DC Vs Marvel

DC Comics and Marvel Comics are the two giants of the North American comic book industry, each with a vast and dedicated fan base.

In the post-1990s era, DC Comics held a dominant position in terms of sales, popularity, and strategic consolidation of superhero copyrights. The widespread recognition of iconic characters like Superman and Batman solidified its status. However, as the 21st century progressed, Marvel Comics successfully outpaced DC in the film industry, establishing the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as a global phenomenon and an integral part of Disney's entertainment empire. Meanwhile, DC struggled to maintain its foothold, losing ground in the cinematic arena.

The Turning Point

The early 2000s saw a revival of superhero films, led by Sony's Spider-Man and 20th Century Fox's X-Men. Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy further reinforced DC's cinematic prestige, achieving critical and commercial success. During this period, Marvel and DC seemed evenly matched in their influence.

However, everything changed in 2008 with the release of Iron Man. This film not only revitalized Robert Downey Jr.'s career but also launched the MCU, setting the stage for a decade of unprecedented success. By 2012, the gap between Marvel and DC had widened significantly.

For Marvel, The Avengers marked a historic milestone, concluding Phase One of the MCU with massive box office success and solidifying Marvel's dominance in the superhero genre. Following this, Marvel continued to expand its universe with films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Thor: The Dark World, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and Guardians of the Galaxy.

For DC, 2012 was both a triumph and a turning point. The Dark Knight Rises concluded Nolan's Batman trilogy on a high note, but it also left Warner Bros. without a clear path forward. With Harry Potter ending in 2011 and The Matrix franchise long concluded, Warner Bros. faced an uncertain future. Recognizing Marvel's growing dominance, they rushed to create their own interconnected universe.

The DCEU Missteps

Warner Bros. sought to counter Marvel by fast-tracking the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), introducing a slate of films including Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Justice League.

The core concept of building a shared universe was sound. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are legendary figures in American pop culture, boasting greater historical influence than many Marvel characters. However, the execution was flawed.

Unlike Marvel, which meticulously built its universe over multiple films, Warner Bros. was impatient. Marvel spent four years and five movies setting up The Avengers, allowing audiences to connect with each character beforehand. By the time The Avengers debuted, viewers were already invested in Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Hulk.

DC, however, attempted to accelerate this process. After Man of Steel, they immediately launched Dawn of Justice, introducing a new Batman (Ben Affleck) and debuting Wonder Woman without prior standalone films. Superman, despite being the supposed central figure, had only one solo film before being thrust into an ensemble narrative. This lack of character development led to disjointed storytelling and failed to establish the emotional stakes that Marvel had mastered.

The rushed approach continued with Suicide Squad and Justice League, where multiple new characters were introduced without sufficient backstory. The screenwriters and directors were forced to spend precious runtime explaining each hero's origins, further disrupting the films' pacing. This resulted in fragmented narratives that struggled to engage audiences. The only real success was Wonder Woman, which took the time to build its protagonist's journey with a clear, well-structured storyline.

A Missed Opportunity?

What if Warner Bros. had taken a different approach? Instead of racing to compete with Marvel, they could have focused on carefully developing standalone films for Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman before uniting them in a Justice League event. This methodical world-building could have led to a more organic and engaging franchise, much like the MCU.

While this alternate timeline remains speculative, the past cannot be rewritten. The DCEU's missteps serve as a cautionary tale about the risks of prioritizing speed over storytelling.

Interestingly, Warner Bros. is not alone in making this mistake. Universal Pictures attempted to create a "Monster Universe" with films like The Mummy (2017) and Godzilla, only to face similar challenges.

Renly's Perspective

Renly, reflecting on these industry shifts, found himself wondering whether Warner Bros. would be open to reconsidering their approach. He shared his thoughts with Barry Mayer, suggesting that DC should slow down and focus on individual character arcs rather than forcing a cinematic universe into existence prematurely.

Barry listened intently. He recognized Renly's unique insight into character development, honed through years of working in independent and commercial films. The conversation sparked an unexpected proposition.

"Would you be interested in working on the Superman and Batman films? Perhaps as a producer? Or even as an actor?" Barry asked.

Renly laughed, shaking his head. "No, no, no. I'm just an actor. Sitting here and sharing opinions is one thing, but producing requires a completely different skill set. These decisions should be left to the professionals."

With that, the conversation shifted, but the implications remained. Could a different approach have altered the fate of DC's cinematic universe? The answer remains an open-ended question in the ever-evolving landscape of Hollywood.