by Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Science fiction is experiencing a recent renaissance thanks to the rise of high-concept science fiction series such as silo, Three-body problemand institutionbut one of the most popular and innovative subgenres has been left in the dust, with no major films or shows released in the past five years. Steampunk, the outdated genre of steam-powered invention, historical fiction, and usually a bit of mystery and horror, has been consigned to the dustbin of history. Despite the lack of interest from Hollywood, fans still go to custom conventions and show off their amazing outfits on social media, so what went wrong?
The sudden rise and fall of Steampunk
Steampunk was coined after the rise of Cyberpunk in the 1980s, but has its roots in classic film adaptations of the 1950s Science fiction Novels, incl 20,000 leagues under the sea, Time machineand Journey to the center of the earth. Doctor Who Daleks and Wild West Bringing the genre to television, proves it The combination of Victorian London and steam-powered technology was a winning formula. It captured the imagination of sci-fi fans who embraced big coats, tall hats and an abundance of goggles as a new wave of fashion for sci-fi conventions.
Steampunk novels soon appeared, e.g Difference Engine by William Gibson, and even graphic novels, incl Hellboy and League of Extraordinary Gentlemenwhile Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes films helped move Steampunk into the back half of the millennium. until Anime She dipped her toes into the genre, with Kabaneri Iron Castle and Full Metal Alchemist Fully embracing the look, feel and even sound of Steampunk. We didn't know it at the time, but this is as good as this genre can get.
Why does Hollywood keep failing?
In 2018, the film was adapted for the big screen Deadly engines It arrived in theaters, bringing to life the wild post-apocalyptic tale of cities on wheels, but it didn't just fail; It lost so much money, an estimated $190 million, that Hollywood hasn't touched Steampunk since. The closest we've had since then is Bad thingsa twist on the classic tale of Frankensteinbut even this is more than just gothic horror. In literature, the story has been similar, with no Steampunk novels appearing in the past six years the world or The Curious Case of Spring-Heeled Jack I did in late August.
The problem with Steampunk is that it's a visually intense genre, and creating the feeling of a living, breathing world on a limited budget is difficult to do. It's an easy thing in literature when talented writers can paint pictures with just words and weave a highly inventive story without worrying about how expensive it would be to depict a two-ton steam-powered cannon in live action. Even in the anime, as well Kabaneri In performances, basic scenes become visually intense when there are countless moving gears and pipes filling the background.
In addition to the expense of bringing Steampunk to life, there is the difficulty of explaining complex settings in a two-hour movie. The embrace of alternate history and future technology may make the genre a hit with sci-fi fans, but it's usually too dense to be considered mindless entertainment, and typical plots can quickly become very confusing for the average movie-going audience. Even movies like 2011 The Three Musketeerswhich layered Steampunk trappings over the classic story, is being pulled on review sites due to confusing plots.
Steampunk future
If Steampunk can't catch up with Hollywood studios, it's no wonder so many classic science fiction authors love it E. Doc Smiththe father of space opera, has never been modified. With complex visuals and convoluted plots, fans can't trust studios struggling to bring the most generic sci-fi genre to life, and must look elsewhere for the future of the genre by going back to where it started: the novels. Authors like Jennifer Haskin (Clock pen(And Dan Willis)A pound of meat) are among the many things that keep the genre alive in the only medium that still allows imaginations to run wild, creativity can flourish, and characters can don giant goggles and cool dusters while putting the finishing touches on a steam-powered balloon.
