Marvel: Why The Development of The MCU Characters Still Outshines The DCEU
The debate between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe will rage on for eternity. Who has the best characters? Which movies and shows are the best? Who has the best storylines? For fans of either, there is no competition. As an MCU fan, I’m a bit biased but I do have my reasons why.
What the DCEU has failed to do in my opinion is make a connection with its fans and audience. A Batman fan is a Batman fan regardless. But what happens when you build a story up only to confuse your audience?
After watching Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I walked away not cheering for the movie but for the storyline and characters. I can’t remember the last time I felt that way regarding a DCEU movie.
The Multiverse of Madness was not the best MCU movie but it opened the door for what’s to come. Remember in Spider-Man: No Way Home when Doc Oct and Green Goblin made their appearance? Or, we can go to the ultimate scenes when Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield made their appearance? To see all three Spider-Man’s share the screen was pure genius. And that right there is one of the reasons why Marvel has the edge over the DCEU.
Looking back, how many Supermans have we seen over the years? How many different versions of Batmans have we seen? Even in their TV shows, there is no stability. The Arrowverse is huge for the DCEU but hell, even there we’ve had two different Green Arrows and at least 2 different Supermans. At some point, if they can’t get the originals to play in these shows, then why continue to make storylines surrounding them?
Related: Who Will Handle The Multiverse Better: DC or Marvel?
How many Captain America’s, Iron Man’s, or Thor’s have we come across over the last decade? Marvel has found a way to tell its story without alienating its core audience or fans. How did DC miss that memo?
There are rumors that we still may get a Ben Affleck-led Batman movie. But why? Didn’t we just get one with Robert Pattinson as Batman? Is this another universe and even if it is, why not keep the same actor? With a new Flash movie set to drop in 2023, there are signs that DC is moving into its own version of the multiverse. But once again, here we go with the fake out. Michael Keaton, the OG Batman will be alongside Affleck.
Having Keaton and Affleck share a screen together is not a bad idea and one that will work for fans and DC’s audience. But what’s next? For Marvel, it’s now about ushering in the new version of heroes. And to make matters worse for DC, while Marvel is ushering in new shows, CW is steady axing theirs. Somehow, DC has to find a way to offer stability. Not only to the fans but to their characters.
A company with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman at the forefront should not be treading water in an ocean with sharks circling. How can DC find footing in the comic race when Marvel is set to unleash The Fantastic 4, a new X-Men, Black Panther 2, and another Doctor Strange movie just to name a few.
All is not lost for the DCEU. Despite losing a stronghold on the small screen. If they play their cards right, the new Flash movie coupled with Aquaman 2 and Black Adam can set things in motion for a positive future. But if they continue to pull the wool over people’s eyes, there is no way they can ever catch Marvel in terms of character development.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
