‘Man of Steel’ Writer David Goyer Says ‘It Was Crazy’ How WB and DC Tried to Build Their Own MCU

I think they would have had far greater success had they tried to do their own thing rather than replicate Marvel's success. Marvel was slowly building a roster of characters, giving each their own trilogy, and periodically teaming them up to face greater threats, all while building up to the Infinity War climax. Any attempt on DC's part to duplicate that was likely destined to fail, because it would be seen for what it is, an attempt to copy Marvel. Of course, they did a terrible job, so not only was it seen as a copycat attempt, it became even better known as a series of terrible films.

There are many routes they could have taken. I'd have loved to see them draw upon their rich history. Batman debuted in 1939, and started with the 1920 murder of Bruce Wayne's parents. How better to compete with Marvel than by setting the first DCEU Batman film in 1939? With the budget these films have, the visuals of 1930s Gotham City alone would have packed theaters. It also allows the filmmakers to followup with sequels set in the '40s and '50s, also rich, unmined periods for superhero films. And best of all, it allows for a true adaptation of Batman vs. Superman, as they could tell the story Frank Miller told so well in The Dark Knight Returns. After three in-his-prime Batman films, they could end the series with a two-parter set in the '80s, as 70 year Bruce Wayne must come out of retirement to save Gotham City one last time, and defeat Super-Man in the process.

Assuming they made one Batman film every two years, that gave them 10 years to gradually build out the other characters. Superman could have had his own trilogy, nothing like the garbage Man of Steel we had subjected upon us, that simultaneously built up to the '80s showdown with Batman. Wonder Woman and every one else could have also had proper trilogies, which would naturally have lead up to a great two-part Justice League film, all of which would have set the stage for the DKR finale.

They'd have still ended up with 20 or so films that told one large story, but in a manner completely different from what Marvel had done.

It’s either my second or third favorite in the DCEU. I agree with Goyer though that WB had too many plans but didn’t think it through all the way. That’s why BVS was a mess; how we ended up with the first SS being reviled; and then the first Justice League ever becoming a huge flop.

BvS was way better than CA: Civil War, which was supposed to be basically the same thing. Batman was trying to kill Superman. The Marvel guys were treating their big showdown as more like a football game, where someone might accidentally get hurt.

😄 MoS being abit meh was def part of the problem and why they fact tracked Batman in there!

Funnily enough I've noticed now (a decade on) MoS seems to be thought of alot better than at the time (where it was like a repeat of the Hulk films scenario, dull arty limited action film followed by a non stop action extravaganza but both being deemed disappointing in audience reaction and box office)..

In that way its abit like the SW prequels. Lambasted at time. Reappraised abit decades on

Man of Steel was great, and featured the best super-powered fight scenes of any superhero movie.