ADVERTISEMENTThe fight between the Marvel and DC characters has been going on for years: who are the mightier superheroes? In terms of box office sales, Marvel is winning this ongoing contest by attracting more audience than its adversary and producing more movies, with several becoming blockbusters.
Movies based on Marvel comics have generated 47 percent more domestic gross than DC Comics movies. In the 28 Marvel movies since 1998 and the 23 films based on DC Comics since 1978, the main blockbuster were The Avengers for Marvel, which enjoyed a worldwide gross of $1.5 billion (1 billion euros) and The Dark Knight Rises for DC which crept over the $1 billion mark (760 million euros).
Who produces these superheroes based movies?
Walt Disney Co. purchased Marvel Entertainment for about $4 billion (3 billion euros) in 2009. Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger told a US business website that purchasing Marvel would give Disney some content that appeals more to boys, a market the company has been hoping to develop.
In 2009 Time Warner placed DC Comics under filmed division, but unlike Marvel which has generated 10 movies since 2009, DC comics only made five. After the Harry Potter franchise ended in 2011, Warner Bros. wished to use the DC superheroes to replace these incredibly successful movies.
Marvel superheroes will take over the big screen in the next five years. What about DC superheroes?
Disney has also more movies planned for the future than Time Warners. With The Wolverine coming out on July 26, the movie studio is still not done releasing superheroes movies. Five movies are scheduled to come out between 2013 and 2014 and the sequel to The Avengers will be released in 2015 with two other movies. The Marvel superheroes will continue to fly across the big screen with four other movies scheduled to come out after 2016.
Marvel is planning to release over 10 movies in the next five years while DC comics only has three superheroes movies scheduled to come out with Superman and Batman – the movie does not yet have a title – scheduled for 2015, The Flash for 2016 and Justice League supposed to come out in 2017.
A criticized announcement of the next Time Warner’s superhero movie
While it seems that Disney is confident of its movies lineup, Time Warner appears overwhelmed by the events. At Comic Con 2013, which this year took place in San Diego, Man of Steel’s director Frank Miller and actor Harry Lennix announced the planned Batman-Superman film.
An announcement criticized by fans and the media who said the introduction was rushed and seemed unprepared compared to Tom Huddleston’s presentation of the movie Thor: The Dark World, in his Loki costume.
Criticism also rose over the film itself; fans said the movie, supposed to introduce Justice League scheduled to come out in 2017, lacks the other superheroes of the league such as, Wonder Woman Green Lantern, Aquaman or Cyborg. The Flash will get its own movie scheduled to come out in 2016, although fans are worried it might fail such as Green Lantern did in 2011 with only $219 million (165 million euros) in worldwide grosses, according to Box Office.
Christian Bale hangs up his Batman cape
Every Marvel movie made since 2008 was created with the intention of promoting The Avengers; each superhero was introduced to the public and the actors did not change throughout the movies.
Christian Bale, who played Batman in the Dark Knight trilogy, said he will not play the character any longer. Another marketing problem for the Warner Time who will have to cast another Batman; something that might upset the fans and affect the promotion and success of the movie.
Photo credit : CC by flickr JD Hancock