The Marvel Cinematic Universe has long fixed a big problem for the DC Universe that ended the DCEU. James Gunn and Peter Safran are gradually re-branding Warner Bros.’ superhero franchise after years of struggle and scandals. There has been a lot of anticipation to see what the new DC Universe will be, considering Gunn’s impressive work at Marvel Studios spearheading the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. While he’s expected to have a different approach in this fresh iteration of the universe, problems from the defunct DCEU continue to be a cause of concern for fans.
Just five years after the MCU was launched via Jon Favreau’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr., Warner Bros. followed Marvel Studios’ suit by launching the DCEU with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Despite Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy, Snyder’s franchise didn’t have any narrative ties to Christian Bale’s movies, debuting a different Batman in Ben Affleck. Sadly, although there was a lot of excitement surrounding Snyder’s vision, its execution was mired with so many issues. One of the biggest criticisms that plagued the films was that the heroes were just difficult to relate to.
The MCU’s Silliest Scenes Are The Easiest Way For DCEU To Fix Its Hero Relatability Problem
One of the biggest differentiating elements between the MCU and the DCEU was that the latter was darker and more serious. It wasn’t exactly a bad creative route since it offered comic book movie fans variety with the available content that they could enjoy. However, while many liked Snyder’s grittier DC franchise, it was also criticized for being way too dark for the general viewers. It’s uncertain what overall tone Gunn and Safran’s DC Universe will have, but making it more lighthearted will not only address issues with how dark the DCEU was, but it will also resolve issues with their heroes being difficult to connect with.
Subjecting their heroes to normal circumstances and allowing them to act silly in these situations helped MCU characters to become easier to root for. Even having hilarious reactions to some of the most profound experiences allows viewers to share sentiments with the Avengers, even though no one from the audience really knows what it’s like to fight a purple alien or meet an Asgardian god. A perfect example of this is when Iron Man compared Rocket Raccoon to a build-a-bear in Avengers: Endgame because the customizable stuff toy definitely resembles the cosmic hero. The Avengers‘ shawarma tag is also another great example of this.
How The MCU Avoided The Superhero Relatability Problem So Well
More than its interconnected storytelling and action set pieces, the MCU’s backbone has always been its characters. Marvel Studios has been able to consistently introduce easily likable characters that fans can be invested in for years to come. Grounding their heroes has been the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s go-to tactic when developing their stories. Despite their larger-than-life origins and adventures, giving them human experiences and emotions make it easy for viewers to sympathize with them. Gunn has proven his understanding of this concept in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, and he will hopefully use it in the DC Universe.
