The Dark Knight revolutionized Hollywood when it premiered 10 years ago, but the industry seemingly learned the wrong lessons from the film. To say Christopher Nolan's comic book film is one of this generation's defining titles would be an understatement.

Upon its release in 2008, The Dark Knight was hailed as one of the greatest movies ever made (not just one of the best superhero films) and became a box office phenomenon. In its domestic run, it earned $534.8 million and was a realistic challenger for Titanic's then-all-time record. It even changed the fabric of the Oscars, after its infamous Best Picture snub led to a field expansion in 2009.

Related: Every Christopher Nolan Movie, Ranked

Of course, when something strikes a chord to this effect, it's going to leave a sizable impression on the landscape. The movie business is a copycat league, and executives definitely took notice of The Dark Knight and tried to do whatever they could to replicate its success. Undeniably, Dark Knight has a lasting legacy on film and arguably remains the bar for its genre, but a case can be made people took the wrong things away from it in their attempts to find a hit.

Nolan's Approach Doesn't Work For Everything

Christopher Nolan stands next to the Bat-Signal

The Dark Knight trilogy (which started with Batman Begins in 2005) was noted for a grounded and realistic style that explored what Batman would really be like if he existed in our world. Just about everything Bruce Wayne used was inspired by real-life technology, which helped allow the gadgetry feel real. Batman is one of the few superheroes where this approach makes sense, as he doesn't have any powers. Nolan was able to play down some of the more fantastical elements of the comics and earlier film adaptations in a logical manner and still stay true to the source material. By all accounts, The Dark Knight is a crime drama that just happens to have Batman and the Joker in it.

Batman Begins kicked off Hollywood's gritty reboot trend (Casino Royale came out shortly after), but this trend didn't really grab hold of the industry until post-Dark Knight. In the following years, several franchise revivals tried to put the Nolan spin on the property, but none achieved the same level of success. Some, such as Dracula Untold, Fantastic Four, and The Amazing Spider-Man series, flamed out and killed their respective franchises before they had a chance to really begin. Others, like Star Trek Into Darkness (which borrows elements from Dark Knight) and Man of Steel (a Nolan-produced Superman reboot) were polarizing due to their handling of pop culture icons. The main issue of this is that "dark and gritty" is not a tone that works for every character. It fits Batman, but not Spider-Man. There's a reason why Tom Holland's enthusiastic, lighter take on Peter Parker is thriving while Andrew Garfield's is no more.

As typically happens when a landmark film opens, rival executives took the wrong lessons from it. The Dark Knight didn't connect with people because it was a realistic take on Batman. It earned $1 billion worldwide and received widespread acclaim because Nolan was able to tell the story he wanted and took the characters seriously. That last point is key. It doesn't mean the film has to be a somber drama a la Logan in order to be "serious" - it just means the film shouldn't be reduced to a joke. It's possible to make a fun, entertaining blockbuster that's true to the spirit of the character and doesn't make him or her a laughingstock. Spider-Man: Homecoming is one of the best representations of Peter Parker onscreen. Batman and Robin is a borderline parody people have to apologize for.

Because of its haphazard application, the "dark and gritty" aesthetic wore thin fairly quickly and is no longer en vogue. Despite The Dark Knight's standing as one of the greatest films, its influence isn't as widely felt as it was just a handful of years ago. Of course, part of this is the cyclical nature of the business. Trends come and go as passing fads, and executives move on to the next one after milking the previous one dry. However, this isn't to say The Dark Knight has no lasting legacy on the industry - even as another superhero movie trend passes it in terms of cultural relevance.

Page 2 of 2: How Hollywood (and Marvel) Learned From The Dark Knight

Did Marvel "Beat" The Dark Knight?

2008 saw another seismic event in superhero movies with the release of the original Iron Man, which launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At first, Marvel's plan for an interconnected film franchise seemed overly ambitious, but it's now the biggest brand in film, earning $17 billion combined at the worldwide box office. In the wake of the MCU's success, other studios tried to launch their own shared universes, but nobody's truly been able to pull it off. That includes Warner Bros./DC, whose DC Extended Universe has several critically-derided movies, such as Justice League (a real killer).

Related: 10 Things Christopher Nolan Got Right About Batman (And 10 He Didn't)

While other studios are learning the wrong lessons from Marvel (crossovers do not equal blockbusters), the MCU is actually demonstrating the "right" lessons to be gleaned from The Dark Knight. Especially recently after restructuring their hierarchy and disbanding the infamous creative committee, Kevin Feige has been willing to allow unique voices like Ryan Coogler and Taika Waititi the leeway to make films that fit into the larger framework of what's been established, but still have the stamp of their director. While some Marvel movies are more serious than others (Infinity War is an obvious example), there is a mixture of tones that allows for a proper balance and ensures each sub-franchise thrives. Black Panther was a political thriller while Guardians of the Galaxy is a space comedy. That variation allows Marvel to stay viable even with multiple releases per year.

Avengers Infinity War set photo - Anthony and Joe Russo

Of course, seeing different superhero characters interact with each other onscreen is a big part of Marvel's appeal, but Marvel knows it takes more than that to sustain a film series longterm. Much like Nolan, the filmmakers of the MCU aren't afraid to treat their characters with the reverence needed to establish an emotional connection with the audience. Even the funnier MCU installments, like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Ant-Man and the Wasp, have solid moments of drama that underline the stakes of the story. Yes, humor is a main ingredient of the MCU formula, but James Gunn made viewers misty-eyed because a talking tree was sacrificing himself for his friends. A director can't pull that off unless he or she takes the material "seriously," regardless of how many jokes are told.

The MCU followed Nolan's path to become the top dog in Hollywood, but a case can be made they've never truly eclipsed The Dark Knight. Despite an unprecedented string of consecutive Certified Fresh hits on Rotten Tomatoes, the MCU is traditionally shunned from the more "prestigious" awards categories and bodies. Their various technical Oscar nominations have amounted in zero wins, while Heath Ledger's posthumous Oscar victory in Best Supporting Actor showed what was possible when a comic book movie transcends its genre and reaches another level. In this respect, Logan is the closest thing to a Dark Knight heir apparent we've gotten, evidenced by its Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. Time will tell if Marvel can ever soar to those heights (many are hoping for a Black Panther Oscar push), but right now, The Dark Knight still stands in a class of its own.

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Every game-changer in Hollywood comes with its own set of takeaways, and it's paramount for those looking to ride the wave learn the right lessons. Just like Deadpool didn't succeed because it was R-rated, Dark Knight was more than just a "gritty" superhero movie. It told a thematically rich story that deeply explored its characters, offered sly commentary on the current political climate (the George W. Bush parallels), and represented one of this era's best craftsman at the top of his game. Studios looking to make the next Dark Knight need to look past the superficial elements and allow passionate, creative storytelling to flow. Regardless of what the current trend is, that seems to be the proper solution.

 MORE: 15 Things You Didn't Know About The Dark Knight Trilogy