The Suicide Squad proves the DCEU has learned from its mistakes – and is avoiding the pitfalls of Marvel’s MCU shared universe model.
After a critically successful release, The Suicide Squad has shown how the DCEU is beginning to avoid some of the problems and limitations of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When Marvel Studios launched the MCU in 2008, it was originally seen as something of a gamble; nobody had ever attempted to build a shared universe anything like it before. Over a decade later, of course, it’s clear the studio had hit upon something unique and tremendously successful.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a Hollywood sensation. Over a cycle of nearly 15 years and 25 movies, the studio spawned an intricate and interconnected saga that other studios can only attempt (and usually fail) to mimic. Warner Bros.’s own efforts to kickstart a separate, similarly lucrative franchise is the perfect case in point. Seeing the success of their chief competitor, the studio chose to build a shared universe of its own on the foundation of Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Unfortunately, although the first wave of DCEU movies were financially successful, they were far from critical hits. The studio kept trying to pivot, interfering in the production, leaving a confused overarching narrative that culminated in Joss Whedon’s Justice League – and the rest is history.
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