DCEU: Should DC Create a Prequel Universe to Build Their Current One?

DC and the DCEU is back with full force. No, they haven’t created the box office record breakers that Marvel has, but their success is starting to take off. With their latest Shazam being a huge success amongst fans, they’ve followed up Wonder Woman and Aquaman quite nicely. Even more, the hype seems to be surrounding their next release Joker, an apparent origin story to everyone’s favorite Gotham baddie. Then, of course, there’s the next iteration of Batman from director Matt Reeves which allegedly focuses on a younger Bruce Wayne.

With a Joker origin and a younger Bruce on the horizon, we can’t help but wonder, should DC create a prequel universe to their already established one and run them simultaneously?

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The possibilities are endless with running two cinematic universes at the same time that tie into one. If Matt Reeves does write The Batman as a younger Bruce Wayne, DC can pivot on their current shared universe. We don’t have to go back and be beaten over the head with a Batman origin story, but a younger prequel version could show how one decision made as Batman has shaped or changed his future. With a Flash movie still in the works, there’s still an element of time travel where Barry could go back and nudge the past towards Bruce making the right choice for his future, changing the current DCEU to whichever route they choose to go forward with.

Ya know how Marvel has those great end credit scenes we all know and love? What a great way to introduce the next chapter in their prequel universe by having those characters show up at the end of films and in post-credits? Imagine a Superman film where Supergirl flies in to save the day, setting up her own solo film. Introducing a character in their own solo film like they’ve had planned with the Flash, Cyborg, and Green Lantern makes sense now because we’ve seen them in Justice League and Batman v Superman. However, if they want to expand on their stories going forward, we’d have to see a stand-alone origin story, that limps into current continuity and feels forced.

Creating two solo shared universes that tie into one is a bit of a challenge. Not only does the studio have to find a way to stick continuity down to a science but the also have to find actors for each of these characters who share similar looks and mannerisms. However, it can be done. It would be a great way to usher in new characters, pay homage to the past while creating a future, and give different takes of each character for the audience to love. Sure, they’ve already started doing something similar with their tv show versions vs their on screen, but comic books have always had variety, that’s why there’s more than one title for each character out.

Its time for DC to admit their mistakes and work towards fixing them not shoving more down our throats. With a prequel universe, they’ll be able to grow classic characters in Batman and Superman while a future universe would allow them to bring out fan favorites such as Nightwing, John Stewart’s Green Lantern, or the extended Bat-family. DC has so many legacy characters and amazing stories to play out on the big screen they should be crushing Marvel right now. Unfortunately for fans, they’re not pushing the characters enough to draw us back. Maybe taking a prequel route could expand the characters we’ve grown to love.