Superhero's house in cinema: Analyzing the concept of home within the Marvel and DC cinematic universes from 2008 to 2023

Abstract

The medium of cinema, as a potent and influential art, consistently endeavors to present a more authentic representation of the narrative by intricately interweaving elements such as plot, characters, and scenes. This endeavor extends to the deliberate incorporation of explicit and implicit symbolism within the design and architecture of urban landscape. This research seeks to address: How does the description and placement of a location as a backdrop for narrative relate to the character development and thematic content in Marvel and DC cinematic productions? Specifically, this study aims to assess the alignment between prevalent architectural signifiers associated with superheroes and the thematic characterizations found in Marvel and DC films. This investigation aspires to decipher the underlying meanings and metaphors inherent in the concepts underpinning the design of residences and urban landscapes inhabited by superheroes. Production designers within the Marvel and DC film franchises deliberately craft diverse urban settings, with each showing emblematic of concepts such as gentrification and the physical and mental prowess of respective superheroes, often manifesting through variations in architectural styles, encompassing classical, high-tech, and bionic aesthetics. Notably, this architectural characteristic evolves in response to the narrative's temporal dimensions. Nevertheless, there remains a consistent thread of "mysterious architecture concealing hidden spaces and connections" and "precisely articulated juxtapositions beneath an ostensibly simplistic facade" recurring across the diverse residences featured in these cinematic worlds.

Keywords

• cinema-architecture
• design essence
• semiotics
• marvel universe
• dc universe