Fans of superhero movies, rejoice! It’s confirmed that Max has added two classic superhero films forgotten to time, The Phantom and Spawn to its roster. Both movies were released in the late 1990s and after finding their way to the new streaming platform have led viewers to recall the era of classic superhero movies before the big Marvel boom in 2008.
The Phantom (1996) which stars Billy Jane as the titular character is based on Lee Walk’s comic strip of the same name by King Features. Jane who plays Kit Walker, an immortal fighter is the titular character, The Phantom. In the movie, not unlike a quintessential portrayal of a superhero, he fights his enemies- Pirates of the Sengh Brotherhood, and Xander Drax alongside his allies.
Spawn which was released a year later in 1997, stars Michael Jai White as Spawn or ‘Hellspawn.’ In his mortal life he who served as an assassin and went by the name, AI Simmons is killed and cast into hell from where he appears on Earth again but only this time as the physically distorted image of himself monikered as Spawn.
If you’re a fan of superheroes then these two movies are definitely both must-watch titles. While they may not have aged all that well, they’re both worth chucking on and enjoying next time you’re aimlessly scrolling the apps for something new.
Max’s decision to incorporate classic superhero films aside from its usual modern entries like Shazam! Fury of the Gods has led the eager audience to wonder if it will the willing to incorporate more underappreciated and forgotten classics into its fold.
Even though there’s no definite answer to this question given the streaming platform’s inclusion of a variety of sci-fi action thrillers and works of horror lately like A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Illusionist (2010), and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), it won’t come as a surprise if it decides to go beyond the MCU and DC fandom in the future.