It’s no secret that the superhero genre is dominating the film industry. But dating back to the comic books themselves, there’s been a long rivalry between powerhouse studios Marvel and DC. This rivalry only seemingly continued thanks to the shared universes currently occupying theaters. But I’m honestly tired of the DC versus Marvel narrative… and it sounds like James Gunn is too.
While fans are often comparing the DCU and MCU and putting them against each other, plenty of talent has worked with both studios. Chief among them is James Gunn, who helmed the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as well as The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. Gunn was also named new co-CEO of the DCU, so he’s got a unique perspective on both studios. And while I’m over the supposed rivalry between DC and Marvel, it seems like the 56 year-old filmmaker agrees. As he recently told Yahoo:
People have this weird belief that Marvel and DC hate each other or somehow are polar opposites. But it’s just not the truth. I mean, listen, man, our job is the same. We want to get people into the theaters to see movies. That’s what matters. And I think that we work together to do that. And the more good Marvel movies are, the better it is for DC movies. The more good DC movies, the better it is for Marvel movies.
Now that’s what I’m talking about. Since the two studios usually don’t run movies that compete with each other, there’s really no need for the narrative of their rivalry. As far as Gunn is concerned, they’re both doing the same job. And he’s not the only artist to have worked with both studios. Besides, why can’t we just enjoy what each unique universe offers?
Of course, not everyone out there seems to agree with James Gunn like I do. Jared Leto is actually a fan of the rivalry, as he thinks competition can end up making both studios up their game. But I have to assume that the comparisons are only contributing to superhero fatigue; allowing each shared universe to stand uniquely on its own could avoid this. Gunn’s new co-CEO Peter Safran also previously called the rivalry “bullshit”, so at least that pair is agreed on this issue.
While the DC/Marvel rivalry dates back to the comics, things seemed to get especially heated once their respective shared universes began competing at the box office. While the MCU is a well-oiled machine, the DC Universe has had more peaks and valleys. And Zack Snyder’s bleak tone in projects like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice stood in juxtaposition to the family-friendly adventures from Marvel. From there the comparisons and supposed rivalry only increased.
I’m hoping that Gunn’s new role at DC will help put an end to the Marvel/DC rivalry narrative, which has also been combated by none other than The Rock. Gunn is crafting the next 10 years of upcoming DC movies, and is seemingly focused on creating a more interconnected franchise. And if more talent ping pongs between the two studios, maybe it’ll finally prove that there’s no bad blood. Only time will tell, but it’s clear that both franchises are here to stay.
Marvel fans can celebrate the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which hit theaters this weekend. The next DC movie hitting theaters is The Flash on June 23rd. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
