When the new cinematic DC Universe officially launched its flagship hero back into the sky, the world looked up in awe. Superman was exactly what audiences and critics had been begging for over the last decade: a pitch-perfect execution of the classic superhero mythos. It deserved every single ounce of the hype it received. It was a triumph of modern blockbuster filmmaking that knew precisely what it was. But less than a year later, the skies have darkened over Metropolis.

There was a brief, glorious window, roughly 1995 to 2004, when Hollywood decided the Middle Ages didn’t need to be grim. No mud-caked realism, no muted colour palettes, no dragons brooding in the rain. Instead we got glitter eyeshadow under coronets, jousting tournaments soundtracked by classic rock, and castles that looked like they’d been decorated by a teenager with a Claire’s Accessories card.