Superhero Movies and Kids

When I started reviewing kids' TV and movies a few years ago, I imagined that I would review G-rated movies and PG movies that were created for kids. That first year, though, I did have a PG-13 movie or two that I absolutely had to review based on the marketing toward kids and the number of kids seeing the movie in theaters. Every year since, the number of PG-13 movies I review has increased. Some of these PG-13 movies attract younger kids because they are based on child and young adult book series, but most of the more adult movies that are also directed at kids are about classic characters that are popular with both children and their nostalgic parents - superheroes.

In the past few years, there has been a remarkable number of superhero movies released in theaters. From Spiderman to the upcoming Incredible Hulk, superheroes are finding their way to the big screen, or back to it, and most of the movies are earning a PG-13 rating. Despite this rating, the movies are still being heavily marketed to kids of all ages through flashy toy lines and even through kids' meals. So, it is not surprising that kids are attending these films. The question is, will there be any consequences to this new trend, or is the fact that PG-13 has become the new PG-4 or 5 just a notable win for toy makers and other businesses that bring superhero products to market?

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