Neither DC nor Marvel will be the ones to profit if this summer proves an R-rated comic book movie has the chops to draw a wide audience. Who will? Comcast (CMCSA -0.26%), and studio subsidiary NBCUniversal, says Fool contributor Tim Beyers in the following video.
Aug. 2 brings 2 Guns from BOOM! Studios. Two weeks later, Kick-Ass 2 kicks off. Both movies are smaller-budget comic book adaptations, with Kick-Ass 2 the sequel to 2010's Kick-Ass. Universal is distributing both films, Tim says.
You can bet executives at Time Warner (TWX) and Walt Disney (DIS -0.18%) will be watching carefully. Both have an interest in expanding their comic book movie lineups by offering darker fare. Of the two, Time Warner has been more willing to venture into R-rated territory, with DC Comics adaptations such as 2010's RED, a commercial success that earned $199 million worldwide. A sequel debuts on July 19, during the weekend of the annual San Diego Comic-Con.
Disney hasn't been as bold, which is a shame. Marvel is home to a variety of dark characters with the chops to sustain an action-packed R-rated comic book movie. All that's missing is the will to get them made. Box office success for 2 Guns and Kick-Ass 2 could finally force executives into motion, Tim says.
Now it's your turn to weigh in. Do you plan to see 2 Guns or Kick-Ass 2? Neither? Both? Please watch the following video to get Tim's full take, and then leave a comment to let us know how you're investing in the comic book movie boom.
