Some Thoughts on DC Films

 Due to all the changes going on behind the scenes with the live action DC Comics films, the films are now on the minds of many movie fans, including mine. With this I felt compelled to talk about my thoughts on these movies and what is happening. 

When it comes to live action movies, DC has often been negatively compared to Marvel, with some even saying that DC films should be more like Marvel. As a fan of both DC and Marvel I highly disagree with this. Marvel movies already exist and with the way things seem will continued to be made for years to come. Because of this we don't need another Marvel and I feel the best course of action for DC is to continue to be DC. I especially feel this way when it comes to how interconnected all the movies are. I personally feel that there being a looser connection between the various DC films is an asset. I love that what happens in a movie starring one superhero, doesn't necessarily have to affect what happens in a movie starring another superhero. This gives more freedom to the filmmakers and characters that can't be employed in a Marvel movie. It also makes it feel larger and more special when the characters do team up to fight a bigger threat. Simply put the characters can live in the same universe and interact with one another, but still have solo adventures that don't involve the other superheroes. Again, I love Marvel, but this actually feels like an advantage that DC has over Marvel.

 I would also like to bring up, that despite any reputation that may be garnered from DC's worst and least popular films, the recent DC films have been quite good and hold their own against Marvel. Matt Reeves' The Batman (2022) was one of the best Batman films and easily holds its own against Christopher Nolan's beloved Dark Knight trilogy and Tim Burton's two Batman movies. The Suicide Squad (2021) and Black Adam (2022) were a lot of fun and Joker (2019) was simply wonderful. With all these and more in mind, it is hard for me to say that DC movies are in the same bad place they were when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) was made. I feel they are far out of that rut. Therefore I feel the need for a reboot is completely unnecessary. I also cannot agree with the idea of recasting Henry Cavill as Superman. While not all the movies where he played the character were great (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was downright terrible), he was always great in them. He felt like the comic book Superman coming to life. Honestly I think the studio is going to have a hard time finding anybody is nearly as good as him in that role. In fact, casting was rarely the problem with any DC film (Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor being a major exception). 

I think James Gunn is a very talented filmmaker and his Gaurdians of the Galaxy movies are some of my favorite Marvel movies. However I feel that much of what he seems to be planning to do at DC seems unwanted and unnecessary. Of course, the movies he heads at DC may end up being great, but that doesn't mean that I agree with the changes he is making, at a time when I am truly loving the DC movies.