Marvel vs. DC - Cinematic Strategy (Part 1)
First of a two-part series examining the MCU and DCEU cinematic universes
When asked about the differences in the DCEU and the MCU, Josh Brolin answered respectively1:
“Total failure and massive success.”
Far be it from me to disagree with Thanos, but I don’t believe that the DCEU or the MCU’s fates are inevitable.
For my inaugural article, where better to start then Marvel vs. DC, a rivalry that has defined comic genre mythology! In particular, I am referring to the comic book movie franchises - the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
It may seem like DC is down, and some have counted them out, as they have struggled to build a cinematic identity, while the Disney Marvel industrial complex has been in full force for over a decade now. However, I believe there is hope for unfulfilled DC fans on the horizon, and that Marvel can set a course to expand their universe further while avoiding being victims of their own success with superhero fatigue.
This two-part series will dive into the evolving nature of the MCU’s and DCEU’s cinematic strategy, and the first post will look to the past, because the history of what they’ve accomplished so far will point to how they will approach their respective futures. I’m going to start in the early 2000’s for this lookback. While of course superhero films, in fact very seminal ones, have existed prior to this period, I created the timeline below which highlights certain events that are key to explaining the current state of the DCEU and MCU.
MCU
Let’s begin with the MCU. Given how recognizable and cohesive this franchise is, many of the events recounted may not be a surprise to you, which only goes to show how successful Marvel’s strategy has been thus far.
Ever since Kevin Feige, the architect of the trailblazing MCU universe, took the helm as President of Marvel Studios in 2007, and orchestrated Nick Fury approaching Tony Stark about the Avengers Initiative in Iron Man in 2008, superhero cinema has been changed forever. Following this, Disney acquired Marvel in 2009, and provided the launchpad for the MCU rocket ship. As each successive phase of the Infinity Saga concluded, each culminating with an Avengers team up, the MCU’s influence and popularity skyrocketed.
Over time, this success and Disney’s backing gave the company the leverage to bring former Marvel intellectual property, notably Spider-Man via a partnership with Sony, and the X-Men and Fantastic Four via the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, into the MCU continuity.
Prior to Disney’s own streaming service, Marvel did delve into television with series like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC, and more notably on Netflix, Daredevil in 2015 and the subsequent Defenders universe that followed. Even without its own streaming platform, Disney opportunistically launched content with partners to augment the MCU.
Post Avengers: Endgame in 2019 saw the launch of Disney+, and here’s where Disney’s strategic advantage comes into play again. Not only was the streaming medium a necessary hedge for audience engagement in a Covid-19 changed world, but Disney+ is a key part of the future MCU strategy to grow its reach with television series organically, and the franchise’s competitiveness in an increasingly streaming media world. They have already started in 2021 with hits like WandaVision and Loki. They’ve also brought back the disparate television properties like the Defenders onto Disney+.
We are now in the midst of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, and while the MCU is still riding on strong momentum and fan goodwill, they must be careful to not oversaturate the market, or create too convoluted of a narrative.
DCEU
It’s going to take a bit longer to elaborate on the DCEU. Let’s just say that Warner Bros. production of their franchise has had more twists and turns. Although I want to point out and give credit that while Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy is not part of the DCEU, it was a reminder that DC popularity and potential still had vitality, even as the MCU was kicking off.
As the MCU gained momentum after its first Avengers film in 2012, the DCEU started its own connected universe with Man of Steel in 2013, helmed by Zack Snyder, in an attempt to keep up. Shortly after, the mixed reception and controversy sets in. The reception to Batman v. Superman and Justice League (the Joss Whedon cut) was lackluster. The latter film saw the departure of Snyder due to unfortunate personal reasons, and as Whedon took over in post-production, the film saw significant reshoots and allegations of impropriety onset. While there were glimmers of commercial success (Wonder Woman and Aquaman), there was a lack of cohesion in the canon the DCEU was trying to establish.
