The DC Universe has some of the most powerful characters in superhero media, but the brand has struggled to present them in interesting ways.
From Superman to Wonder Woman and Sabbac to Darksied, the DC Universe is full of incredibly powerful characters with abilities far beyond those seen in many other superhero franchises. However, despite their incredible potential, DC’s most powerful characters have often struggled on the big screen. Though there are certainly exceptions – Superman: The Movie is a classic, and Wonder Woman was very well received – DC creatives have yet to settle on an overarching strategy to do justice to their god-like heroes and villains.
However, with the DC Universe on the precipice of a new creative vision, new studio co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, along with the writers, directors, and other creative talents they bring on, can help correct course. DC has a decades-old history of memorable stories that prove the pieces are there for memorable narratives. Now, DC movies simply need to do more of what’s worked and less of what hasn’t.
DC Movies Have Struggled With Using The Most Powerful Characters
DC has often struggled to bring its most powerful characters to life in a satisfying way. Though Superman’s older movies with Christopher Reeve started off strong, the latter entries lost some of what made the first two hits. More recently, Cavill’s Superman proved to be a controversial interpretation of the character, Black Adam’s movie wasn’t overly successful, Wonder Woman only had one strong outing, and Justice League wasn’t the epic crossover that it should have been. Most of these projects suffered from stakes that were too high and lacked a strong enough human element underneath to drive the action.
Conversely, the most well-received DC characters and movies have traditionally been a bit more grounded – or at least focused on the more grounded elements of their stories. Batman projects have largely been devoid of larger-than-life, city-wide brawls, and The Suicide Squad succeeded by mixing smaller character moments with an intergalactic villain. There are exceptions on both ends of the spectrum, but blinding spectacles and fights too large to feel real don’t seem to be working for any studio, including DC.
How The DC Universe Can Get Its Most Powerful Characters Right
The best parts of the DC Universe and the DC movies that preceded it focus on how even people with immeasurable power can have relatable problems, flaws, and interests. Wonder Woman’s most interesting moments were her human ones, learning function in a world so different from hers, forming bonds with her peers, and becoming a symbol of hope that others can aspire to. Similarly, Shazam! thrived when it focused on relationships between the siblings and their familiar struggles, which gave stakes to the action when it did happen. Moving forward, the DC Universe needs to focus on what makes its heroes human, not super.
Fortunately, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has plenty of experience doing just that. His sole DC movie so far, The Suicide Squad, released to wide praise, and his recently completed Guardians of the Galaxy franchise mixed massive stakes with personal ones to keep the team’s stories relatable and emotional. Superman: Legacy drawing inspiration from the deeply personal and emotional comic All-Star Superman is a sign that DC is rightly looking to these stories for its next slate of DC Universe movies.
