MCU Phase 4 Director Reignites MCU Vs. DCEU Debates

The never-ending debate about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DCEU continues after director Mohamed Diab, who worked on Moon Knight in Phase 4, gives his thoughts about the two gargantuan superhero franchises. Even before they were major Hollywood movie franchises, there has always been a rivalry between the DC and Marvel audiences. Whether it is about which has the stronger superheroes, the better storylines, or the best rogue’s gallery, there are plenty of aspects that can be debated about when it comes to DC and Marvel.

In terms of the DCEU and MCU, the latter has had a more stable success since its launch in 2008 compared to the former, which began in 2013. One of the elements that have been heavily criticized about the DCEU movie timeline is the general tone set by Zack Snyder’s movies, and Moon Knight director Mohammed Diab reflected on these sentiments in an interview with Arabic Marvel (translated via The Cosmic Circus). After discussing the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Phase 4 director opened up about why he prefers the MCU as opposed to the DCEU, while also sharing his admiration for James Gunn and what he will do with the new DC Universe:

I know that some people don’t like James Gunn, but I see him as a great artist who will do great work. Frankly, I didn’t like the past period. The last film, [Zack Snyder’s] Justice League, was significantly better than the first version, but in the end, Snyder’s work in all the movies he made didn’t appeal to me. I liked James Gunn’s films much more. I think he’s a much greater artist and a very clever writer, and he will do excellent work for DC. I hope people won’t just criticize him because if he loses the DC audience, he’s done. But he is an artist, and he will create wonderful things.

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Even with the DCEU almost over, there will always be discussions about which is the stronger superhero franchise. Despite the MCU having a bigger financial success, there are still elements where the DCEU has thrived. For example, it took them less than five years to get a solo female superhero movie with Wonder Woman, while Marvel Studios took way longer for Captain Marvel to happen. However, at the same time, the MCU has shown that having a plan and sticking to it works, whereas the DCEU has fumbled repeatedly when it comes to that aspect.

Ultimately, the MCU and the DCEU – and soon the DC Universe – will need each other’s success in order to continue growing. The discussion about superhero fatigue has become a bigger topic this year in light of a lot of box office struggles. The comic book movie genre isn’t the problem, but more so the type of stories that the studios are choosing to tell, meaning that perhaps they need to switch things up in terms of what heroes and villains they choose to adapt for the big screen.

It will definitely be interesting to see how Gunn’s DC Universe holds up against the MCU when it starts, especially as he was one of the filmmakers to bring success to Marvel Studios during his tenure. In the case of the MCU, they still have the Multiverse Saga going on, with some of the bigger projects yet to come, which may add more hype to their long-term game. Time will tell if the MCU and DC Universe will have the same rivalry in the coming years, as more movies continue getting released.

Source: Arabic Marvel (translated via The Cosmic Circus)

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