# Re DC vs Marvel movies DC is not as succesful despite powerful, iconic characters - Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978 "2014-03-18T02:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/62 "2014-03-20T05:55:35Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > None of this matters. It’s all studios, producers, and directors. If Marvel somehow bought the rights to the DC stable of characters tomorrow, you would see great and successful movies starring these characters in short order. What you just said was “Producers don’t matter…it’s all…producers…” ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/63 "2014-03-20T06:43:01Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Are you saying that DC isn’t making wildly profitable superhero movies because they care too much about the integrity of the superheroes’ archetypes? They’re letting directors with proven commercial appeal take characters without allowing them to take chances with them. I can’t see them giving someone as unproven as Jon Favreau was a free hand with **Batman** or **Superman** , to the degree that he had one with **Iron Man**. > [@](#): > > And that they love Wonder Woman too much to make money off of her? If **Wonder Woman** and Joss Whedon aren’t an obvious pairing, what director and character are? In the end, chickenshit impulses triumphed over the kind that make good, profitable films. Warner’s has no faith at all in the Wonder Woman character and keep it around only for product licensing purposes. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/64 "2014-03-20T12:50:56Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > What you just said was “Producers don’t matter…it’s all…producers…” You’re talking about powers and supporting casts. Marvel could probably make the [lamest version of Superman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_Red/Superman_Blue) work. That’s how hot they are right now. Those Marvel producers excel at getting the best, most talented people together for a movie – not sitting around a boardroom deciding pre or post crisis nitpickery (yes, I know Crisis is DC). ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/65 "2014-03-20T15:00:48Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > You’re talking about powers and supporting casts. Marvel could probably make the [lamest version of Superman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_Red/Superman_Blue) work. That’s how hot they are right now. Those Marvel producers excel at getting the best, most talented people together for a movie – not sitting around a boardroom deciding pre or post crisis nitpickery (yes, I know Crisis is DC). You know…I don’t know what people have against Superman-Blue. It was obviously going to be temporary, it was a homage to a classic story and Morrison (like any good writer) made it sit up and beg for him in his JLA stories. Re: and “Nitpickery” Marvel movies don’t, but the comics sure do to shoehorn whatever change the movies may have made. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/66 "2014-03-20T17:24:38Z")
About the only thing I have to say re: the superhero film as birthed by DC Comics: I am sick of Batman and Superman. Got anything else? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/67 "2014-03-20T18:45:55Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > If **Wonder Woman** and Joss Whedon aren’t an obvious pairing, what director and character are? Whedon would cast a 5’4" actress weighing at most 98 lbs. soaking wet at Wonder Woman and we’d get more ‘waif-fu’. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/68 "2014-03-20T18:54:42Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > Whedon would cast a 5’4" actress weighing at most 98 lbs. soaking wet at Wonder Woman and we’d get more ‘waif-fu’. 🆒 So very true. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/69 "2014-03-20T19:00:42Z")
I must be the only person on Earth who liked the latest Superman movie. One thing Marvel’s got going for it though is they’re moving beyond simply retelling the same damn origin story over and over and over. There are thousands of superhero stories to tell other than the same damn origin stories again. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/70 "2014-03-20T20:52:52Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I must be the only person on Earth who liked the latest Superman movie. Nope, I liked it a lot. I can’t say I loved it, because the 2nd half had a few problems. But I liked it enough that I’m excited by the sequel. I personally prefer the ‘serious sci fi’ approach as opposed to the quippy, jokey one. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/71 "2014-03-21T12:49:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So very true. No, not really. You do remember that Whedon gave Gina Torres her highest-profile role to date, right? Not to mention Charisma Carpenter, Christina Hendricks, Cobie Smulders… Whedon may like his superpowered waifs, but he also has a pretty fantastic eye for appropriate casting. > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by drastic\_quench View Post > > None of this matters. It’s all studios, producers, and directors. If Marvel somehow bought the rights to the DC stable of characters tomorrow, you would see great and successful movies starring these characters in short order. > > What you just said was “Producers don’t matter…it’s all…producers…” That’s not what drastic\_quench is saying at all. You were saying that DC’s problem was with their characters, and how well they can be translated to the big screen. drastic\_quench’s point (and he’s 100% correct on this) is that a good filmmaker who understands the spirit of the source material but isn’t beholden to it can make a good movie out of, well, pretty much anything. But certainly out of any reasonably successful character from another medium oriented around visual storytelling. > [@planetcory](#): > > Nope, I liked it a lot. I can’t say I loved it, because the 2nd half had a few problems. But I liked it enough that I’m excited by the sequel. > > I personally prefer the ‘serious sci fi’ approach as opposed to the quippy, jokey one. These things are not mutually exclusive. Thematically, “Avengers” is far more “serious” than “Man of Steel” was… despite the quips and jokes. