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For an entire generation, their introduction to superhero media was not connected to the ever-present Marvel Cinematic Universe of today, rather, they developed their connection through Sky High, a 2005 superhero comedy film released by Disney, the company responsible for the now-popular MCU.
2005’s Sky High follows a group of high school freshmen as they attempt to integrate into “Sky High,” a school for teens with superpowers, and like other films of the genre, they fight villains, find themselves, and realize what the responsibility of having powers really is. While audiences may not have been sold on the premise of the film, critics gave it average reviews, complimenting its premise and comedy (( “Sky High.” Rotten Tomatoes. )).
However, positive-leaning reviews did not change the public’s reception at the time. It earned $86 million against a $35 million budget, making it mildly successful at the box office (( “Sky High.” Box Office Mojo. )). The box office performance and audience reception lead to the cancelation of a sequel, which was meant to follow the teens as they started college (( “Sky High Almost Got a Sequel Called Save University.” ScreenRant, 2019. )).
Though a product of its time, with people of color cast in particular roles and tired stereotypes of villains and heroes alike, Sky High has become a cult classic among the generation that grew up with it despite their reservations about it initially. But Sky High is not the only superhero movie out there.
The MCU has become the main superhero media on the market today. Newer generations like Zillenails and Generation Z do not make up the majority of the audience drawn to the franchise, but there still remains a small amount that enjoys the film. Their love for a cult film from their childhood has uniquely conditioned them to be receptive to the superhero formula, particularly due to the consistency of themes and shared character journeys between the two projects, and has caused them to gravitate towards the MCU.
What Makes Sky High So Appealing?
Though it may have missed the mark for audiences initially, Sky High was appealing to its young audience. The superhero comedy developed a story with relatable themes like finding yourself while introducing children to a variety of superpowers, unlike other superhero media of the time. Sky High features tropes that audiences enjoy in coming-of-age content, like self-discovery and standing up for what you believe in.
Though included in most content for the intended age group, the film places these themes in a nontraditional setting that remains relatable despite its fantastical elements of it.
Will Stronghold
The main character Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) goes on a journey of discovering himself through the lens of finding out his powers. Born the son of two world-renowned superheroes, when he starts at Sky High he doesn’t know what his power is. While he’s faked having his father’s strength, he’s actually the late bloomer amongst his classmates. This causes him to be labeled as “hero support,” taking courses on how to help a hero from the sidelines.
When his powers do appear, both super strength and the ability to fly, he has immediately moved to “hero” classes and is accepted into the popular clique of the school. This causes him to question his place in the high school hierarchy and almost turn his back on his friends as he’s carried away with his newfound popularity. He realizes the impact of his actions just in time to stop his girlfriend-turned-villain Gwen/Royal Pain (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) from turning everyone into babies in her quest to raise a generation of villains.
While Will goes down this path, his friends are dealing with bullies and crushes. Layla is struggling to watch Will hit it off with Gwen because she’s had a crush on him for years. With the help of Warren Peace (Steven Strait), she realizes that she needs to be honest with her friend. It takes a few attempts for her feelings to make it into the universe, but when she finally does, it shows audiences it’s worth it to put your heart on your sleeve and be vulnerable with those you care about.
Will’s new friends Zach (Nicholas Braun) and Ethan (Dee Jay Daniels) suffer at the hands of the school bullies due to their placement as sidekicks. Though grappling with his new status, Will continues to help his friends and protect them, standing up for them against the very people that could place their wrath on him instead. He even risks his life in “Save the Citizen,” a school event where a pair of “villians” and a pair of “heroes” race against the clock to achieve their goal. Knowing that the odds are against him, Will takes the challenge to play against the bullies to protect his friends. He is standing up for what he believes in, no matter the penalty to himself.
The Diversity Of Power
In addition to common yet relatable themes, Sky High gives audiences a range of superpowers to admire. While many films focus on a single hero and the one or two powers they have, the cult flick shows traditional powers like super strength, flight, and speed alongside unconventional ones like glowing, melting, and duplication.
