Something I've noticed about my wife regarding DC vs. Marvel films

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Going off solely from your experience with your wife, I am going to guess that the Marvel movies really understand that the focus of their movies are the actors, rather than the mythology. RDJ set the tone - HE was the star of that movie, not Tony Stark. (whom we all know was nothing like RDJ until the movies) DC movies love their respective mythologies, which are the pillars of their universe. DC films are touting the directors, Marvel knows the stars are the ones people want to see over and over.

That's be one guess...

This makes a lot of sense to me because the average moviegoer really doesn't care about an 80 year old mythology.

Marvel movies tend to be more personality-based than comics mythology based.

Yes, there is the McGuffin of the Infinity Stones, and maybe the OP's wife knows all the stones and which movies they came from and what they do, I don't think the average moviegover over 30 does. I know I don't, and I've seen most of the MCU movies and have read the comics, but I don't have this stuff memorized.

But really the stars of the Marvel movies are the actors and their ingratiating, charismatic personalities. Ryan Reynolds, Robert Downey Jr., & Chris Pratt, in particular, are well-liked in their roles because they just breeze through them the way Burt Reynolds and Roger Moore did in their 1970s car chase movies and James Bond flicks. They were just fun movies, and the less thought you put into them as a viewer, the more you liked them. They were popcorn romps.

Marvel movies are actor-focused and that's maybe why they are so successful. Many of the most beloved movies put the focus on the STARS whether we're talking about Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, or Tom Cruise. Marvel is using star power and charisma to sell their movies in a way that DC doesn't.

This has been changing with good notices for Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, and Zachary Levi, but first impressions last, and that was created with Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck in very serious roles where there was no opportunity for them to charm the audience. That's likely what people meant when they were complaining that the movies were "too serious" or "too dark." I think what was really happening was that there were no opportunities for the audience to connect with the actors as people. We were just watching characters execute a plot.

Even Marvel itself had to learn this lesson. Thor really wasn't doing too well as a franchise until the character was "re-toned" with the Ragnarok movie. People were saying they were surprised at how funny Chris Hemsworth could be to the tune of an additional $200+ million at the worldwide box office.

I think you've hit on exactly what DC needs to focus on. Yes, having stories that mix serious and humorous moments is fine, but also spotlighting its stable of actors in the stories they way Marvel does theirs. People want to be friends with Downey, Pratt, Hemsworth, and Reynolds. DC needs the public to feel that kind of affection for its actors.

[Flash Gordon]

I think your wife is just sleepy.

I've fallen asleep during almost every film I've ever watched. It's an amazing feat when I DON'T nod off.

[DCStu]

Here's how it breaks down with my wife: She couldn't give a solitary toss about the comic books I read, or the comic book movies I watch.

HOWEVER. Iron Man is her favourite superhero cause Robert Downey Jr plays him. When we saw Captain America Civil War she was on Iron Man's side. Cause he's played by Robert Downey Jr. She wants me to shave my beard like Robert Downey Jr's.

Make of that what you will.

[Jim Kelly]

It's a risky proposition banking on an actor, because public opinion can turn against the actor and then your movie is screwed.

Speaking for myself, Downey creeps me out, so I don't like to see any movies he's in. And he's not the only actor who puts me off. Disney and Warner have had their share of actors that I find off-putting (either for their acting or for their real world persona--or for both) and I'd just as soon not see any movie they're in.

I worry about hero-worshipping actors too much. I try to fight against it, because what if they end up doing something terribly wrong? If I identify too much with a star and then that star turns out to be a bad person, it undermines my sense of self. Fictional characters are more trustworthy.

[mace11]

I think dozing off that often during movies says more about your wife as an individual (not meant to be an insult-it happens to people).

I don't think the characters are the problem, Marvel's films are more accessible and digestible to non-fans. I like most of what the DCEU has to offer up to now, but it helps a lot more if you're already invested in the character with DC, whereas the MCU humor makes it so you don't have to be a nerd or even take the characters seriously to enjoy the film. Comedic films are often held to a lower standard, which helps some of the average MCU movies elevate in popularity and boosts the legitimately good/great ones.

