Let's talk about the 2016 WWE brand extension for a moment. Recently, WWE decided to split their roster and have two LIVE events being televised on a weekly basis. By splitting up the roster, the company will receive more revenue by having SmackDown & RAW on separate touring dates. So, each show picked a new GM and then proceeded to draft their own roster of superstars. The shows, while being in the same company, have a different feel to them. Yet, they are trying to create a head-to-head competing vibe, but rasslin' fans will tune into both. That brings me to the recent crop of comic book films, and the Marvel vs. DC fight that fanboys of their particular brand want to happen. However, comic book fans (like myself and so many others out there) can enjoy every single one of these films, regardless of brand (or studio), on their own merits. So now that I've drawn the parallels of the WWE brand extension to the cinematic universes of both comic book brands, let's hash out this out like the WWE in a good ol' fashion tournament to crown the first ever cinematic champion (at this point in 2016). HYDRA HQ presents: |
BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016) Domestic Total Gross: $330,360,194 Production Budget: $250 million 6.9 IMDB rating VS THE INCREDIBLE HULK (2008) Domestic Total Gross: $134,806,913 Production Budget: $150 million 6.8 IMDB rating |
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice starts during the final battle of Man of Steel but from Bruce Wayne's perspective. The only time the MCU tied directly to a previous film was in Iron Man 3 when Tony Stark had PTSD after the events of Marvel's The Avengers. But, we've never seen a perspective shift like the beginning of BvS in a MCU film. In the opening scenes, the universe building presents itself for the DCEU. In The Incredible Hulk, we are privy to an extra scene with Tony Stark right before the credits and a couple Steve Rogers easter eggs.
The plots of these films are remarkably similar. One revolves around an indestructible alien with unknown strength, and the other is a haphazard lab experiment resulting in the creation of an indestructible monster with unforeseen strength. Both of our heroes are learning to live in their on-screen realities with their powers. Neither is successfully integrating into the populace. Superman is lucky enough to be able to control his powers with ease while Banner has to learn to control his anger by doing yoga and watching his heart rate. This allows Superman to live a normal life with a career. Hulk has to be nomadic because after every incident, he moves. Both have love interests who will throw themselves in the middle of a battle to protect their indestructible boyfriends...or ex-boyfriend in the case of Betty. The government wants to control both of these heroes. One government official allows maniacal madman Lex Luthor access to alien technology in order to create a way to stop the hero, and the other film has General Ross leading an all-out-assault on the Hulk using every military tactic possible. Luthor requires outside assistance by tricking Bruce Wayne into fighting his battle. Ross needs assistance and gets Blonsky to undergo risky procedures to turn him into a super soldier. Batman and General Ross both unsuccessfully use a type of audible warfare against their super-powered targets. The plots get convoluted. Blonsky turns into the CGI creation, Abomination, after a run-in with a wacky scientist. In the other universe, Batman switches sides, so Luthor creates his own CGI creature, Doomsday. The CGI battles ensue. Hulk smashes. Superman teams up with Wonder Woman and Batman to stop their monstrous foe.
Now, I should give the win to the MCU because the Hulk didn't need any help in his victory. However, this battle is all about universe building. Seeing the holy trinity on screen for the first time creates a once in a lifetime memory. I wish the film had a better critical reception, but I like how the DCEU is handling their franchise. You have to watch each of their films to get the story. If you stepped into Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice without Man of Steel, then you would have no idea what Zod was or what was happening in the sky when Bruce Wayne was on the ground. In the DCEU's second film, we've established that other heroes exist and created a reason for them to get together. Each DCEU film ends and I'm still excited for the next installment, regardless of the critical reception or my own personal issues with the films, I want more. They are building a universe that intrigues viewers and gets them to keep returning. The MCU is doing the same thing nowadays, but during their second film in their series, that was not the case. The button scene with Ross and Stark was not on the same level as seeing Batman team up with Superman and then have Wonder Woman steal the show.
