Djimon Hounsou Explains Why He Thinks Fans Love Comic Book Movies

Comic book movies have dominated discussion online this week as Joker continues to divide critics and fans while Martin Scorsese started a discourse inferno with comments that the genre isn’t cinema. People have been wondering what keeps audiences coming back for more and more adventures with their favorite heroes. Djimon Hounsou thinks he has an answer to that very large question.

The actor was in New York for Comic-Con promoting The King’s Man and stopped by to talk with Comicbook.com for a while about a variety of topics. He covered what might be coming next for him in the world of DC and Marvel movies. But he gave a sterling answer when tasked with explaining the love for capes and tights on the silver screen. Unsurprisingly, like most films, it comes down to the human condition.

Hounsou began, “I think it comes down to the idea of the organic man. I think we all fantasize about being the best and have the most unusual ability to do a number of things in life. These are the rare times that fortunately, in the movie you get to exercise those fantasies.”

Never doubt that wish-fulfillment fantasy, it can be a very powerful thing. Something about his performances, in particular, must resonate with audiences because he has been a part of both the DC and Marvel cinematic efforts recently. It’s rare to see one of these actors or actresses appear in both sides of superhero features from the same era. But the talent just seems to win out. The King’s Man also follows this trajectory as a comic book movie of cut from a bit of a different cloth.

Hounsou has appeared as three different characters over the years in four different movies. Three of them even came within six months of one another. He was Korath in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which saw his character meet a violent end at the hands of Drax the Destroyer. He actually reprised the role in this year’s Captain Marvel. Over on the DC side, he was the Fisherman King Ricou in Aquaman and the Wizard in Shazam! Hounsou is also quick to say that he feels his work isn’t done in the genre quite yet.

“Well don’t forget, I mean, we’re playing superheroes,” Hounsou said. “We’re playing indestructible people so I get to come back at any given time. No matter how much you have executed me. I get to come back so it’s fun.”