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/72 "2014-03-21T13:18:09Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > Whedon would cast a 5’4" actress weighing at most 98 lbs. soaking wet at Wonder Woman and we’d get more ‘waif-fu’. 🆒 God, I hate waif-fu. Ever see Centurion? They ask us to buy a 90lb supermodel with a spear can Darth Maul her way through a Roman legion. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/73 "2014-03-21T13:19:40Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > These things are not mutually exclusive. Thematically, “Avengers” is far more “serious” than “Man of Steel” was… despite the quips and jokes. I think I meant ‘serious’ sci fi rather than ‘serious sci fi’. In other words, I don’t like the quips and jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/74 "2014-03-21T13:31:28Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > No, not really. You do remember that Whedon gave Gina Torres her highest-profile role to date, right? Not to mention Charisma Carpenter, Christina Hendricks, Cobie Smulders… > > Whedon may like his superpowered waifs, but he also has a pretty fantastic eye for appropriate casting. > > That’s not what drastic\_quench is saying at all. You were saying that DC’s problem was with their characters, and how well they can be translated to the big screen. drastic\_quench’s point (and he’s 100% correct on this) is that a good filmmaker who understands the spirit of the source material but isn’t beholden to it can make a good movie out of, well, pretty much anything. But certainly out of any reasonably successful character from another medium oriented around visual storytelling. Except that’s not all I said. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/75 "2014-03-21T16:31:00Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > Nope, I liked it a lot. I can’t say I loved it, because the 2nd half had a few problems. But I liked it enough that I’m excited by the sequel. > > I personally prefer the ‘serious sci fi’ approach as opposed to the quippy, jokey one. Yeah, it’s not perfect and the way they handled Clark’s dad was eye-rolley, but then again Jon Favreau’s comedic relief in Iron Man makes me hit the FF button too. ---
**Author:** ![TaoPilot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TaoPilot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaoPilot)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/76 "2014-03-21T17:17:32Z")
> [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > About the only thing I have to say re: the superhero film as birthed by DC Comics: > > I am sick of Batman and Superman. Got anything else? “Here ya go! Green Lantern! He’s got a rich history, we should be able to spawn a whole franchise based on Hal, not to mention all the other Lanterns. Wait, what? No one liked that movie? Back to more Bats and Supes, I guess…” ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/77 "2014-03-21T19:03:15Z")
> [@TaoPilot](#): > > “Here ya go! Green Lantern! He’s got a rich history, we should be able to spawn a whole franchise based on Hal, not to mention all the other Lanterns. Wait, what? No one liked that movie? Back to more Bats and Supes, I guess…” The sucky thing about that is they blame the characters rather than the films being bad. No one liked _Superman Returns_, but they were right back in there taking another swing, and this was an attempt to follow-on the last run when the last time we saw the guy was the infamous “Quest For Peace.” The last of the Batman franchise pre-Nolan was the object of ridicule, too, but off they went. But the rest of the League? One and dones. Marvel’s the same, somewhat: Spidey’s gotten two more movies made since he jazz-danced in Spidey 3. But they made a Ghost Rider sequel too, so I’d think Green Lantern would have gotten a second shot from them. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/78 "2014-03-21T19:19:51Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Marvel’s the same, somewhat: Spidey’s gotten two more movies made since he jazz-danced in Spidey 3. But they made a Ghost Rider sequel too, so I’d think Green Lantern would have gotten a second shot from them. GL is DC. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/79 "2014-03-21T19:29:55Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Ah, thanks. Good distinction. And it further inclines me to think that the issue is the studio rather than the characters. Incidentally, [I was wrong about _Ghost Rider_](http://legendarium.mymiddleearth.com/files/2014/02/marvel-rights-1111x889-600x480.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/80 "2014-03-21T19:35:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Incidentally, [I was wrong about _Ghost Rider_](http://legendarium.mymiddleearth.com/files/2014/02/marvel-rights-1111x889-600x480.jpg). No, you were right. Marvel just recently got those rights back. The movies were made under Sony. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-dc-vs-marvel-movies-dc-is-not-as-succesful-despite-powerful-iconic-characters-why/683978/81 "2014-03-21T19:45:18Z")
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