successful, in general, as they once were. This has extended to the small screen, which Marvel Studios recently acknowledged by committing to a "quality over quantity" approach to both their cinematic and Disney+ output.

The latest D+ MCU show, Agatha All Along, is right around the corner, and it wouldn't be unfair to point out that anticipation is... not exactly through the roof. Is showrunner Jac Schaeffer at all concerned that viewers simply won't tune in?

While chatting to Total Film, the writer/director explained why she's not "rattled" by the superhero fatigue conversation.

"There's so much conversation and rhetoric about Marvel. I follow it because I'm part of that world but everything ebbs and flows, like it’s one big pendulum, so it doesn't rattle me or freak me out. I don't know if it's there or not."

"I think it speaks to that audiences are always craving originality," she went on. "You know, every story is the same story. We're all kind of doing the same thing. But what is the fresh filter we can put on something? What is the POV that we can center that hasn't been centered before? And that's what I think is different about our show. I think it's a group of characters that normally don't get the spotlight, but they do in this show."

What do you make of Schaeffer's comments? Do you plan on tuning in for Agatha All Along?

The new series focuses on Kathryn Hahn’s character, Agatha Harkness, from the acclaimed Marvel Studios’ series WandaVision, as she sets off on a dangerous, mysterious adventure filled with trials and tribulations. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer, who was the creative force behind WandaVision, directs the pilot episode.

"In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…"

In addition to Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along stars Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, with Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Jac Schaeffer. The directors for the series include Jac Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg and Gandja Montiero.

Marvel Television’s Agatha All Along premieres September 18 at 6:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. ET, with the first two episodes, exclusively on Disney+.

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TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/15/2024, 10:17 AM
I mean , she’s not really wrong…

There are so many authors and writers that believe there’s a limited amount of stories in the world (though they disagree on the range) and that everyone we read or see is a variation of them which is fairly accurate I feel.

What matters is how you present it such as Schaeffer said whether it be through a fresh POV , voice or a filter.

There’s no real superhero fatigue imo because if there was , we would have fatigue of other genres aswell such as action or romance etc..

Some things just either connect with everyone , some or none at all and there’s just no hard science imo to it but a feeling.

Anyway , I think the show seems fun so I’m looking forward to it!!.

User Comment Image
Goldboink
Goldboink - 9/15/2024, 6:54 PM
@TheVisionary25 -
Deadpool and Wolverine would like to have a few words with the Superhero Fatigue people. Everyone is basically telling the same stories over and over. It's how you flesh them out, who the characters are and who the actors are that make it or break it. I think she's spot on. The MCU has certianly had some swings and misses over the years but if you do enough of these things you are bound to fail.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/15/2024, 10:19 AM
Also new featurette aswell…

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Goldboink
Goldboink - 9/15/2024, 6:57 PM
@TheVisionary25 -
Musical elements can be hit or miss. Definitely has the potential to walk the Cringe Road but those Lopez folks are good. The WandaVision music was spot on so I hope it's good.
r1g0r
r1g0r - 9/15/2024, 10:42 AM
It looks like fun, and I hope for both an update on Wanda AND some new personalities to join the MCU.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/15/2024, 10:48 AM
They're aware, let's see if they can change the music every time
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/15/2024, 12:12 PM
It wasn't Marvel's fault that public perception of superhero movies changed. It was Warners' and Sony's fault.

Sure Marvel had a couple of mid movies, but after the onslaught of the DCEU and Sony's villainverse, mid just wasn't cutting anymore.
Marvel should have bought Spider-Man off Sony or just bought the whole of Sony, to prevent them from sullying the brand anymore. But they didn't.

So actually, I guess it was Marvel's fault after all. I take it back.
YonnyLayna
YonnyLayna - 9/15/2024, 12:48 PM
@ObserverIO - Yep It was, Phase 1-2 and -3 were focused on a bunch of charters and destilated the Best of the source material about those characters, Phase 4 onward
have become as convulted as the comics, too many characters to follow
HistoryofMatt
HistoryofMatt - 9/15/2024, 1:49 PM
@ObserverIO - Sure. User Comment Image
String
String - 9/15/2024, 12:51 PM
Agatha All Along has been my most anticipated MCU project this year, yes, even above Deadpool and Wolverine. I think the Scarlet Witch character is among the top tier MCU characters and any project that continues her narrative, I'm all in. I love exploring the extended Maximoff family, including Billy and Tommy, Vision, Hulkling and hope for one day Marvel Studios does the smart thing in resurrecting Pietro, show us Crystal and Luna, and adapts Eric Lehnsherr (Magneto) as a variant father. I want the whole Maximoff family. To me they are as interesting as a family unit as much as the Fantastic Four. The idea we are finally getting a potential Wiccan in live action is a big deal. I know there is pushback by haters because Wiccan is a queer character, but I really don't care for what those people think. It's time after 16 years of Marvel heroes for that sort of character to be introduced in the MCU.

I mean, if folks complain about Billy Maximoff being gay, just you wait until the X-Men finally appears on screen.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 9/15/2024, 1:41 PM
I hope it has that old school Halloween feel like Beetlejuice, Hocus Pocus, Gremlins, and so on. I miss that type of Supernatural storytelling. It was a mix of Wacky and Spooky told in a comedic way but had some dark themes parading behind the humor.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 9/15/2024, 2:06 PM
@SonOfAGif - Exactly...

...and if some think lesbian witches is a negative well there are centuries of history where the Church was the one pushing that narrative (and far worse) to demonize midwives, healers, any women with any degree of power and influence in communities and sundry others dragged into those literal witch hunts that covens including at least some lesbian witches is the norm not the exception in film and tbh RL.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 9/15/2024, 3:36 PM
@Apophis71 - I actually said this in a prior article and the Anti-Woke mafia took offense. A lot of innocent women were executed due to slander and lies and targeted accusations by other women and men in positions of power.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 9/16/2024, 6:05 AM
@SonOfAGif - I saw and appreciated that as some of my ancestors were killed during the trials as we have a long history in various forms of healthcare, including midwives and herbalists during that period, particularly on the female side of my mothers family.
WarMonkey
WarMonkey - 9/16/2024, 7:05 AM
The hero's journey type story has been told by humanity since before the written word was invented. It's not fatigue of hero's stories, it's people not being interested in lame characters and badly written stories only.

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