Shazam! Wow!

Here’s something that I never thought I’d write: I’m actually looking forward to seeing a DCEU movie.

It’s true: Shazam!’s legitimately exciting me. I’m aware that I praised Wonder Woman two years ago, but I wasn’t enthused for that film until a few days before its release. Shazam!, however, has had me pumped from the moment I saw its first trailer, and the anticipation has only grown since. So seeing it get great reviews is the cherry on top.

But this had me thinking: I was mildly-hopeful for Man of Steel, but that was in 2013. It was also right after it was announced that Christopher Nolan, who’d recently finished his take on Batman, was producing it, so I was still on a high. Him rebooting Superman, a character who’d been struggling since the late-80’s, seemed like a solid choice. But once the reviews poured in, and they were negative, I jumped ship. Why now, six years later, am I excited again?

I think the main reason is because of the new route DC’s taking. The current king of superhero franchises is The MCU, which has existed since 2008’s Iron Man. By the time DC announced their own universe, it’d already been around for four years. But instead of striving for a unique identity, DC opted for a darker, grittier version of the same concept: a multi-part, inter-connected franchise over a lengthy period of time. And rather than take the time to write compelling stories, The DCEU fast-tracked the project and rushed it out. Add in how they left the storytelling reigns primarily with Zack Snyder, and they were setting themselves up for failure.

So yes, The DCEU was, for the longest time, a complete and utter train-wreck. The exception remained Wonder Woman, but that could’ve been because director Patty Jenkins had so much creative freedom. The rest of the franchise suffered from delays, behind-the-scenes complications, studio mandates, creative re-shuffling and lots of interference with the finished projects. I can’t cover everything, it’d take too long, but it wasn’t pretty.

I think their decision to rebrand was a good one. Not only in a “let’s change the focus of our universe” way, but also in a tonal and directorial way. Let’s face it, DC’s characters aren’t Marvel’s characters. Marvel works because their characters interact freely, while DC’s often work best solo. And when they do interact, it’s usually infrequent and not a big deal (with exceptions).

Honestly, I prefer it like this. Not every franchise needs to be another MCU, that’s been proven disastrous. I much prefer seeing DC’s attempt at solo movies that rarely connect, as Booster Gold doesn’t mesh tonally with Batman. If Warner Bros. wants the success of Disney and Marvel, this might actually be better for quality-control.

Like I said, not every superhero in DC’s pantheon needs to be grim-dark like Batman. I remember having a conversation with a co-worker at my old theatre job, and she mentioned that DC’s characters are “too dark to work on screen”. I still don’t agree; after all, if every DC character is dark, then how do you explain Superman? Wouldn’t he contradict that?

This is also why, I think, Shazam!’s getting praised: aside from not being grim-dark, it’s also really funny. Even its trailers are highlighting how much comedy there is, which fits its goofier, more kid-friendly tone. And when it gets “dark”, it never doesn’t feel real or relatable. I think that fits Shazam far-better than Batman, no? Especially when Batman can do dark because he’s a twisted psychopath who beats up criminals because “justice”, right?

It’s not only Shazam! that has me excited. Remember the ordeal with James Gunn? The one that recently got resolved? That led to The Suicide Squad. And then there’s that Birds of Prey teaser, which also looks interesting. That’s not to say every DC project in the future will be good, it’s impossible to know, but it’s a start!

I think DC, after a shaky beginning, has finally gotten its act together, and I’m pleased. I wouldn’t mind if DC went the solo, self-contained route with its movies from now on, as it suits them far better than imitating Marvel. It’s also, judging by Shazam!’s reviews, working better for them anyway. And isn’t that what matters most?

Look, I don’t like deliberately trashing DC. I love DC, far more than Marvel. I also prefer DC’s highs more than Marvel’s, as I think they have the potential for better movies. That I was purposely avoiding The DCEU for years hurt me, as I was robbing myself of seeing classic characters on the big-screen. Why would I want to do that to myself?

Now I don’t have to avoid them, which is a nice and welcomed. Now I can look forward to the adventures of Shazam, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Batgirl and Future Batman without shame. I can also pump money into Warner Bros.’s pockets to make these kinds of movies, too! Isn’t that what it’s all about? Especially if it means legit competition for Marvel and keeping them from becoming stale?