MCU: 1
DCEU: 1
Suicide Squad (2016) Opening Weekend: $133,682,248 Production Budget: $175 million 7.0 IMDB rating VS IRON MAN 2 (2010) Opening Weekend: $128,122,480 Production Budget: $200 million 7.0 IMDB rating |
Financial returns at the box office and fan response will not determine this victor, so we continue on to the technical breakdown of these franchises. Iron Man 2, the much anticipated sequel to 2008's Iron Man, brought a new villain portrayed by Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell as a secondary lesser villain. Sequel means that we're getting more this time around, and we do when War Machine is introduced. Nick Fury makes another cameo, and Black Widow sneaks in under Tony's nose. Universe building 101, but the actual movie didn't tell a compelling tale. It was revenge again. A rehash of the original, but instead of his father's business partner wanting revenge...this time it is the son of a different former partner of Tony's father. A guy who goes by Whiplash. In a few fight scenes, Whiplash showcases awesome power by utilizing similar tech as Tony, but he is another one dimensional villain who just want revenge. Also, Tony has to deal with his own demons and heart condition by creating a new element for his arc reactor. Huh? No really. Huh? Tony also pisses in his armor and hangs out at a donut shop.
Suicide Squad is a team of evil villains mish-mashed together by an even worse member of the US government. Also, there's an ancient witch and a guy with boomerangs. The plot is fight or die. The villain is everyone. Varying degrees of awful people who all unite to fight an ancient evil that has been revived. The true villain of the movie is one note and hell-bent on world domination.
Off topic...why can't they be hell-bent on giving the world free cookies? "We have to stop him. He is hell-bent on giving out cookies! That doesn't sound too bad...but he is hording the milk. OH THE HUMANITY!" I'm just spitballing. I'd like a new direction with my villains.
The Suicide Squad is loaded with award winning and nominated actors. The universe building has an extended cameo of a new version of the Joker throughout the film along with a couple members of the Justice League, but it Is honestly a self-contained story that makes you wonder where is the help? However, I've noticed the 3 films seem to piggyback off of one another, so maybe we'll get more answers in the Wonder Woman or Justice League films. The DCEU has been doing a much different style of long-form storytelling and I don't think we can really appreciate each film on their own without watching the one prior or the one after.
I give this round the slightest edge to Suicide Squad. Mainly because they tried something different. Three movies in and we are introduced to magic and some creatures who inhabit those mystical realms. They don't feel the need to give each character their own origin story, and by giving us a team-up of villains, we're allowed to see why Bruce Wayne moves forward to create his own team in their first major crossover event, the Justice League. Now, if all these DCEU movies DO NOT end up at a fantastic conclusion in the Justice League, then I may come back here and somehow put the blame on the bad guys. They're so incompetent over here at HYDRA HQ...there, I planted the seeds of doubt.
MCU: 1
DCEU: 2
YEAR OF RELEASE - 2 on 1 HANDICAP MATCHES!
2013 gave us two Marvel films and one DC. Would a third installment of a franchise and a sequel to another surpass a much needed reboot of a beloved franchise? The simple answer is yes. While Man of Steel is clearly a more developed movie than Thor: The Dark World, Iron Man 3 took the MCU's non-crossover films to new financial levels while taking quite a few liberties with a fan-favorite villain. Remarkably, the backlash was not seen at the box office. Even though neither of these particular MCU films are considered the best in their respected franchises, the divisiveness of fan reactions to the plot twist in Iron Man 3 equal the public's alienated reviews that Man of Steel received. So, it comes down to the outright blah-ness that was Thor: The Dark World to tip the scales in the MCU's favor. Like a true handicap match, the 2 on 1 situation seemed to be to powerful for the DCEU to overcome.
DCEU: 2
MCU: 2
2016 - Captain America: Civil War vs. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice & Suicide Squad.
2016 has two DCEU films and one from the MCU (so far). The third installment of the Captain America franchise appeared to nothing more than a third Avengers film by adding so many different characters and introducing a new version of Spider-Man (in an unexpected deal with Sony). Yet, DCEU brought out all the big guns with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, Joker, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and a whole bunch of villains. If you haven't seen any of these films from either brand, then you are missing out, and I recommend that you go watch all of them because 2016 has been a fantastic year for comic book movies. Each film has their own merits, but Civil War leads the pack because of the build up of the events of 12 other movies. This is not a handicap match miracle to overcome the odds. This is more like the top star in the business going up against a couple of jobbers. Still, it is absolutely another victory earned for the MCU.
DCEU: 2
MCU: 3
FINAL THOUGHTS
There you have it fanboys. No matter how you look at...YOUR brand is winning. Way to go! Now, stop your bickering and head out to the cinema.
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Professor Procrastination/Legit Idjit/Perfect Slacker
is a self-proclaimed, semi-professional procrastinator that doubles as an pop-culture guru. Is he completely renarded? Perhaps. Is renarded a word that he invented on urban dictionary? It is. He is also the Legit Idjit on Facebook and a Perfect Slacker on reddit and Twitter.
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