Marvel Heads Toward Avengers, DC Heads for Imminent Change

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on June 24, 2008

DC Justice League and Marvel Avengers

Earlier this afternoon I made my regular stop over to Nikki Finke’s site Deadline Hollywood Daily to see what was what in the world of tormenting the Hollywood brass, when I came across an incredibly interesting article titled “A Reboot of DC Comics Before Comic-Con?” In the article, Finke plays outsider, discussing from afar the various problems that have been exposed in the operations of DC Comics and parent company Time Warner that have led to some fanboy uprisings and some seriously flawed film productions. It reminded me of a discussion I had a while back with some of the other editors here at FSR, an analyzation of why DC, with the obvious exception of Christopher Nolan’s Batman franchise, has really floundered with their cinematic adaptations.

What really blows my mind is that the rights to DC’s library of stories is held solely by Warner Brothers, allowing them to virtually do anything they want with the DC Universe. If they wanted to make a Justice League movie they could very well… Oh wait, they tried that. It has been pronounced dead in development. It is problems like these, as well as a waning standing in actual comic sales, that seem to have put DC Comics Senior VP Dan DiDio’s head on the chopping block and Warner Bros. President/COO Alan Horn in the cross hairs of many fans.

Ironically, this article could not have come at a worse time for DC, as on the same day director Jon Favreau, whose Iron Man proved that Marvel’s decision to seek autonomy with their films by creating Marvel Studios was nothing short of brilliant, talked to the USA Today about the Avengers film, which is set to hit theaters in the summer of 2011. Favs talked about the potential line-up of the Avengers film, saying “the ones Marvel is talking about now are Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and Iron Man. I would love to see that.”

You see, for Marvel Studios it is still all about rights. They currently still own the rights to these five characters, whereas the rights to the X-Men and The Fantastic Four are held by 20th Century Fox and the rights to Spider-Man are held by Sony. This is the only thing standing in their way of bringing these characters into the fold — though I don’t think that fans will have a problem with that, as they are just excited about the possibility of a well-made Avengers film. And why shouldn’t they be excited — with the success of both Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, Marvel has proved that once they had the rights to make the movies that they wanted to make, they have come up with gold. One would think that the same is possible for DC, as the rights issue isn’t something that stands in their way. Unfortunately, it appears that having the rights to your own catalog of superheroes has nothing to do with making good movies.

What do you think of the Avengers line-up that Jon Favreau mentioned? As well, what do you think is wrong with DC?


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  • juggernaut
    As far as The Avengers line-up that was announced it seems like a good solid team. they should also include Wasp, making it an even six members(providing that The Hulk is actually a member of the team and not the villain.) as well as include a female member. There are oyher female Avengers, but none of them were a part of the original team. DC is a different breed of comic movie. For the exeption of Batman all of the characters have very colorful outfits and almost over the top powers and ideals. which make them harder to convey in film. The marvel universe is set in the real world as we know it and therefore makes the setting, stories and people easier to relate to. If DC could tone down the color and sheer unbelievability of their universe they could pull of films like Marvel has done so well.
  • I'm liking the Avengers line-up. It's about superheroes that I don't know that much about yet. And they can bring in the more popular ones in sequels, etc.
  • The Batman franchise is doing fine for DC. It might even be the biggest movie this year. However, they blew it badly with Superman Returns when Lex Luthor conspired to pull a real estate scam...AGAIN! The other thing they blew is not following through with Joss Wheadon for Wonder Woman. I believe that for once a female superhero had a chance to leap in the big leagues with Joss Wheadon directing. He has an excellent track record with an established fan base.
  • FAKER!
    i agree with juggernaut. DC comics are traditionally (apart from batman and superman) played out with characters that are very unrelatable. With the exception of a few..ie the flash and green lantern (the only 2 i can think of right now), most of their characters have superpowers and origins that will be hard to convey to the masses.
    i know theres a film about Shazam coming out but its gonna be hard to pull in audiences for that one...a kid who matures into a fully fledged adult with superpowers via the mere mention of a magic word...cant see that going down as well as Iron Man.
    Anyway, the crunch of it is, perharps DC do need a reboot or relaunch a la The Incredible Hulk. The main characters do not need to be altered so much, however their origins, their worlds..can be updated to bring it in line with the recent surge in superhero movies.

