[ad_1]
Does a comic book movie need to build a franchise or tease other films to “matter”? That’s the question fans are debating on social media as speculation runs rampant about James Gunn and Peter Safran’s plans for DC. The new co-heads of Warner Bros.’ DC Studios could potentially reboot DC’s live-action universe. Will the duo truly scrap everything that has come before and start the cinematic universe from scratch, or will it be a soft reboot with some elements from Gunn’s DC work remaining? Only time will tell. Gunn assured fans that more details will be revealed soon, but for now, all eyes are on Warner Bros. and DC Studios, which still has four live-action movies on the slate for 2023: Blue Beetle, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. But if those movies don’t have a future in Gunn and Safran’s plans, fans are questioning whether they should invest their time and hard-earned money into these projects.
Does a comic book movie need to be a franchise builder to matter? First and foremost, a similar question pops up in the comic book community all the time. “If a story isn’t canon, does it matter?” The answer is yes. It matters regardless of whether it connects to other stories. At the end of the day, a good story is a good story — it’s about the journey, not the destination. There are so many exceptional comic book stories that aren’t canon. Batman alone has several that come to mind: The Dark Knight Returns, Gotham by Gaslight, The Imposter, and Year 100 — just to name a few. This applies to Superman, too! Some of the hero’s most beloved adventures aren’t part of the main DC Universe: All-Star Superman, Red Son, Speeding Bullets, and Secret Identity all exist outside of DC’s main continuity. Like Vision said in Avengers: Age of Ultron, a thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts.
If a movie needs to rely on teasing another movie to be interesting, it has failed. Plain and simple. For all we know, Blue Beetle, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom could be thrilling character-driven movies. Even if they don’t go anywhere, the experience is what should matter most. After all, now that Henry Cavill has revealed his time as Superman is over, will Man of Steel fans think any less of the movie? Do Zack Snyder’s fans refuse to rewatch his Justice League because it’s unlikely they’ll ever get to see what happens after the Darkseid tease? Or are they grateful they got to experience that story? Fans still rewatch Dredd (2012) even though it’s unlikely to ever get a sequel because it’s an awesome ride. Fans who enjoy these stories will still watch them, and the same could hold true for DC’s live-action films in 2023.
Whether Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Blue Beetle, The Flash, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods connect to the future of the DC Universe really shouldn’t matter. That said, it does matter to countless fans, and it’s easy to understand why the universe potentially dying is such a bummer. Becoming a fan of a cinematic universe is a big investment, both emotionally and financially. It may seem silly to some, but these fictional universes offer invaluable escapism. So, to see the DC Extended Universe — a universe that has been around for about ten years now — potentially conclude without any real closure is frustrating for fans, especially after the hype surrounding Cavill’s “return” as Superman in Black Adam. But this conversation goes beyond personal experience. Expectations for comic book movies have changed, too.
Since the success of Marvel Studios, it often feels like comic book movies prioritize building franchises over telling compelling stand-alone stories. Every comic book movie is made to feel like it needs to be an event. What will this mean for the character’s sequel, or will they be in a team later on? Who’s making a cameo? What happens in the after-credits scene? It feels like the conversation surrounding every big comic book movie nowadays is about everything except for, “Was this a good movie?” And that’s a problem. Yes, as comic book fans it’s legitimately exciting seeing characters making their cinematic debuts, but this constant need for cinematic universes to grow and grow is concerning. Sometimes the smallest, character-driven stories make the strongest impact, and fans shouldn’t need to look to the future instead of simply appreciating what is already in front of them. It’s important to appreciate stories that are done well regardless of what it means for the respective universe.
If comic book movies really want to do the fans justice, the focus needs to be on the lead characters above all else. Is the film staying true to the biggest selling points of these classic heroes and villains while also offering fans a new experience? That’s what really matters. The lead characters, the main stories, and their themes. Not the easter eggs, what comes next, or who makes a cameo. Consider all of those things an added bonus. Having one exceptional movie is better than having several films that are only remembered because of what they teased and which familiar faces popped in. So, do Blue Beetle, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom matter? Are they worth seeing even if their stories end after those films? That will ultimately depend on how they handle these fan-favorite heroes and the quality of the movie, regardless of whether we’ll see them again after the credits roll. And if they aren’t good… well, at least we’ll always have the comics.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods opens on March 17, 2023; The Flash on June 16; Blue Beetle on Aug. 18; Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on Dec. 25.
[ad_2]
Source link