Most mcu films are not comedy films however and even the comedy ones are not held to a lower standard,so i disagree with you view there.
Here some views about that.

Mark Hughes quote-
Just generally speaking, keep in mind some of the all-time best action movies were also filled with humor and comedy -- Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Beverly Hills Cop for example. And think about some of the other great action films that also have a constant good sense of humor -- Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, The Rock, and so on. These films don't just have one or two humorous lines, they have repeated funny moments and humor throughout, and as much or in some cases more than the MCU movies.
Granted, a few MCU movies like Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Thor: Ragnarok have enough constant humor to possibly say they could be considered action-comedies, but the rest of the MCU films aren't. If some folks just personally don't enjoy comedy or humor very much and only usually like straight-up serious action, that's obviously totally fine and valid for people to have personal preferences and taste. But I think it's worth trying to be more precise about how much humor really exists in MCU films, since it's often overstated or people end up with a misperception sometimes of the overall MCU tone, and to also remember some of the all-time best and other great action films outside of the superhero genre often have a lot of humor and comedy in them too.

Quote Originally Posted by Soubhagya
Why do fans call MCU films comedies? Civil War was a serious affair. The first phase films were all pretty serious. Winter Soldier is serious. They tell good and entertaining stories and that's it. They make good films. We may not like it but people in general love them. Critics loved Logan too. I was thinking there's a bias but truly speaking there isn't. Audiences are not loving DCEU films. Maybe because they don't consider them worth it. Justice League earned below 100 millions dollars. I would never have believed even a week ago that Thor Ragnarok managed to have a higher opening weekend. We are looking at the possibility that JL won't earn more then what WW did. Inconceivable.

by WebLurker
Marvel movies are directed by different people who bring different sensibilities into the mix. Also the MCU has proven to be diverse in tone depending on the subject matter (compare the Captain America movies to Guardians of the Galaxy or Doctor Strange). The X-Men will have a tone of its own because of the stuff that makes it unique from the other franchises and the specific creative team given the reigns. (There might be more humor than the other movies, but even Logan had comic relief. Besides some of the funniest stuff I've seen in comics outside of Spider-Man came from X-Men stuff.)
Let me give you an even easier example; the MCU has given us sci-fi, fantasy, war movies, spy thrillers, and heists within the same overall series. They also have done character development over the course of this series very well, bar none. (Also, the Captain America movies do not fit your description and Spider-Man is a property that supposed to be light-hearted by nature -- albeit with a serious edge.)
There's a difference between having humor and taking the movie seriously. The MCU does use humor, but the stories are generally taken seriously. Also, comedy does not equal a lack of substance. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was funny and had substance in the characters, like Logan had substance in its characters, but through a serious story.
The MCU movies made so far are not X-Men movies and should be taking inspiration from their source material and what makes the characters work. (For example, should Spider-Man have the same tone as Wolverine?)

[mace11]

Dark dceu films and mcu movies humor talk.

Burt Macklin10 hours ago
Darkness is allowed in these movies. Tragedy happens to these people. It's about getting the tone right for the characters in those stories.

Gallant Sector9 hours ago
Dark tone is allowed in any movie the studio wants, but if the majority of the public that see these films don’t like the over all dark tone, for business reasons mostly they either lose out on money or course correct and please the majority.
Tragic events happen in films/shows/comics that aren’t dark in tone.
Batman overall look and feeling has always been dark.... but Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash.... nah.

Burt Macklin8 hours ago
Gallant Sector I didn't say the whole film had to be dark, but those characters have dark moments and they shouldn't have to gloss over that. Wonder Woman had the darkness of war, and that played beautifully. I'm saying there has to be a balance. I don't want jokes to cover tragedy. If something traumatic happens, let the moment happen and don't overcompensate with a joke simply because they're afraid of being too dark. That's all I mean.

