There are few rivalries in pop culture more fierce than the eternal battle between comic book powerhouses Marvel and DC. Just last decade, things were civil enough between the two companies for them to come together for such fan-pleasing crossovers as JLA/Avengers. Nowadays, though, with the studios competing for space on cinema screens, things are much more heated. And this is something that’s spilled over to the fans, too, as any superhero lover on social media has surely come across needlessly vicious debates on the topic.
For one prominent comic book movie director, though, enough is enough. Guardians of the Galaxy‘s James Gunn has taken to Twitter to call for fans of both superhero universes to stop arguing. What sparked Gunn’s diatribe was the “screaming match” that resulted from him congratulating Zachary Levi for landing the role of Shazam over in the DC corner. To Gunn, these overzealous fans are just “wasting energy” and should be bonding over their shared love of comic books rather than competing.
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/924327986324578305
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/924328204487163904
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/924328599557046274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fscreenrant.com%2Fjames-gunn-marvel-vs-dc-fighting%2F
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/924328884887158784
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/924329119592017920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fscreenrant.com%2Fjames-gunn-marvel-vs-dc-fighting%2F
Hear hear!
Gunn isn’t the first comic book filmmaker to cross the supposed “divide” between the studios and congratulate the other side. Kevin Feige and Geoff Johns, the two creative heads of Marvel and DC, are old colleagues and have also swapped praise for each other’s movies in the past.
Despite James Gunn‘s pleas, though, we’re sadly not sure it’ll make much of a difference. In terms of the debate over Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, that’ll no doubt rage for many more years to come. Zack Snyder’s moody team-up movie even split the DC fandom itself, with many despising it with a fiery passion. We all hate certain films, though – the trick is in not insulting other’s opinions as you talk about your own. If in doubt, just think what would the Avengers/Justice League do?
Tell us, how do you feel about Marvel/DC in-fighting? Have your say in the comments section below.
