If there is a single, universal truth, it is surely that everything is connected. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Just as our own daily lives intersect and impact upon each other, so does artistic output – and when it comes to the fledgling DC Extended Universe, artistic output is key. Comic books have long been appreciated as the very specific art form that they are, but when the art of comic books is married with the art of filmmaking, something truly magical is born. While we have been enjoying that marriage between Marvel comic books and Marvel Studios for almost a decade now, it is the DC cinematic adaptations that are currently getting fans hot under the collar.
Comparisons between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe are inevitable, because Marvel has achieved unprecedented success with its universe development, while DC has so far lagged behind in the universe development stakes. But, the truth is, the only thing that connects these two mammoth undertakings, is the fact that they both feature superheroes. Beyond that, everything is very different – as we will discover with the release of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice on March 25th, 2016. Building on the firm foundation of 2013’s Man Of Steel, Zack Snyder’s forthcoming superhero smackdown will make film history and herald a new age for the superhero genre.
Rather than taking a phased approach in the same way as Marvel, DC has already booked the release dates of ten DCEU movies – featuring both solo films and team endeavours – with the possibility of additional, potential titles being added in to the plan as time moves on.
This flexibility is the result of an outside-the-box thought process – moving the whole thing away from the convention which dictates that franchise characters need origin stories. Instead, most plot threads and character arcs will branch out from Dawn Of Justice. At the same time, while the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, essentially, a decade of films about white men, the DCEU promises a much more diverse experience from the start, both in front of and behind the camera.
All of this means that DC is radiating confidence, and it is a confidence that fans of superhero movies have been longing to see. It is the confidence of an iconic, globally-respected comic book brand finally embracing its own, giant potential, and working to give its audience the best possible cinematic universe it can deliver. The DC stable of characters features some of the most fascinating and compelling comic book figures ever created, and with the DCEU, we are about to see them come together, on the big screen, in a stunning and groundbreaking way.
