"They come out 2 weeks after us - there's room for us both! I love my friends at Marvel. You can find whatever discussions you'd want to find online. I'd focus on all the positivity around the films instead of getting sucked up in online fan wars."
Those are the words of James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO and director of this summer's Superman. He's referring to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the MCU movie scheduled to open two weeks after the DCU's first theatrical release.
Look on social media, and you'll find that there is indeed a Superman vs. Fantastic Four narrative, whether it be in terms of potential box office takings or which of the movies will rank higher on Rotten Tomatoes.
A little bit of competitiveness never hurt anyone; however, we believe the best possible thing for any fan to do this summer will be to support both movies. In this feature, we're taking a deep dive into why you need to prioritise watching both movies...
5. The DCU's Future Hinges On Superman's Success
2023 was a terrible year for DC fans. Shazam! Fury of the Gods was a forgettable start to the year, The Flash was a grotesque mess, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ranks among the most disappointing sequels ever. Blue Beetle was fine, but also pretty basic.
The DCU's future is now in the hands of James Gunn and Peter Safran. While Lanterns and Supergirl will be released regardless of what happens this summer, the franchise largely hinges on Superman's success.
If fans don't turn up for the reboot, then there's every chance Warner Bros. Discovery will shelve the DC brand and only release the odd Batman movie here and there (which was the status quo for decades). Love or hate him, DC is in better hands with Gunn than the mercurial David Zaslav.
4. The Fantastic Four Need To Be More Than Supporting Characters
After Deadpool & Wolverine broke records last year, 2024 hasn't got off to the greatest of starts for Marvel Studios. Captain America: Brave New World was a critical and commercial disappointment, and not even glowing reviews could help Thunderbolts* soar at the box office.
If The Fantastic Four: First Steps goes the same way, you can forget about ever seeing a sequel. Marvel's First Family has already starred in a string of flops, and this movie's underperformance would relegate the team to supporting character status in the Avengers franchise.
That would do Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny a huge disservice. Plus, with a unique 1960s setting, The Fantastic Four feels like a legitimate risk for Marvel Studios. If it doesn't pay off, we'll see them play it safe moving forward, and that might not be good news for the X-Men.
3. There Is No Marvel vs. DC War
This might shock some of you, but it is possible to support Marvel and DC. No one would blame you for preferring one over the other, but the perceived war between the two companies exists primarily in the heads of territorial fans.
Kevin Feige and James Gunn have shown support for each other and are acutely aware that the better the competition does, the more they'll benefit as well. 2023's disastrous DCEU offerings, for example, did nothing to end talk of so-called "superhero fatigue."
So, whether you're a die-hard DC fan or live and breathe all things Marvel, it might not be a bad idea to put bias aside and make sure you give both of these awesome-looking movies some love when they arrive in theaters next month.
2. Superhero Movies Need Fans Now More Than Ever
We don't buy into all the talk of "superhero fatigue," but there's no denying that moviegoers aren't flocking to this genre the way they once did. Now, a comic book movie needs to be an event; anything else post-COVID can seemingly wait for streaming.
For whatever reason, even some fans have turned on the genre. Petty complaints like Pedro Pascal's Mister Fantastic having a moustache and Superman's trunks used to make for fun debates. Now, they're used by some as a reason not to watch these movies.
If you love this genre and want it to continue, then buying a ticket for Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is an absolute must. If you can take your family and friends with you, that's even better, because these look like two releases deserving of this level of support.
1. Both Movies Are Something New For Their Respective Franchises
We alluded to this earlier, but Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are both something new for their respective franchises. Gunn is embracing the comics for his take on the Man of Steel, ditching the moody tone established by Zack Snyder for something more hopeful.
The Fantastic Four, meanwhile, is the closest we've got to a direct adaptation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's early Marvel Comics. It's not your typical MCU movie, and should be all the better for it.
If you want your comic book movies to break new ground and put the spotlight on characters who might otherwise remain on the page, it's well worth supporting the Man of Tomorrow and Marvel's First Family...especially with Jurassic World Rebirth on the loose.