DCEU has been facing a lot of problems over the last couple of years. With major releases like Justice League falling flat on their face and other ideas just not working out ( *Ahem* Ben Affleck’s solo Batman venture * cough*) DCEU seems to be on the ropes. Matters have been made even worse because the new DC animated universe glorifies why DCEU failed and reminds us of all the bad things. This new DC animated universe is different from DCAMU and includes Superman: Man of Tomorrow, Justice Society: World War II, Batman: The Long Halloween Part One, Batman: The Long Halloween, Part 2, and the upcoming Green Lantern: Beware My Power.
At the time of the release of the first movies, there was no indication that these films would be part of a shared universe but after the release of the new trailer for Green Lantern: Beware My Power there remains no doubt. You see, the trailer features Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, and Green Arrow. These characters were part of other movies and hence this indicates that DC’s new animated universe is a reality and all the animated features released up until now have a shared universe. This is great news for DC fans who are looking for meaningful content but it is also a tight slap to the face of DCEU. Let me explain what I mean by that.
New DCAMU Shows Why DCEU Failed
The biggest flaw of DCEU was that the universe simply went from being about one superhero to being a movie about the entire Justice League. There was no build-up, no anticipation, no metaphorical edging involved in the transition. This gave the entire thing a ‘for granted’ feel where the audiences did not have to work to get the team of their dreams. Moreover, there is a lot to be said about how the team was introduced. Wonder Woman simply showed up in the movie. She had no idea about Doomsday and had no intent to battle either Batman or Superman.
Moreover, she was not actively investigating Luthor Jr. for being anything beyond mildly offensive and boorish. The entire encounter between her and Wayne is manufactured and it feels as such. The only thing good about these DCEU movies was their aesthetic and music. They were a visual and auditory treat but the entire concept of these movies was to create an engaging shared universe which they failed to do. Part of the reason for this was a personal tragedy for Zack Snyder and another part of the reason was just overall shitty scripting for the said movies.
We thought that DC would use the opportunity of creating a shared universe to showcase their darkest stories. Instead, what we received was a set of loosely connected action pieces. Batman V Superman‘s Luthor had a convoluted plan that stopped making sense halfway through the movie. No one could understand their motivations. Why did he want to kill God? Because no God ever came down to save him from Daddy’s wrath? That is quite a weak argument.
The Future
On the other hand, the new DCAMU has made sure to introduce all of its characters with proper origin stories over time. This allows for the characters to be fleshed out. It also ensures that the audiences grow familiar with the new actors in a way that breeds love and loyalty. To that end, the most interesting thing about the new DCAMU is also the very reason why DCEU failed. It is quite ironic but it is what it is.
We think that DCEU and Warner Bros will benefit from adopting a new storyline with several new characters in a shared universe. This will only become possible when the studio takes its time to create what needs to be created and showcases it to the audience with a steady stream of content. Patience is always the real key to creating a shared universe. It is, and will forever be, a slow burn.
Let us know what you think about this down in the comments and keep watching this space for everything Marvel, DC, and Hollywood. Excelsior!!!
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