6 Reasons MARVEL STUDIOS Should Actually Fear The DC EXTENDED UNIVERSE

The DC Extended Universe is only just beginning to find its feet but as things start looking up for Warner Bros., there's a chance Marvel Studios might want to start watching out for the competition...

By JoshWilding - Sep 20, 2017 08:09 AM EST

Filed Under: Avengers

I'm a big fan of both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe and while it's clear Warner Bros. still has some work to do on bringing the latter up to scratch, there's no denying the studio's shared world stands a chance of going from strength to strength over the next few years.

While representatives from both Marvel and DC claim that there's no rivalry between the two companies, there's no way they don't recognise the threat they pose to each other and there has to be at least some sort of friendly competition in regards to who does best both critically and commercially. So, should Marvel be worried about what's to come from Warner Bros. in the near and distant future?

Simply put, yes! What you'll find here is an in-depth look at the six reasons we believe Marvel should fear the DC Extended Universe because of what it will bring to the table from November onwards...

6. They Have Joss Whedon

Did Joss Whedon save the Marvel Cinematic Universe? An argument could certainly be made in that respect. Iron Man was a hit but Iron Man 2 went off the rails and The Incredible Hulk remains the black sheep of this shared universe. Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, meanwhile, were only quite minor hits but The Avengers changed everything when it became a critical darling, earned well over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, and changed the tone of Marvel movies moving forward.

Suddenly, humour was the name of the game for the studio and it's an approach which has ensured success for them ever since. Whedon also did what many thought was impossible by bringing all these characters together and making it work, while his decision to introduce Thanos has obviously had a big enough impact on the MCU to still be felt to this very day as we gear up for Avengers: Infinity War. With Whedon working on Justice League and making the leap to Batgirl soon, Warner Bros. has made one hell of an acquisition and that could pay off for them in a massive way.

There's a lot to love about a shared movie universe but studios constantly seem to struggle to emulate what Marvel Studios has done with theirs. However, the signs are now pointing to Warner Bros. moving on from focusing on having all the DC Extended Universe releases by making them a little more standalone and launching a separate banner which movies set completely apart from the Justice League characters will take place in.

While we're more than likely going to see some crossovers (Flashpoint will inevitably feature many familiar faces), it seems like making every movie build towards the next one simply isn't a priority for Warner Bros. and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Like many comic books, the adventures of these heroes can just take place on their own and we'll also occasionally get to see these heroes working together in the likes of Justice League. That gets rid of the need for countless crossovers and after-credits scenes, and given enough time, it's an approach moviegoers could find themsevles drawn to as the MCU becomes harder and harder to follow.

Say what you will about the likes of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad but Wonder Woman was pretty much a masterpiece in the comic book movie realm and a real game changer for the genre. It proved that female superhero movies can work and it's going to be a real challenge for Marvel Studios to top that with Captain Marvel. Don't get me wrong, a prequel of sorts to the current MCU adventures set in the 90s and featuring the Kree/Skrull War is going to be epic and should be an amazing movie but will it ever top Wonder Woman?

I'm not so sure and as there will inevitably be comparisons between the two, that could hurt Marvel Studios in a significant way, especially if Captain Marvel fails to find the same level of critical and commercial success. It's obviously still early days and it's entirely possible Captain Marvel will be the better movie but with Warner Bros. clearly eyeing a series of female led superhero films like Gotham City Sirens and Batgirl moving forward, they're opening the genre to a wider audience and that could pay off in a huge way as moviegoers look for something new.

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3. They're Taking A Filmmaker Driven Approach

We've heard so much about Warner Bros.' filmmaker driven approach to their movies that it's bordering on being a little tedious but there's something to that which is undeniably exciting. While Marvel Studios allows the likes of James Gunn and Taika Waititi to bring their unique vision to the projects they take the helm of, there are many directors who wouldn't work with them again and it's no secret that Kevin Feige and company like to have full control of the movie we ultimately wind up seeing on the big screen.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but Warner Bros. allowing the likes of Patty Jenkins and James Wan to be 100% themsevles is a method which has the potential to pay off for them in a way which might just give them the advantage for years to come. It may not always pan out exactly as planned but prioritising the directors they hire is something which should help the quality of these DC Comics adaptations reach a place where they transcend the superhero genre and become Oscar candidates the same way The Dark Knight did back in 2008. That's something Marvel Studios could struggle to top.

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2. Zack Snyder's Moving On From The DCEU

Personally, I love the work of Zack Snyder but there's no denying that Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice weren't quite up there with the likes of 300 and Watchmen. As great as it's been seeing the director delve into the world of superheroes, it's fair to say that his vision possibly doesn't suit what moviegoers want and while it was horrible that he had to walk away from Justice League after the tragic death of his daughter, him choosing to step away from the DC Extended Universe could ultimately be what's best for these characters.

A little over a year ago, the plan was for Snyder to keep spearheading this shared world by taking the helm of the Justice League franchise and steering the solo adventures of the other heroes. However, the response to Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad made DC Entertainment bosses realise that things needed to go down a different route and that's where Geoff Johns and Jon Berg come in. Now, with Snyder making it clear he's done with DC for the time being, this shared world stands a chance of being able to move on and become something new which won't be held back by any past mistakes.

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1. Is Marvel Studios Becoming Complacent?

As I said at the start of this post, I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe but success makes even the greatest talents complacent and there's a very real risk we could see that happen in the next few years. Most of what's coming from Marvel Studios looks amazing but as we move into Phase 4 and they lose some of their biggest stars (another disadvantage for the studio), we could see them resort to resting on their laurels and producting movies they're confident will be a hit rather than being as creative as they otherwise might have been.

Warner Bros., on the other hand, has something to prove. With no Harry Potter or Hobbit franchise to fall back on, it's essential that these DC Comics adaptations succeed and that's going to essentially lead to them trying anything and everything to make that the case. It also means we're getting a standalone Joker movie unlike any other take on the Clown Prince of Crime and seeing heroes like Nightwing and Shazam get the chance to shine on the big screen. With that sort of outlook moving forward, it's easy to imagine the DC Extended Universe posing some serious problems for the MCU as it finds its feet and potentially becomes the go to shared world for moviegoers.

Do you think that Marvel Studios has something to fear from the DC Extended Universe? Is there room for both worlds to succeed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.

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DillonEnnis - 9/20/2017, 8:17 AM Ok I usually don't comment about this guy personally because honestly he's just doing his job and it's my choice to read or not read an article he's providing for free but at least try to be less obvious about what you're trying to do (bait) in these articles I guess. Granted I think it definitely always works out exactly how he wanted it to haha Login to report abuse
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6 Reasons MARVEL STUDIOS Should Actually Fear The DC EXTENDED UNIVERSE

The DC Extended Universe is only just beginning to find its feet but as things start looking up for Warner Bros., there's a chance Marvel Studios might want to start watching out for the competition...

6. They Have Joss Whedon

5. Ditching A Shared Universe Could Be A Smart Move

4. Wonder Woman Might Be Impossible To Top

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2. Zack Snyder's Moving On From The DCEU

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