Gallant Sector8 hours ago

Burt Macklin well that’s my point, they can have dark moments, that’s not going to register as a dark film, but when the mood of the entire film is dark like BvS and even Man Of Steel being darker than most of the Superman films before it...majority of people feel the movies are too dark.
Zack Snyder makes films like that.
But like I said, anything Batman people expect to be dark in tone. No one is complaining about that since the 80’s films.
Wonder Woman did have some moments on the film, that War, and there you have it. More darkness.
Some people love that, majority of people complained about it
Jokes don’t take darkness out of a film, there are plenty of movie that are dark in tone and don’t have a ton of jokes, and plenty of dark comedies that have “dark” humor

Burt Macklin8 hours ago
Gallant Sector So my original comment still stands. And jokes can absolutely take you out of the moment. Marvel does that a lot. There's a serious moment they have to break with a joke. Justice League did it too. I'm not a fan of that. It's okay to show sadness or anger. Just keep it balanced.

Gallant Sector8 hours ago
Burt Macklin it’s all subjective...preference. The jokes take you of Of moments, it doesn’t work that way for me.
As in your original comment, darkness is allowed in these films, yeah...I agree. Especially just some moments.
Whatever the creators want to do is allowed, but all of the DC films lately been dark in tone completely. That’s the issue they had (I as well). Not all of DC comics or animated stories are dark, brooding and gloomy. Most of the films have been so far.

Quote-
Most dceu films have not been dark.SS,justice league and wonder woman are not dark dc films.The dc film green lantern(non dceu film) before that was not dark either and man of steel to some folks was not dark by the way.



by James W quote-
not much of a Marvel comic reader, but haven't they made Thor and Bruce Banner into comedians and Drax from a guy capable of killing Thanos in to guy who makes nipple jokes? Genuine question


by Steven Fraser quote-
James W Dunno anything about Drax, so I can't answer. As to the Thor and Banner point, I don't class them as "comedians" in the MCU. The comedy comes from Banner's exasperation at the situations he's put in and Thor's naivety/arrogance where he's being placed in situations where he's an outsider, a "fish out of water" as it were. It's not like they're cracking "jokes" per se, as much as their reactions to these situations where the comedy comes from. I don't recall any scene from either of these characters where they stop a scene to tell a "joke". The exact same " fish out of water" style is used for comedy throughout Wonder Woman too. These aren't "comedians"- its the ridiculousness of seeing a Norse God/Amazon react and relate to a world they have no understanding of, THAT'S where the comedy comes from.


Quote Originally Posted by Wiccan
Stop acting like MCU is only Ragnarok and GOTG. The Captain America and Avengers franchises are serious movies with some humor.


Quote Originally Posted by Tazirai
Well that and the fact that Thor Ragnarok had a LOT of stakes.
As did Guardians.

[mace11]

Maybe that’s why I enjoy the DC films more than the Marvel films. I’m there for the characters, and not the actors.

The marvel movies(mcu and non mcu) do focus on characters too but it just sounds you happen to like the dc characters more even if you reading comics are watching the shows and the cartoons.

In fact the mcu and other marvel movies like x-men,logan etc..have stronger character development on average then the dc films and they make them more relatable just like marvel comics.

Marvel films just happen to pick better actors for marvel films(mcu and non mcu) then dc and the scripts and stories are stronger then dc films on average.

[Gaastra]

Well I don't see it as people are going to see marvel heroes for just the stars as they replaced hulk and war machine's stars and no one cared. Anyone can replace anyone. Just ask james bond, batman and harry potter fans. Heck ask the munsters fans who had over three Marilyn's! (also don't forget people were claiming aquaman did so well only because woman went to see the star of the film. I don't buy that at all but aquaman was attacked with that on release)


To me it's that wb had a rough start but things are looking up for them now. They have films like new gods and plastic man that could do well in the right hands.

