DC Films to fill gaps left by Marvel as they prepare for their time to shine in the era of superhero films
DC Films are finally on an upswing, according to a report done by Variety about the current state of DC movies. According to Shawn Robbins, the chief analyst at BoxOffice.com, “They had a rocky period, but they’re starting to find their footing.” “Rocky period” might be underselling it, as movies that were supposed to lead the way towards DC catching up to the kind of cinematic universe that Marvel Studios created were met with near-universal derision.
With more recent releases, however, such as “Shazam!’ and the R-rated ‘Joker’ movie, DC appears to be getting back on track. The upcoming ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ and ‘Birds of Prey’ movies are expected to be huge successes at the box office as well. DC Films is poised to make a more significant impact on this era of prominence for comics-based movies. Their new approach appears to be the opposite of Marvel’s, and in a post-Endgame world, the opportunity to grab the limelight has never been better.
DC Films’ approach appears to be the exact opposite of Marvel’s. Marvel Studios ran a tight ship, with every single movie released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe being carefully curated and homogenized to an extent. It’s a common complaint that all Marvel movies default to a certain style: family-friendly, light, humorous, and always connecting to a larger framework. DC Films seems to be abandoning a strict adherence to continuity in favor of making the kinds of movies that sell the story best.
‘Joker,’ for instance, does not fit into any known continuity for DC movies, and is unlikely to have any connection with the upcoming ‘Batman’ film starring Robert Pattinson. The only reference ‘Shazam!’ made to other DC Films was a minor gag involving Superman. ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ will be set decades before any current continuity and will have the space to breathe without worrying about building up another ‘Justice League’ movie, and so on.
DC’s also looking to corner the market on R-rated films. Both the upcoming ‘Birds of Prey’ and ‘Suicide Squad’ movies are expected to both gain an R-rating, territory that the Disney-owned Marvel Studios has no plans of exploring. For better or worse, the DC universe is poised to become a home for darker, more mature takes on the comics’ superheroes, antiheroes and villains.
The report mentions that the ‘Batman’ movie may even open the door to Riddler, Catwoman and Penguin, which in turn would lead the way to even more villain-centric stories. “There’s a huge appetite for R-rated superhero movies and if Marvel isn’t going to step up, that presents an opening for DC to tap into that audience,” said Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations.
Marvel Studios have dominated the landscape of superhero films for years, now, and have kept to a largely steady formula. Fans are clamoring for something different, something new, and DC Films seems just about ready to provide the world with just that.
