I'm sure that's what Jerry Seinfeld, the biggest Superman fan in the world, must be saying right now... As well as most people. Especially Warner Bros.
The DC Cinematic Universe has had three movies so far: Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad.
All three movies have received mixed to negative reviews from critics. And despite making more money than most movies, they have underperformed at the box office. (Well, Suicide Squad is still playing as I'm writing this. So there is still hope for it to make a profit).
Two of those had Superman, Batman, and (finally) Wonder Woman. The three most beloved, most iconic super heroes of all time. And the third one had the Joker, the most iconic comic book villain of all time, and fan favorite Harley Quinn in her big screen debut. All three of them should have been juggernaut successes. And yet they weren't.
Meanwhile Marvel makes movies with a talking tree and a raccoon, and a man who can shrink to the size of an ant, that became critical and financial successes.
How is that possible? When did Marvel become the top dog while DC is struggling to catch up?
How is that possible? When did Marvel become the top dog while DC is struggling to catch up?
Let's wind the clock back four decades. A young director named Richard Donner directed a big screen adaptation of Superman, which starred Julliard alumni Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel. And not only was it a box office success and critically acclaimed. It began an entire genre. The superhero genre. It along with Star Wars and Jaws created the summer blockbuster that is still alive today.
Then a decade later, another young director named Tim Burton directed a big screen adaptation of Batman, starring his Beetlejuice star, Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight. And it was a huge hit. It became the highest grossing film of 1989. Where Superman created the superhero genre, Batman reinvented the genre, and proved it can be edgy and for adults as much as kids.
And what films did Marvel make in that era?
(Wa Wa Wa Waaaaaaaaaaa)
In those days, DC ruled the big screens. Marvel was the one who had to play catch-up. I mean, how could Marvel compete with Superman and Batman?
In the 90s, Marvel was on the verge of bankruptcy They were forced to sell the movie rights to their most popular characters, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, to other studios like Sony and Fox.
In 2000, Fox released X-Men directed by Bryan Singer. Lauren Shuler Donner, the wife of Superman director Richard Donner, hired this young USC alumni Kevin Feige to be an associate producer. It became a critical and financial success, a first for Marvel Studios.
But it can be argued that it was 2002's Spider-Man, directed by Sam Raimi, that truly ushered in this new era of comic book movies.
With the success of the X-Men and Spider-Man franchise, both overseen by Kevin Feige, Feige became president of Marvel Studios in 2007.
Around this time, Keven Feige had a crazy idea. To create a cinematic universe with whatever characters Marvel still had the movie rights to. Starting with Iron Man in 2008, about a B-list superhero character. A genius, billionaire playboy philanthropist who fights crime in a hi-tech suit. And no, I am not talking about Batman. Directed by Jon Favreau, who was known for directing comedies at the time, and starring Robert Downy Jr., a man whose fame was declining due to drug abuse and tabloid controversy. This film had so much going against it. There's no way it can succeed.
And yet it did.
Iron Man grossed over $500 Million worldwide and received critical acclaim. Its success led to two sequels, and Marvel's other characters such as Thor and Captain America to have their big screen adaptations.
In 2012, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk all joined forces in the mega-crossover event film, The Avengers. Directed by Firefly and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon. The film was probably the riskiest block buster since the Lord of the Rings trilogy. How can so many characters share the same amount of screen-time without making it feel convoluted?
With a witty script, tons of great character moments, and a shameless sense of humor, The Avengers got everything right. It received great reviews, grossed over $1 Billion, and ushered in a new era of Hollywood. The era of shared cinematic universes. For better or worse.
Since then, Marvel has been on a winning streak with hit after hit. They've established themselves as a brand name similar to Pixar. When you see their name on a poster, you can expect nothing less than high-quality entertainment.
Aw yes. And how was poor DC during this time?
Their resume in the 2000s and 2010s has been pretty mixed. On one hand, they had Christopher Nolan's highly successful and highly influential Dark Knight trilogy. On the other hand, they also released duds such as Superman Returns and Green Lantern. With The Avengers making over $1 Billion, and Man of Steel underperforming both critically and financially, Warner Bros. eyes went as green as the Hulk. They ditched their original plans for a Man of Steel 2 (which might actually be coming back) for a Batman/Superman crossover, starring Ben Affleck as the caped crusader.
