DC vs. Marvel -- Will A Movie Ever Happen Between These Two Titans?
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Awesome Applesauce: Charles Quevedo
DC & Marvel Comics, two of the most powerful companies in the comic industry, have always battled over the money of both children and adults for decades. They dazzle us with superheros in flashy costumes and provide us with unbelievable storylines that keep us turning the pages.
Children will sometimes pick certain superheros (like "Superman" and "The Hulk") from both publishing houses and imagine what it would be like if they could actually cross universes and actually battle each other in a toe-to-toe match. It's something that makes a comic book nerd giddy with excitement.
Since the whole Comic-Con 2010 thing is going on (July 22-25), it got me thinking on how cool it would be to have a Battle Royal-type battle (but on a much grander scale) between heros from both DC & Marvel Comics. DC & Marvel Comics have actually brought their characters together in printed crossovers before. In the late 1970's, the comic, "Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man", came out. The comics, "Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk" and "The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans", then followed up in the 1980's. There was a long break in collabaration between the two companies until the 2000's when they renewed their partnership for other crossovers (some good storylines, some bad).
Now, imagine a vast quantity of the DC and Marvel characters in a single full-blown theatrical movie together, battling it out in godly warfare. Pretty cool idea, huh?
Although it would be cool to watch this kind of thing on the big screen in movie theaters, I just DON'T see it happening . Why? Here's why ...
First, nobody (especially their fans) wants to see superheros battle each other. They're supposed to be the "good guys". If they were to battle one another in a movie, which side wins? The DC or Marvel characters? Choosing one side of characters to win over the other would probably turn the comic industry upside down. If both DC & Marvel characters were to combine forces and battle a menace that threatened both their universes, then that's a different story.
Second, DC & Marvel Comics would both probably have to come out with superhero movies of their individual characters (their most popular ones) first before putting them together all in a single movie. Individuals who DON'T read comics on a regular basis would want to know the characters' backgrounds and personalities before seeing them in a big ensemble movie (probably the reason why "Iron Man", "The Hulk", "Thor", and "Captain America" are getting their own individual movies before being thrown together in the upcoming "The Avengers"). At the moment, Marvel seems to be coming out with a load of movies based on their characters (the fact that Marvel owns their own studio is a big factor in this) more than DC.
Third, having that many superheros in a movie of such a scale woud probably push the movie's time to OVER 3 hours. Most movie goers usually squirm in their seats if the movie is heading towards the 2 1/2 hour mark. It's possible that a long DC/Marvel storyline could be stretched into a "trilogy" (three movies connected by a single story or theme)
Fourth, it would be too expensive. Providing "digital effects" for just "one" superhero in a movie is costly as it is. Imagine the cost of digital effects for a horde of superheros. A studio (or multiple studios collabarating in partnership) would be spending most of their budget on just digital effects alone.
An idea like this coming to life on the big screen would be totally awesome, but I actually don't see this happening until 25 years in the future. For now, it's just wishful thinking.
Follow Charles on Twitter: @FuglyCharlie