10 Things We Love About The DC Extended Universe

1) They Take Risks (Even When Some Don’t Want Them To)

Where were YOU when they unveiled Jared Leto’s Joker and his tattoos angered many a person? How many “this is not MY Superman” comments did you see after Supes snapped Zod’s neck in Man of Steel? The DCEU is well-known for its dark tone, but it’s the risks they take with their characters and plots that stand out the most. The redesigns with SS‘s characters, the characterization of Batman and Superman compared to previous iterations – all divisive. The choices don’t always work, but at least WB is brave enough to take bold new directions with their characters.

All too often, studios feel like playing it safe is the only logical way. They fear the wrath of internet personalities and critics as they may not like the new direction. However, this only leads to stagnant growth within the genre and doesn’t allow the movies (and their characters) to evolve. For example, look how Superman Returns adopted the same tone of the Richard Donner Superman films. Instead of going in a new direction, they went with what worked before, leading to an overall lackluster reboot. Even if Man of Steel wasn’t to your liking, it offered a fresh interpretation of the Superman mythos.

Going forward, the DCEU is unlikely to play it any safer with increasingly unique directors and characters. It’s difficult to say whether the back-and-forth the studio is having with the critics will stop anytime soon, but regardless, the DC Extended Universe has plenty of promise and it’ll be enjoyable seeing where things go. A divisive future perhaps, but no doubt a promising one.