The film was just as risky as The Avengers. Maybe even more so. Not only did it have Batman and Superman, the two most iconic superheroes of all time, finally meeting on the big screen and duking it out mano y mano. But it also featured the big screen debut of Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot.
It received backlash from fans even before its release with its controversial casting decisions, the inclusion of Doomsday, and rumored behind the scenes troubles. But even with so much going against it, can it still succeed?
...
No matter what your feelings of the film are, whether you loved it or hated it, we can all agree it didn't exactly live up to expectations. I mean, it's Batman vs Superman! Featuring Wonder Woman! How can we not have high expectations?!?!?
The film got panned by critics, with a majority of them praising Ben Affleck as Batman. And while the film made over $800 Million, which is more than most movies make, it fell short of the $1 Billion gross Warner Bros. was expecting.
But hey, maybe Suicide Squad, a film that has the Joker and Harley Quinn, can fix that, right? Right? RIGHT?!?!?
Ugh....
Just like Batman v Superman, the film was panned by critics, with many praising a few of the performances particularly Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. And although the film is making money so far, the film has to make at least $800 Million just to break even. And with the mixed word of mouth, and the fact that China will not allow the U.S. to release it there, it seems unlikely it will reach that goal.
And just to add salt to the wound, an ex-employee wrote a harsh open letter to Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara and Zack Snyder criticizing them for their slate, and how they have treated their employees. It even hinted that Wonder Woman, the next DC movie, is a mess!
So again I ask... What's the deal with DC movies?
Well, let's look at Marvel for a second. They've taken B-list, even C-list, characters and made them popular in our culture. Think about it. There's a whole generation of kids who know more about The Avengers than they do about the Justice League. How? How do movies like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy manage to make such a connection to audiences?
A lot of it has to do with the filmmakers they choose to helm these projects.
Joss Whedon, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, and the Russo Brothers. Marvel doesn't just pick filmmakers that are talented. They pick filmmakers that genuinely love the material. They choose filmmakers that love and adore these characters, and want to do them justice. And that love and affection shows on screen. We love these characters because the filmmakers do.
Take a look at DC's own Dark Knight trilogy. Christopher Nolan may not have read the comics growing up. But he is still a huge fan of the character and mythology. He put so much love and care into crafting his own tale of the Dark Knight, and it really shows.
Zack Snyder, as talented as he may be, may not have been the best choice for Superman in retrospect. He has gone on record to say that he never liked reading the comics when he was a kid, and was more into darker material. Which explains why his Superman is so dark and violent. And Superman is supposed to be the opposite of Batman. Snyder fits more with Watchmen or 300. Comic stories that fit his style. I actually think he's a better fit for Batman. After all, Batman was one of the things Snyder got right, and one of the highlights of Batman v Superman. I don't hate Zack Snyder. I believe he's a talented filmmaker with a unique style and vision. I just feel like he shines when he's adapting material that fits that style and vision.
But wait. David Ayer is clearly a fan of Suicide Squad and the Joker. So how come that film didn't work?
That brings me to another point. Studio interference.
Let us look at Marvel again. Sure, their films are clearly studio driven. But even the executives are fans of the material and want to bring out the best product possible. They know when to leave the filmmakers alone to their vision, and when it's time to interfere. And sure, it may not always work. But for every Iron man 2, there's an Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc.
Let us look at The Dark Knight trilogy once again. Those films are the definition of filmmaker driven blockbusters. Warner Bros. gave Christopher Nolan time between films to decompress and make the films he wanted like Inception and The Prestige. And it led to a better product every time.
The DC Cinematic Universe feels more concerned with catching up to Marvel as opposed to making a good movie. We've all heard of the production troubles of Suicide Squad, and how it had to go through reshoots. And those problems really show on the screen. The film feels so inconsistent in tone, and has no clear idea of what it wants to be. It can't decide if it wants to be dark and edgy, or light-hearted and fluffy. It felt like a response to the mixed reception of Batman v Superman being too dark and heavy. And ironically enough, Batman v Superman was a response to Man of Steel's mixed response for its overly violent climax and controversial decision to have Superman kill Zod.
