2022 was another milestone year for comics powerhouses Marvel Studios and DC Films. Iconic IPs like Batman have been revitalized, streaming has evolved to new levels, and a record six of his MCU Disney+ projects have premiered on streamers.
In true yin and yang spirit, there are also some troughs to all the peaks both franchises have climbed this year. It’s working to continue its movie franchise dynasty. Meanwhile, DC is making big moves toward the future while navigating its tumultuous past.
While there is no “war” between the red and blue brands, friendly competition between the two is essential to the growth of the comic book film/TV genre. Let’s take a look at Marvel and DC’s biggest wins and losses in 2022.
Marvel Win: Bob Iger is back!
This is a win for the Disney company as a whole, as the former CEO of Disney returned to his role two years after leaving the company. replaces Bob Chapek.
This is a big deal for Marvel, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is expected to return to the Infinity Saga formula. It means re-establishing an ideology of quality over quantity, rather than doing.
More than anything, this is a sign that Eiger and Disney are about to join the dance first and let Kevin Feige do the cooking. , let’s wait for Eiger and Feige to return to their roots.
DC Wynn: James Gunn and Peter Safran
After nearly a decade of unfortunate circumstances, poor planning, and catering to multiple, polarizing audiences, the DCEU is undergoing a complete transformation. Leading the way are Warner Bros. veteran Peter Safran and Marvel legend-turned-his DC superstar James Gunn.
Despite the loud few fans blindly assuming James Gunn is going to fail, everything he’s shown in the past points to great future success for DC. Revealing the goal is to recreate the DC Universe in film and television, capturing the magic that has made the brand so iconic.
The biggest win so far is Gunn’s incredible transparency. One of the most glaring problems of the previous DCEU administration is the combination of dubious announcements and vague hopes given to characters and actors.
Marvel Win: Ms. Marvel
Iman Verrani is widely loved for his role as fan-favorite Kamala Khan, but the Disney+ series’ biggest triumph comes in the final moments. Ms. Marvel is a mutant from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Reportedly, had it not been for the FOX/X-Men film rights situation, Kamala Khan would have originally been a mutant in the comics. can be viewed.
It also adds value to rumored reports that Disney won’t be able to recast X-Men characters used in FOX-Men properties until after 2026. Via non-X-Men characters such as Ms. Marvel and Namor. Introducing mutants into the MCU via the
DC Wynn: Batman
Batman is arguably the most important character in the DC Universe. Despite initial backlash, Robert Pattinson has proven himself worthy of the cape and cowl for the future of DC Films.
Successfully introducing a new Batman is already a big win, but what Matt Reeves was able to do is Batman The foundation for a new Gotham universe is set. To add excitement to it, James Gunn looks like he’s going to have Reeves do his thing in this version of the Caped Crusader and Gotham.
It’s also a great way to buy time with fans, as James Gunn takes the time to reintroduce more iconic DC characters in the DC Universe.
Marvel Win: Werewolves of the Night/Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
The rich get richer when Marvel Studios introduces an all-new way to tell one of the most elaborate cinematic stories ever told.Special lecture werewolf of the night When Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was a smash hit and a great sign of what this new medium will bring.
The biggest win of 2022 is Werewolf When Guardian Holiday Special Two completely different types of specials. One introduces all-new characters and corners of the MCU, and the other bridges the gap between his one project of the MCU’s most established IP. The limits of how Marvel Studios can use these projects to enhance the Universe are endless.
DC Wynn: Peacemaker
DC projects on TV have been a blast for the past decade. The CW era seems to be coming to an end, but the streaming wars are heating up in every Hollywood studio like never before. peacemaker It was DC’s first live-action attempt on HBO Max and was a home run.
Much like Marvel Studios, streaming series are universe-building tools that allow more characters to tell different kinds of stories. peacemaker A perfect example of a character that might not warrant a feature film, but was perfectly inserted into the next series Suicide Squad.
Marvel Loss: Multiverse of Madness/Love & Thunder
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness When Thor: Love & Thunder It’s not a financial loss for Marvel Studios. Their critical successes range from the MCU’s Top 10 to Bottom 10. The loss of these films puts the spotlight on the visual effects controversy with Marvel Studios in 2022.
VFX-heavy projects in quick succession (next Spider-Man: No Way Home) allowed visual artists to speak out about overworked VFX studios working with Marvel Studios. This problem starts at the beginning of the design process, planning ahead for your visual needs. This is a radical fix. Promised to fix it in the future.