These come to a head during power placement, which acts as their orientation to high school. Because Sky High offers two graduation tracks, students have to be placed in the one considered most appropriate for them. This is entirely based on what their power is and a single individual’s decision on if it’s worthy of making them a “hero.” There does not appear to be any particular criteria Coach Boomer (Bruce Campbell) follows; he just decides whether the power is “good” enough to warrant them saving the world.
Not only does power placement show audiences a number of different powers that are not seen in other superhero media, it actually exposes children to discrimination in film at a young age. At first glance, that does not appear to be what is happening, but with a closer look, it is more evident.
These teens are being judged on a single aspect of themselves that will determine what they do for the rest of their lives. One person is making the decision, with no outside input from anyone else. And, because it is not clear what criteria that individual is using, there is no way of knowing the reason for his decisions or if there is any consistency from year to year. The process is inadvertently preparing its audience for similar situations; to be judged on one part of themselves without any regard for the rest of them. It is something that is not only common in life but prevalent in other superhero media.
How Sky High Paved The Way
Despite the obvious differences between the MCU and Sky High, the two have similarities that stand out. Some of these are rooted in character journeys and what resonates with viewers while others are elevated themes for a now mature audience.
Shared Themes
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is filled with similar themes to Sky High. Rather than being placed in a high school environment (for the most part), they are put on adults, making them relatable to an audience that has started to grow up. In particular, Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff is a great embodiment of Will’s journey. Wanda has an undue burden put on her as a member of the Avengers. She has only ever had to fight for herself, but becoming a part of a team presents a new set of challenges in terms of learning to trust while also trying to learn about her powers and how to control them.
As one of the most powerful members of the team, she is often given the heaviest of tasks, such as destroying the stone that kept the love of her life alive in order to save humankind. This only continues when she is forced to bear her grief alone. Will is not necessarily experiencing grief, but he is fielding a host of emotions watching his friends have powers as he struggles to find his place. These emotions fuel them both to find the power within themselves, both super and non-super, to get through the situation.
While Will’s struggles are not as overbearing, Wanda’s show a more nuanced version of what he could’ve gone through. Because fans of Sky High have already seen this journey play out in a similar fashion before, connecting with a fan favorite and following along as she realizes her true power and how to handle it makes sense. She provides a sense of familiarity that is comforting for those that enjoyed the cult classic.
Shared Actors Across The Films
In addition to similar theming, there are shared actors between the three. While much of the cast has continued on to recognizable roles in popular television shows and movies, there are two that stand out for roles audiences know them for today. They follow characters of similar nature through different, more complex situations that an older audience can relate to.
Danielle Panabaker
Danielle Panabaker portrayed Layla Williams, the main character’s best friend who could control plants (though she could never conjure lemons). Over the course of the film, Layla grows into her own, understanding that while she doesn’t like to feel forced to use her powers in negative ways, there are situations that require using her powers against others.
Panabaker has continued on to have a successful and fruitful career, taking on roles in legal and crime dramas like Shark (2006-2008) and Bones (2012-2013), horror films like The Crazies (2010) and the Friday the 13th (2009) reboot, and various television movies. But, in recent years, she has settled into the Arrowverse as Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost.
Killer Frost, now commonly referred to as Frost as she retires her more villainous ways, has followed a similar journey to Layla’s in Sky High. As Caitlin, she learned about her family history that led her to have modified genes that would allow for the Killer Frost alter-ego to appear. Caitlin struggles with her newfound powers, with the alter-ego disappearing at times while taking over control of their shared body at others.
Layla struggles to rationalize using her powers against others but has no issues using them to her own advantage, whereas Caitlin grapples with them even existing inside her. She uses a necklace to try and hide Killer Frost inside her, which only works for a time. Later on, her alter-ego gains her own body, effectively splitting Caitlin and Frost into two separate people, which is a great way to describe the Layla her friends know and the Layla her peers know. While Layla’s friends know how she uses her powers and the extent of her control, she refuses to show that to others, like Coach Boom during power placement.