And this brings me to the final point... Vision.
No. Not that Vision!
THAT Vision! The vision of one man who is clearly steering the ship. A man who has a mapped out plan for what he wants his cinematic universe to be. He's like the George Lucas of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (And ironically, both went to USC).
Kevin Feige is a fan. A fan of superheroes and science fiction. He grew up obsessed with Marvel superheroes. But more than that, he has experience in the film business. He's produced hits and flops for Fox and Sony. But he clearly learned form those flops to be a successful film producer.
Kevin Feige and his team didn't just plan for the next five years. Or even the next ten years. But perhaps even the next twenty, thirty, fifty, one hundred years! Feige is a man who knows what he's doing!
Again, look at The Dark Knight trilogy. Those films felt like the work of a true visionary who had a plan for where he wanted his story to go.
Look at the classic Superman and Batman films by Richard Donner and Tim Burton respectively. Richard Donner had a grand cinematic vision for the Man of Steel. He made a film that was light and fluffy, but also felt deep and human. It was full of charm and wit, but also had themes of loss and responsibility.
Even though Tim Burton may not have been a fan of the comics, he could relate to Batman's eccentric nature and the fact that he's an outsider. Tim Burton brought his own pain, his own imagination, his own vision to the character. He crafted a film that was goofy and campy, but also dark and serious. It felt cartoonish and childish, but also adult. It was a bizarre blockbuster with a lot of heart and a deeper meaning. It was unlike anything at the time.
And at the end of the day, those are the kinds of blockbusters that make an impact. The kind that push the envelope of what's possible. The kind that give us what we want, but also what we never knew we wanted. Something familiar, but different.
That's how the Marvel movies have managed to be such successes. They each give us something fresh and new. They are made from filmmakers who have something to share with us.
I don't think any of us knew that we wanted a movie with a talking tree and a raccoon. But man did we eat it up with a spoon!
We all wanted a movie with Batman and Superman. I mean, how can you not? But when it finally arrived, we couldn't help but feel underwhelmed by it. I mean, it had everything we knew we wanted. Batman and Superman on the big screen, including Wonder Woman. But it was missing something. It was missing the heart and soul that makes a blockbuster so winning. It felt more like it was made by a committee rather than a filmmaker. That's a huge problem with blockbusters lately. Especially in 2016.
So many films feel like they are made by studios trying desperately to connect with audiences. They look at statistics and charts to observe what people are into these days. If a dark, realistic superhero movie like The Dark Knight does insanely well, there are twenty dark superhero movies made. If an R-rated superhero comedy like Deadpool does really well, expect at least ten more R-rated superhero movies. They may break the fourth wall like Deadpool. They may be raunchy and edgy like Deadpool. But they will never capture the magic of Deadpool.
If only studios took more risks and trusted visionary directors to helm their tentpole films, maybe the box office wouldn't suffer as much. And maybe DC wouldn't be in the state that it's in right now.
The world may need Superman. But DC needs a Kevin Feige. More than anything...
In 2000, Fox released X-Men directed by Bryan Singer. Lauren Shuler Donner, the wife of Superman director Richard Donner, hired this young USC alumni Kevin Feige to be an associate producer. It became a critical and financial success, a first for Marvel Studios.
But it can be argued that it was 2002's Spider-Man, directed by Sam Raimi, that truly ushered in this new era of comic book movies.
With the success of the X-Men and Spider-Man franchise, both overseen by Kevin Feige, Feige became president of Marvel Studios in 2007.
Around this time, Keven Feige had a crazy idea. To create a cinematic universe with whatever characters Marvel still had the movie rights to. Starting with Iron Man in 2008, about a B-list superhero character. A genius, billionaire playboy philanthropist who fights crime in a hi-tech suit. And no, I am not talking about Batman. Directed by Jon Favreau, who was known for directing comedies at the time, and starring Robert Downy Jr., a man whose fame was declining due to drug abuse and tabloid controversy. This film had so much going against it. There's no way it can succeed.
And yet it did.
Iron Man grossed over $500 Million worldwide and received critical acclaim. Its success led to two sequels, and Marvel's other characters such as Thor and Captain America to have their big screen adaptations.