DC Ross: Black Adam
The power hierarchy in the DCEU remained the same after the release of Dwayne Johnson’s long-awaited and promised game-changer. black adam. The movie was fine by all metrics, but the problem lies in Rock’s promise to change the DCEU forever, rebuild a new franchise, and be the face of it all. And fans were disappointed when the movie relied on every aspect of the FORMER DCEU. Shazam!
The cherry on top, of course, is Henry Cavill’s post-credits cameo appearance as Superman. That’s backed up by Johnson’s marketing strategy in the weeks leading up to the movie, which ruins Cavill’s looks (perhaps in an effort to get more attention).
The irony is palpable, as The Rock seems to have seen Henry Cavill as the key to making this film a success. What he didn’t realize was that the core foundations of the DCEU were broken. black adam The more we rely on the past, the more potential futures are buried for those characters. What many believed was that Cavill’s resurrection of Superman actually ended up being the final nail in the coffin.
Marvel Ross: Morbius
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in the process of being rebuilt. On the surface, this is a step back from the heights of Phase 3, but looking deeper, it’s positioning for something potentially bigger. end game Until now. For the most part, everything is fine on the MCU front…and then there’s Sony.
Sony Pictures’ most valuable asset is the film rights to Spider-Man. They’ve worked in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to help him in the MCU, but they’re also cheating in the Sony Spider-Man Universe.
Venom achieved cult success Venom: Let’s Carnage Introducing the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSMU) and MCU crossover idea, Morbius I put all my energy into the idea and made it taste sour. Spider-Man: No Way Home in a widely panned post-credits scene.
Arguably the biggest loss is the number of projects Sony has greenlit in the Spider-Man universe. These titles not only have the potential to take a piece off Marvel Studios’ board, they’re also taking away an actor who has a lot of fans his cast in the MCU.
DC Loss: Ezra Miller Saga
For nearly a decade, Warner Bros. flash On the big screen with former up-and-coming lead Ezra Miller. It was rumored that virtually every of her DC characters that had ever appeared in the film would appear, to prove just how important this movie was to her DCEU’s previous “plans.” flash.
Ezra Miller had one of PR’s worst runs after multiple reports of emotional abuse, assault, and toxic relationships. had a major impact on its marketability. A movie that was supposed to be the DCEU’s “soft reboot button” turned her into one of Hollywood’s most toxic projects.
Marvel Ross: Marvel Fatigue
The reality of the situation is that when the Marvel Cinematic Universe began, the first six films made up Phase 1 and were released over four years. The success of the MCU created demand from audiences and studios, and Phase 4 saw him release 17 movies, series, shorts and specials in his two years.
The 2020 loss forced a crowded launch of the MCU’s rebuilding phase. Disney+’s new tool has doubled the amount of important MCU content he has. MCUs are bigger than ever, and the gap between the worst and best projects is getting wider.
More niche and unique projects mean less overall buy-in from audiences. The goal is to recapture what Phase 3 brought us on a higher floor than ever before.
DC Ross: Leftovers
When flash Starting at the back of the count, black adam James Gunn and Peter Safran, whose previous DCEU activations failed, are now trying to hard reset the DCU and restart it. This means new stories are being told for some of DC’s most famous characters, including Superman and Wonder Woman.
Unfortunately, the DCEU still has four movies that haven’t been released yet, and they’re too late to stop now. Shazam! Wrath of the Gods, Flash, Blue Beetle, When Aquaman: Lost Kingdom All are slated for release in 2023 as expansions to the now-dead Cinematic Universe.
Fans of these characters will be in the first line of tickets, but if the general public learns that any and all of these characters will be rebooted in the next five years, it will be difficult to capture their interest. .
red, blue and 2022
Marvel and DC both have big wins and losses in 2022. DC’s downturn seems to overwhelm Marvel his studio’s struggles, but for the first time in a long time, it’s produced serious contenders for the year’s best comic book movie and live-action series.
Both brands will take another step forward in 2023.
Expect Marvel Studios to capitalize on the influx of new characters as the Hollywood giant attempts to repeat the cross-stage success of The Infinity Saga.
Warner Bros. Discovery will have to bite the bullet of leftovers in 2023, but it has an opportunity to campaign James Gunn’s new DCU and raise the hype level to unprecedented levels.
DC seems headed toward competing with Marvel for the first time in a long time, forcing Marvel to step up its game and give it the best. there is no.