The two characters also have powers in a similar vein. While Layla controls plants, Killer Frost can manipulate temperature, creating objects made of ice and using them against others. Both are rooted in nature and involve modifying one of the core elements of the planet. Moving from earth to water corresponds with the more mature journey both Panabaker and the audience are going on.
This mirroring has given the character a sense of familiarity for audiences. They’ve watched Panabaker carry this out as a teen and enjoyed it, and then she does it again with a more dynamic character that the now older audience can relate to in a new way due to their own personal growth. As a child seeing Layla, a viewer can relate to her struggles with her childhood best friend and finding her place in a world that wants to see her as inferior. As an adult seeing Caitlin, someone can relate to the immense struggles of learning who you are as a person and understanding what may be perceived as flaws within yourself.
Though a character of the Arrowverse, which is a part of DC, the connections between them resonate with Sky High fans and draw them to other, less popular superhero media.
Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell portrays the patriarch of the Stronghold family and The Commander, a well-known superhero that has created an unavoidable burden on his teenage son. While he doesn’t mean to, Will feels incredibly pressured to live up to his parent’s legacy as superheroes. The Commander is understanding of his son’s plights, in the end, being supportive while Will tries to work through the possibility of not having powers and encouraging him when they do appear.
The actor is known for a variety of projects, from Tombstone (1993) to The Hateful Eight (2015). After playing The Commander, Russell went on to play Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), the father of Peter (Chris Pratt). Ego is a Celestial or a cosmic being created by the universe. Celestials tend to have otherworldly powers or abilities; while not quite superpowers in the literal sense, they can certainly function as such. He can manipulate energy and molecules, creating a human body for himself and building a planet to live on.
The Commander and Ego have similar journeys, even though one is a hero and one is a borderline villain. Both struggle in their connections with their sons, trying to find a way to connect with them despite the strain their powers put on their relationships. Ego and Peter are connected for the first time in the film. As Peter grapples with meeting his father and understanding that the man is the cause of his mother’s death, Ego is trying to create a prodigy.
He openly admits to killing other offspring that couldn’t manipulate the celestial power like he could, placing an undue burden on Peter to rise to the challenge. Rather than the caring and sympathetic superhero audiences know from Sky High, Russell portrays a much darker entity which entirely different intentions.
Like Panabaker’s relationship with Layla and Killer Frost, audiences are seeing Russell in a similar role that takes on a different form. Ego takes a different approach to forging a relationship with his son, using tough love to force a connection strictly for personal gain. It is a gritty approach to the father-son relationship that the now older audience is more prepared to witness.
Why Sky High Has Remained Relevant Today
Marvel has monopolized the superhero genre over the last decade. While there have been a multitude of animated films and series in the franchise over the years, the modern iterations of the franchises have solidified the comic book adaptations’ place in popular culture. But, is the generation that grew up with Sky High watching it?
Generation Z is not the main audience for Marvel; they are not even close. On average, the generation only makes up 9% of Marvel fans (( “Is Gen Z Too Cool for Marvel? Just 9% of Marvel Fans Identify as Part of the Generation.” Morning Consult, 2021. Accessed 18 December 2022. )). In contrast, the largest portion of fans is Millenials. Despite being outnumbered by the previous generation, Gen Zers have found something to love about Marvel because of their original superhero film viewing.
Sky High was the original superhero film Generation Z grew up with. It set the stage for its fans to enjoy Marvel films because Marvel elevates the themes and characters archetypes they are familiar with and accustomed to seeing in superhero media, creating a viewing experience that is relatable and enjoyable. Not only does the MCU include similar themes, but in one case it includes the same actor going experiencing a similar situation, developing a direct callback for fans of the cult classic. Without it, even less of the generation may call themselves Marvel fans or interact with the franchise.
In foraging these connections, fans of Sky High will find something to love about the MCU. Their fondness for a film from their childhood has made them search for something similar, and the MCU delivered. While they aren’t the main audience, they are uniquely equipped to enjoy it.
Absolutely iconic article! Such a good read.