Would superheroes + supernatural thriller make for an entertaining crossover movie?

[Stringfellow Hawke]

Among the most popular movie genres today are superhero movies (Avengers, Dark Knight, Man of Steel, etc.) and supernatural thrillers (of the Exorcist, Poltergeist, Ring, Amityville Horror, Grudge variety). One thing we haven't seen is superheroes crossing over with supernatural thrillers.

I'm not talking about stuff like Ghost Rider, where the "superhero" is also the supernatural being. I'm talking about "conventional" superheroes who don't have magical or supernatural abilities, but are superpowered in more physical ways (like Superman, the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, etc.) or have high tech tools or special skills (Iron Man and Batman) going up against the supernatural threats seen in movies like Ring, Grudge, etc. In the supernatural thrillers, human victims are often helpless against whatever demon or ghost is after them, but how would these demons/ghosts handle superheroes who are much more durable and dangerous than ordinary humans?

Could a fun movie be made from such a crossover concept?

[Shellhead]

Among the most popular movie genres today are superhero movies (Avengers, Dark Knight, Man of Steel, etc.) and supernatural thrillers (of the Exorcist, Poltergeist, Ring, Amityville Horror, Grudge variety). One thing we haven't seen is superheroes crossing over with supernatural thrillers.

I'm not talking about stuff like Ghost Rider, where the "superhero" is also the supernatural being. I'm talking about "conventional" superheroes who don't have magical or supernatural abilities, but are superpowered in more physical ways (like Superman, the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, etc.) or have high tech tools or special skills (Iron Man and Batman) going up against the supernatural threats seen in movies like Ring, Grudge, etc. In the supernatural thrillers, human victims are often helpless against whatever demon or ghost is after them, but how would these demons/ghosts handle superheroes who are much more durable and dangerous than ordinary humans?

Could a fun movie be made from such a crossover concept?

I don't think that it's a good combination, because it's really tough to sustain an element of scariness when the protagonist is superhuman. It tends to diminish the apparent supernatural threat, sometimes to the point of being a joke. The Buffy tv show more or less fits your concept, because Buffy was basically "superpowered in more physical ways," but that show did a better job of showcasing female empowerment than supernatural thrills.

[kmeyers]

Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhies, Michael Myers, Pinhead, Leatherface, and Chucky vs The Justice League, or Avengers, or X-Men?

I'd watch that.

[StoneGold]

Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhies, Michael Myers, Pinhead, Leatherface, and Chucky vs The Justice League, or Avengers, or X-Men?

I'd watch that.

They would be more slasher than supernatural thriller.


Although either way, you come against the same basic problem. Those movies are at their best when the protagonists are placed in a completely helpless situation. Whereas superheroes, by their nature, are not. Best case scenario, it becomes something along the lines of Freddy vs. Jason, not really a horror movie, more something akin to a Godzilla film.