For directors and actors, superhero films are now regarded as the fastest way up the ladder as well as a guaranteed payday.

Christopher Nolan, 44, director of the Dark Knight trilogy of films starring Heath Ledger and Christian Bale that grossed $2.5bn, is being paid $10m or 10% of the revenue for the imminent Matthew McConaughey sci-fi epic Interstellar. That’s more than many A-list actors. Nolan is so highly regarded and known for bringing in films ahead of schedule and under budget that Warner Bros. pays for his office suite, assistants and other expenses without any contractual obligation on him to release his projects through the studio.

Despite some anxiety about superhero ennui, the next frontiers for the genre are already established. Sony is reported to be planning Glass Ceiling, an all-female Spider-Man-related film of female superheroes, the Black Cat, Silver Sable, Spider-Girl and Silk. Marvel says it will have the female-driven Captain Marvel film in theatres in 2017, and DC is bringing Wonder Woman to the screen.

But it may be up to Feige and Marvel to introduce the racial variation. Black Panther comes from the Illuminati – a group of superheroes looking to create a superhero government. Otherwise known as T’Challa, Black Panther has been granted superhuman speed, strength and agility, and an unsurpassed sense of smell by the Panther God. On his journey, he battles the Sons of the Serpent – a group of racist “patriots” who hate minorities.

Cumberbatch is said to be looking at the role of Dr Strange, a genius, egotistical neurosurgeon whose hands are injured in an accident. After travelling to the Himalayas to learn mysticism, he is elevated to Sorcerer Supreme, living in a New York townhouse with Wong, his manservant and Kung Fu magician.

Last week Feige, who failed to get into the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts five times, said Marvel’s production slate only looked ahead to 2019. Marvel may never re-acquire the rights to X-Men or Spider-Man but it has a universe of characters it controls entirely.

The reign of the superhero movie is unlikely to come to an end any time soon “if they maintain the quality”, predicts Ayres.

When Bloomberg Businessweek visited Feige in his office earlier this year, a reporter identified a planning map of films in Feige’s office. “It’s like looking through the Hubble telescope. You go, ‘What’s happening back there? I can sort of see it,’ ” he laughs. “They printed out a new one recently that went to 2028.”

Crusaders coming soon The Black Panther

The character also known as T’Challa will be played by Chadwick Boseman, who is Marvel’s first black superhero lead, portraying the monarch superhero born to the heir of Wakanda, a fictional African kingdom, to battle the Sons of the Serpent.

Captain Marvel

Another from Marvel’s series of new movies, this will be the first to feature a female lead. Captain Marvel (below) is the alter ego of a character named Carol Danvers.

Dr Strange

Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series, is said to be looking at the role of the genius egotistical neurosurgeon living in a New York townhouse with manservant and Kung Fu magician Wong, who loses the ability to perform surgery and turns to magic.

Glass Ceiling

Set to star an all-female Spider-Man-related cast of superheroes, drawing on the superpowered women in Peter Parker’s life. Glass Ceiling isn’t based on any existing comic book story, so moviegoers will have to be patient for plot details.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

This will unite two of the greatest superheroes (below). Batman, it is said, will have two suits, one of them shooting missiles. The character of Robin is rumoured to be female.

（來源：The Guardian 編輯：祝興媛）