[Pinsir]

The marvel movies(mcu and non mcu) do focus on characters too but it just sounds you happen to like the dc characters more even if you reading comics are watching the shows and the cartoons.

In fact the mcu and other marvel movies like x-men,logan etc..have stronger character development on average then the dc films and they make them more relatable just like marvel comics.

Marvel films just happen to pick better actors for marvel films(mcu and non mcu) then dc and the scripts and stories are stronger then dc films on average.

This really isn't a pattern though, there are vastly more Marvel films than DC ones...You can cherry pick to your heart's content. Not to mention I reject the claim. Aquaman and Wonder Woman have terrific story arcs.

[Holt]

The MCU generally did a much better job getting the audience invested in the characters. That's been one of the big issues with the DCEU, though they are correcting that. With the Marvel films they managed to make the audiences care about the characters, to the point where a lot of them will even go to some of the lesser movies to see them. The actors are usually pitch perfect in their roles and the movies do a good job of endearing them to the viewer.

By contrast, the earlier DCEU films really had a problem with this, particularly their decision to go with a more somber and emotionally distant depiction of Superman. When I look at the negative reactions to BVS, one of the most frequent complaints I see is people saying they didn't give a crap about Clark's death because the movies didn't actually do a good enough job making them care about him. And I think the decision to try and launch a Justice League film where the only person the audience likely had any preexisting affection for is Wonder Woman just highlighted the issue.

This was actually an area where Wonder Woman and Aquaman both excelled, and where Shazam absolutely knocked it out of the ****ing park. Gadot, Momoa and Levi were allowed to be more personable and charismatic, and it helped win over people (Momoa in particular is charming as heck). In fact, Aquaman is the best example of what I noted with people being more forgiving of a subpar script when they like the character. The story is nothing special and is full of some pretty hack dialogue, but Momoa is just so damn charming and likable that he sells it.

[mace11]

This really isn't a pattern though, there are vastly more Marvel films than DC ones...You can cherry pick to your heart's content. Not to mention I reject the claim. Aquaman and Wonder Woman have terrific story arcs.

I was talking average.
Of course there are dc films that have really good character development and really good stories and scripts, but marvel on average has done it better.
When i mean marvel i am talking mcu,sony non mcu,fox etc..

If i was to narrow it down to dceu vs mcu only then what i am saying is still true.
MCU (movies and shows and related mcu marvel comics)has done better job with character development and stories and scripts then dceu on average.
The characters in the mcu movies on average are more relatable then the dceu characters.

Marvel films just happen to pick better actors on average for marvel films(mcu and non mcu) then dc and the scripts and stories are stronger then dc films on average.

Note- the show krypton was going to be a dceu show but that changed.
Anyway it's really good show and the season 2 trailer is out,so check it out folks.

[Pinsir]

I was talking average.
Of course there are dc films that have really good character development and really good stories and scripts, but marvel on average has done it better.
When i mean marvel i am talking mcu,sony non mcu,fox etc..

If i was to narrow it down to dceu vs mcu only then what i am saying is still true.
MCU (movies and shows and related mcu marvel comics)has done better job with character development and stories and scripts then dceu on average.
The characters in the mcu movies on average are more relatable then the dceu characters.

Its well known that the MCU found success with its characters not because of its bland storylines. Iron Man is the perfect example of this, people like the character, but his actual film franchise is virtual forgotten.

[Slim Shady]

I fell asleep watching 50 Shades of Grey at the theater

Umm, I’d say the difference is Marvel really follows the standard blockbuster blueprint. It’s full on Hollywood. Not really knocking that since it obviously works for them. I’d say DC had taken a more, serious or artsy sounds too dramatic but something like that. Feels like you have to think more with DC films than Marvel.

[mace11]

Feels like you have to think more with DC films than Marvel.

Not true.
That's not it.
SS,aquaman,bvs, mos,etc..you have think more?nope.

[mace11]

Box Office for Shazam Opening Weekend