In 2012, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk all joined forces in the mega-crossover event film, The Avengers. Directed by Firefly and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon. The film was probably the riskiest block buster since the Lord of the Rings trilogy. How can so many characters share the same amount of screen-time without making it feel convoluted?
With a witty script, tons of great character moments, and a shameless sense of humor, The Avengers got everything right. It received great reviews, grossed over $1 Billion, and ushered in a new era of Hollywood. The era of shared cinematic universes. For better or worse.
Since then, Marvel has been on a winning streak with hit after hit. They've established themselves as a brand name similar to Pixar. When you see their name on a poster, you can expect nothing less than high-quality entertainment.
Aw yes. And how was poor DC during this time?
Their resume in the 2000s and 2010s has been pretty mixed. On one hand, they had Christopher Nolan's highly successful and highly influential Dark Knight trilogy. On the other hand, they also released duds such as Superman Returns and Green Lantern. With The Avengers making over $1 Billion, and Man of Steel underperforming both critically and financially, Warner Bros. eyes went as green as the Hulk. They ditched their original plans for a Man of Steel 2 (which might actually be coming back) for a Batman/Superman crossover, starring Ben Affleck as the caped crusader.
The film was just as risky as The Avengers. Maybe even more so. Not only did it have Batman and Superman, the two most iconic superheroes of all time, finally meeting on the big screen and duking it out mano y mano. But it also featured the big screen debut of Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot.
It received backlash from fans even before its release with its controversial casting decisions, the inclusion of Doomsday, and rumored behind the scenes troubles. But even with so much going against it, can it still succeed?
...
No matter what your feelings of the film are, whether you loved it or hated it, we can all agree it didn't exactly live up to expectations. I mean, it's Batman vs Superman! Featuring Wonder Woman! How can we not have high expectations?!?!?
The film got panned by critics, with a majority of them praising Ben Affleck as Batman. And while the film made over $800 Million, which is more than most movies make, it fell short of the $1 Billion gross Warner Bros. was expecting.
But hey, maybe Suicide Squad, a film that has the Joker and Harley Quinn, can fix that, right? Right? RIGHT?!?!?
Ugh....
Just like Batman v Superman, the film was panned by critics, with many praising a few of the performances particularly Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. And although the film is making money so far, the film has to make at least $800 Million just to break even. And with the mixed word of mouth, and the fact that China will not allow the U.S. to release it there, it seems unlikely it will reach that goal.
And just to add salt to the wound, an ex-employee wrote a harsh open letter to Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara and Zack Snyder criticizing them for their slate, and how they have treated their employees. It even hinted that Wonder Woman, the next DC movie, is a mess!
So again I ask... What's the deal with DC movies?
Well, let's look at Marvel for a second. They've taken B-list, even C-list, characters and made them popular in our culture. Think about it. There's a whole generation of kids who know more about The Avengers than they do about the Justice League. How? How do movies like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy manage to make such a connection to audiences?
A lot of it has to do with the filmmakers they choose to helm these projects.
Joss Whedon, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, and the Russo Brothers. Marvel doesn't just pick filmmakers that are talented. They pick filmmakers that genuinely love the material. They choose filmmakers that love and adore these characters, and want to do them justice. And that love and affection shows on screen. We love these characters because the filmmakers do.
Take a look at DC's own Dark Knight trilogy. Christopher Nolan may not have read the comics growing up. But he is still a huge fan of the character and mythology. He put so much love and care into crafting his own tale of the Dark Knight, and it really shows.
Zack Snyder, as talented as he may be, may not have been the best choice for Superman in retrospect. He has gone on record to say that he never liked reading the comics when he was a kid, and was more into darker material. Which explains why his Superman is so dark and violent. And Superman is supposed to be the opposite of Batman. Snyder fits more with Watchmen or 300. Comic stories that fit his style. I actually think he's a better fit for Batman. After all, Batman was one of the things Snyder got right, and one of the highlights of Batman v Superman. I don't hate Zack Snyder. I believe he's a talented filmmaker with a unique style and vision. I just feel like he shines when he's adapting material that fits that style and vision.
