The argument over James Gunn’s DC Universe or Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe doesn’t matter, as DC’s best franchise is something entirely different. Although the DCEU movies ended with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023, arguments have continued to rage about whether that franchise was better than James Gunn’s fledgling reboot. The DC Universe’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters is only a few projects in, but audiences have already somewhat lost faith, as evidenced by Supergirl‘s box office failure.
If anything, this has only sparked more discussion about whether Warner Bros. made the right decision to hand DC Studios over to James Gunn. However, despite all the online rhetoric linked to the seemingly never-ending Snyder vs. Gunn debate and the latter’s upcoming DC movies, it is becoming increasingly clear that the best output from the franchise is coming elsewhere. Yes, many aspects of the DCU’s future are exciting, but perhaps the most anticipation for a coming DC movie is attached to The Batman – Part II.
The Batman, released in 2022, is largely considered to be the best DC movie in a long while, with hype for The Batman – Part II reaching similar levels. The Penguin, a primarily standalone spin-off of The Batman, was also highly praised in 2024. Combining this with the acclaim for Joker in 2019, it is clear that DC’s best output of late has come from standalone adventures that are not overly concerned about tying to a wider universe of DC characters.
This extends further than just live-action movies, with DC’s animated efforts supporting the fact that standalone movies seem to work better for the brand than shared universes. One example of this is Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, which was critically acclaimed, and other projects like DC League of Super-Pets succeeded with younger audiences. Going back further, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy was excellent, housing one of the best superhero movies of all time, despite not tying to any wider universe. Clearly, DC’s brand is best suited to a standalone capacity, with the DCU vs. DCEU discussion obscuring this reality.
The DCU & DCEU Both Have Strengths & Weaknesses
This is not to say the DCU and DCEU do not work at all. As is the case with every franchise, even DC’s standalone projects, both the DCU and DCEU have significant strengths and weaknesses. The key here, though, is that the latter elements all fall under the shared universe umbrella. Beginning with the DCEU, the franchise’s biggest problem was undoubtedly the lack of a clear plan for the shared universe it intended to create. After Man of Steel, Warner Bros. rushed to rival Marvel Studios by fast-tracking Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
As a result, the movie was a mixed bag, leading Warner Bros. to make another significant change regarding the DCEU’s wider plan. Zack Snyder’s original roadmap for several Justice League movies was scrapped, with Joss Whedon coming on board to reshape 2017’s Justice League. Then came a period of several semi-standalone movies, which actually proved to be the DCU’s best: Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad. A lot of the casting choices, action, and overall production quality were higher for these, but one still couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t fit into the DCEU’s wider puzzle.
Despite strengths being littered throughout, the DCEU never managed to escape the frustrating sense of uncertainty about where the franchise was heading. Admittedly, the same can be said for Gunn’s DCU. Superman, Supergirl, and Peacemaker will tie into Man of Tomorrow, but what happens from there is unclear; Gunn has not indicated a team-up movie like Justice League is in the works or hinted at a wider narrative for the DCU’s Chapter One. Next up is Clayface, a movie that is unlikely to provide an attempt to clear up where the shared universe is heading.
Still, the DCU has slightly more clarity in this sense than the DCEU did. For instance, Gunn has outlined a rough roadmap, with several projects still in the works. 2026 will also see the release of Lanterns, which is reportedly set to tease more of the overarching narrative of the DCU’s first phase. Alongside Gunn’s interest in getting the right scripts and stories locked down before rushing into production, the DCU has some notable strengths. Still, at the end of the day, it seems as though the struggles that come with producing shared universes provided the biggest hurdles for both major DC franchises.
DC Doesn’t Need A Shared Universe, And That’s Okay
Perhaps the takeaway from all of this is that DC simply doesn’t need a shared universe. There is no denying that the standalone productions of the brand have, more often than not, been better received than those of the DCU or DCEU. The shortcomings of both of these franchises, as well as those in other similar ventures, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, may suggest that asking storytellers to craft a compelling narrative that works not only on its own but also as part of a wider whole is a step too far.
Instead, hiring filmmakers to simply make a project they are happy with, without the need to tie into other stories that are tonally and narratively different from the one at hand, often results in a more compelling movie. Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a key example of this, as are the other aforementioned DC projects that stand more on their own. These movies tend to have much more assured scripts, direction, and consistency than those involved in shared universes and, despite the modern craze of every studio to have their own, maybe DC should embrace that it is okay to stay standalone.
James Gunn’s DCU Is Better Suited To Continue Past DC Successes
With all of that being said, it is worth exploring another side to the argument. Beyond the DCEU and even the long-lasting MCU, James Gunn’s DC Universe has the chance to continue past DC successes while still having a shared universe to play with. One of the early terms Gunn used when announcing the DCU was “Elseworlds,” meaning standalone DC movies that he or Peter Safran greenlighted due to a strong script or pitch that does not take place within the mainline DCU continuity.
Interestingly, The Batman was retroactively dubbed a DCU Elseworlds project, with The Batman – Part II‘s story being the same. Even under the banner of the DCU, though, Gunn is unafraid to greenlight movies that may not have much to do with wider narratives. 2026’s Clayface is one such movie, as is the animated Dynamic Duo, James Mangold’s Swamp Thing, or the projects centered on the Teen Titans, Bane, and Deathstroke. Although the DC Universe, in its infancy, is still plagued by the narrative unclarity of a shared universe, if Gunn can find the balance between that and standalone successes, the future looks bright.
- Cast
-
Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena
- Created by
-
Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
- Character(s)
-
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam
- Movie(s)
-
Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Brave and the Bold