Throughout this period, there was also a lack of stability in vision and leadership. The original vision was Zack Snyder’s, but in 2016 Warner Bros. reorganized DC’s film division to be led by Jon Berg, an executive vice president at Warner Bros., and Geoff Johns, who at the time was DC Comics chief content officer and helped develop CW’s Arrowverse TV series. In 2018, Warner Bros. announced another reorganization now with Walter Hamada as the new President of DC Films. He partnered with Jim Lee, a comic luminary and DC Comics chief creative officer, on DCEU’s content.
Each reorganization saw a modified DCEU film slate, and were less interconnected in their plots and characters. Although the latter was deliberate. After the lukewarm reception to the universe laid out by MoS, BvS, and JL, Warner Bros. implemented a “director driven mandate”. Essentially, the studio empowered directors to create quality films based on DC mythology irrespective of whether or not they were in a connected universe. DC dubbed this their Multiverse approach. This strategy pivot was an attempt to differentiate against the MCU, and rebuild fan confidence in DC. Particularly with respect to fan service and this new approach, 2021 saw the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League cut on HBO Max, Warner Bros’ streaming service launched a year prior. A multiversal version of a film they already released that was willed into existence by a groundswell of public support that demonstrated the fervor that DC still had.
In the timeline I call out Walter Hamada and Jim Lee in particular, because I believe they were trying to enact a major course correction during their tenure. I think they were orchestrating a “Crisis on Infinite Earths” or “Flashpoint” like event for the DCEU in order to create a new continuity. For the uninitiated, these references are to comic series that effectively acted as multiversal resets, where multiple parallel universes are either consolidated and/or rewritten into a single more cohesive continuity.
A soft reset would allow Hamada and Lee to forge a new canon taking elements of the existing DCEU that were successful and pruning elements that weren’t. I don’t think I’m going out on a huge limb with this hypothesis, because of the way Hamada and Lee handled DC FanDome. DC FanDome was a virtual convention that was birthed during the pandemic to engage fans. There were two occurrences, one in 2020 and 2021. Both utilized the multiverse as their central theme. The first FanDome had a segment where Hamada and Lee provide a multiverse 101 (01:15:52 - 01:40:00), and the second FanDome, Lee creates a mosaic of the iconic Crisis on Infinite Earths cover, where Lee also alludes to a secret plan going forward (03:25:18 -03:28:00). Additionally, similar events (Crisis and Flashpoint) did occur in the CW’s Arrowverse, on which Johns and Lee provided input, and this only strengthens this theory.
However, later in 2021, Discovery announced it would acquire WarnerMedia from AT&T, and by 2022 the merged company would be dubbed Warner Bros. Discovery. Due to this reorganization, Hamada and Lee would not be able to see their vision through, and instead WBD CEO David Zaslav would appoint two new heads of the new DC Studios, James Gunn, director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and DC’s The Suicide Squad, and Peter Safran, an executive producer on many Warner Bros. and DC films.
The Road So Far
That brings us close to current events in the state of the MCU and DCEU. As you can see there are key drivers of success (or lack thereof) across both franchises.
I do not believe this is a deathknell to DC, nor does this mean Marvel should rest on its laurels. The popularity of superheroes has never been greater, and these drivers of success, and others, will come up over and over again. We now have a better understanding of what occurred. Going forward, DC is undergoing another major vision change, and Marvel is betting on the multiverse as their next epic.
I believe the DCEU can reinvent itself, but it will require wiping the narrative slate clean in many ways, which early indications have signaled, in order to rectify past missteps and bring back disillusioned fans. What I have seen so far of the MCU’s newest phases, as they’ve incorporated new cultures and pushed genre blending further, is that it is a shrewd strategy that I think will pay off. Part 2 will dive deeper into what comes next. Stay tuned heroes!
For Part 2 please refer to this link: Marvel vs. DC - Cinematic Strategy (Part 2)