Marvel vs. DC, the age-old debate. In nerd culture, it’s up there with Star Wars vs. Star Trek, but the argument has taken on a little more weight in recent years now that each company has set its respective sight on the cinema space. Undoubtedly, buoyed by the success of Iron Man and its likeminded Phase One standalone films, Marvel has hit the ground running, leaving DC to engineer hype for its ensemble Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice before spinning out solo movies.
In fact, now that the chips are down, with both studios revealing their movie slates all the way up to 2019, fans have been given an early indication of what to expect from the admittedly crowded superhero genre.
However, while Marvel is traditionally known for its more light-hearted take on comic book affairs, DC is synonymous with gritty crime stories rooted in realism, and according to Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara, that trend is set to continue in the medium of film.
The worlds of DC are very different. They’re steeped in realism, and they’re a little bit edgier than Marvel’s movies. The key thing is that the movies and the television shows and the games, everything looks very different… you have to be able to take advantage of the diversity of these characters.
Tsujihara’s comments may be music to the ears of ardent DC fans, as excitement mounts for the likes of Aquaman and Wonder Woman standalone films. But there is one looming question that remains: is the superhero genre nearing its ceiling? Indeed, will all sections of the audience grow weary of characters in tights when studios begin churning out three, four and possibly five per year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