    P.S. is it too soon to ask for a superman reboot or relaunch like TIH?? superman returns was like spidey 3 in my eyes...it brought in the bucks but it was a major major failure in terms of moviemaking. New director (louis letterier anyone?) new cast....new everything!
  • Juggernaut: I agree about Wasp, it would be great to see her in the film, especially since her and Hank Pym go literally hand-in-hand and he's already in it. I disagree about DC needing to be more believable. DC's heroes are more of a Pantheon of mythological Gods, and would make an awe-inspiring transition into cinema if they were treated as such. For instance, the trailer for Superman Returns really got my hopes up with a chilling Marlon Brando voice over saying something like "they are good people, they wish to be. They just need a light to guide them. It's for this reason I've sent them you, my only son". That's perfect for a really spectacular re-introduction to Superman; he should be there to lift us up and inspire us. I got the impression from the preview that this would have been the underlying moral of the movie, not... umm... don't trust bald guys.

    Also, regarding Ant-man: I thought the Ant-Man film was going to be a separate entity from the Avengers series of films, and would be centered around the Kirkman version of the character. Has this changed? It wouldn't make much sense if Marvel released a movie next year about Kirkman's Ant-Man and then put the Hank Pym Ant-Man in the Avengers film.
  • doctorwho904
    WELL, I GOT TO I AM EXITED ABOUT Avengers. but i am nerves about the the relese date . cause what I thought was great about iorn man was the script was realy well fleshed out . And it was very very smart of marvel to tie in the Jonney Stark in The Incredble Hulk . but I think it Could be Etheir one of two Things . 1 It could be great summer blockbuster ( expelly if Jon favrou directs and writes ) or we could get A disater . like ... dare I say the worst super-hero movie ever made Batman and robin ? But seeing Jon favros work in iron man I think it will be good . and I don't know about ant-man . And the thing about dc . is I feel There not trying as hard To turn there comics into movies as much as marvel dose . and I think one reason might be cause . there characters a bit to simuler . and Their Big cash Crop is the reserection of batman Takes three years to make a sequil and Superman Is MORE hard to explain than the characters in marvel. also i think the MAIN PROBLEN WITH DC COMICS ARE THEY DON'T PLAY AS WELL TOWARDS THE AUDINCE . CAUSE DC IS MORE ALIENS FROM OTHER WORLDS AND NOT SAY A TEENAGER IN NEW YORK THATS BITTEN BY A SPIDER .
  • Nish
    The Avengers line-up sounds good, but Im not too keen on Ant-Man as a superhero. The problem with DC is that they have unrelateable characters that frankly aren't that good. They don't have interesting back stories and most powers are pretty lame. Also, the bad guys, with the exception of Batman's nemesis are also pretty lame and normally just normal people gone completely crazy. However, maybe they should introduce flaws into thier charcters, give Batman a serious drinking problem, make Superman disillusioned with saving humanity from its own destruction. if they made their characters a bit more believeable and a bit more human, then they could be onto something. And give the bad guys cool powers.
  • doctorwho904
    I 100 percent agree with nish on "DC is that they have unrelateable characters that frankly aren’t that good."
  • I can't believe what I'm hearing. Unrelatable characters? For the most part, the major theme of all DC heroes is a balance between immense responsibility and alienation from humanity. I'll give you that DC characters are (sort of) more prone to being mythic or magical, but Marvel has it's fair share.

    And suggesting Batman get a drinking problem is ridiculous - the guy has some of the worst (most related) problems in the comic universe. And, Superman did have a crisis of faith in Superman Returns (which most people think sucked apparently).

    I say DC should stick to what makes DC great and not try to reformulate based on what another comic universe is doing. And I don't even understand that point - Bruce Banner is definitely a humane character, as is Tony Stark, but who else is Marvel going to make relatable? Thor?

    What I can see is the origin differences. DC uses magic. Marvel uses science. Basically.
  • Jazzmin
    I cant believe what any of you are saying, clearing some of you are on Marvel's side because they have Iron Man. Which was a good movie but not better than The Hulk. It would be stupid if they make a Justice League or Avengers movie, you already have an Iron Man and Hulk movie why do you need to put them together. Same goes with DC, you already have Batman and Superman movies. DC doesnt have as many characters as Marvel but some are related to people. Some people need to stop comparing Tony Stark and Bruce Banner they are different in many ways. What they need to do rather than make a Thor movie or Ant Man movie, they should make a Black Panther movie or another F4 movie.
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