But wait. David Ayer is clearly a fan of Suicide Squad and the Joker. So how come that film didn't work?
That brings me to another point. Studio interference.
Let us look at Marvel again. Sure, their films are clearly studio driven. But even the executives are fans of the material and want to bring out the best product possible. They know when to leave the filmmakers alone to their vision, and when it's time to interfere. And sure, it may not always work. But for every Iron man 2, there's an Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc.
Let us look at The Dark Knight trilogy once again. Those films are the definition of filmmaker driven blockbusters. Warner Bros. gave Christopher Nolan time between films to decompress and make the films he wanted like Inception and The Prestige. And it led to a better product every time.
The DC Cinematic Universe feels more concerned with catching up to Marvel as opposed to making a good movie. We've all heard of the production troubles of Suicide Squad, and how it had to go through reshoots. And those problems really show on the screen. The film feels so inconsistent in tone, and has no clear idea of what it wants to be. It can't decide if it wants to be dark and edgy, or light-hearted and fluffy. It felt like a response to the mixed reception of Batman v Superman being too dark and heavy. And ironically enough, Batman v Superman was a response to Man of Steel's mixed response for its overly violent climax and controversial decision to have Superman kill Zod.
And this brings me to the final point... Vision.
No. Not that Vision!
THAT Vision! The vision of one man who is clearly steering the ship. A man who has a mapped out plan for what he wants his cinematic universe to be. He's like the George Lucas of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (And ironically, both went to USC).
Kevin Feige is a fan. A fan of superheroes and science fiction. He grew up obsessed with Marvel superheroes. But more than that, he has experience in the film business. He's produced hits and flops for Fox and Sony. But he clearly learned form those flops to be a successful film producer.
Kevin Feige and his team didn't just plan for the next five years. Or even the next ten years. But perhaps even the next twenty, thirty, fifty, one hundred years! Feige is a man who knows what he's doing!
Again, look at The Dark Knight trilogy. Those films felt like the work of a true visionary who had a plan for where he wanted his story to go.
Look at the classic Superman and Batman films by Richard Donner and Tim Burton respectively. Richard Donner had a grand cinematic vision for the Man of Steel. He made a film that was light and fluffy, but also felt deep and human. It was full of charm and wit, but also had themes of loss and responsibility.
Even though Tim Burton may not have been a fan of the comics, he could relate to Batman's eccentric nature and the fact that he's an outsider. Tim Burton brought his own pain, his own imagination, his own vision to the character. He crafted a film that was goofy and campy, but also dark and serious. It felt cartoonish and childish, but also adult. It was a bizarre blockbuster with a lot of heart and a deeper meaning. It was unlike anything at the time.
And at the end of the day, those are the kinds of blockbusters that make an impact. The kind that push the envelope of what's possible. The kind that give us what we want, but also what we never knew we wanted. Something familiar, but different.
That's how the Marvel movies have managed to be such successes. They each give us something fresh and new. They are made from filmmakers who have something to share with us.
I don't think any of us knew that we wanted a movie with a talking tree and a raccoon. But man did we eat it up with a spoon!
We all wanted a movie with Batman and Superman. I mean, how can you not? But when it finally arrived, we couldn't help but feel underwhelmed by it. I mean, it had everything we knew we wanted. Batman and Superman on the big screen, including Wonder Woman. But it was missing something. It was missing the heart and soul that makes a blockbuster so winning. It felt more like it was made by a committee rather than a filmmaker. That's a huge problem with blockbusters lately. Especially in 2016.
So many films feel like they are made by studios trying desperately to connect with audiences. They look at statistics and charts to observe what people are into these days. If a dark, realistic superhero movie like The Dark Knight does insanely well, there are twenty dark superhero movies made. If an R-rated superhero comedy like Deadpool does really well, expect at least ten more R-rated superhero movies. They may break the fourth wall like Deadpool. They may be raunchy and edgy like Deadpool. But they will never capture the magic of Deadpool.
If only studios took more risks and trusted visionary directors to helm their tentpole films, maybe the box office wouldn't suffer as much. And maybe DC wouldn't be in the state that it's in right now.
The world may need Superman. But DC needs a Kevin Feige. More than anything...
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