5 things DC Films should do if it wants to compete with Marvel

Find someone who’s passionate about DC Comics to manage all of this

In Variety’s original report about DC Films wanting to rebrand, they said that the company wanted to find its own version of Kevin Feige, the guy who manages the MCU. And of course they do. It’s hard to overstate how important Feige has been to Marvel’s success. Every studio should be so lucky as to have a guy like him on the payroll.

That said, Zaslav is apparently “less interested in finding a creative guru and more eager to hire someone who had the type of business background needed to keep all the different factions at DC working more harmoniously.” And of course, you need someone with a good head for business on their shoulders to run a movie empire.

But here’s the thing about Kevin Feige: he’s not just a great businessperson; he’s also a complete comic geek who wears his love for the superhero genre on his sleeve. And he’s needed both sides to turn the MCU into the giant success it is. So just finding someone who can balance a budget won’t cut it; Zaslav also needs someone who truly loves Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest. Otherwise the studio will make some boneheaded move and find themselves back where they started.

And y’know, if you’re gonna end up back there anyway, we have one final piece of advice for you:

Really, just don’t

The world doesn’t need another cinematic universe full of superheroes. Any attempt, no matter how well-intentioned, is going to pale in comparison. Just don’t do it. Do something else. That’s the path DC is going on anyway. Have your budding Batman cinematic universe, which has some of the broad appeal of the MCU. Have more Oscar-bait superhero movies like Joker. Have gleefully profane tinderboxes like Peacemaker, which is more vulgar and violent than anything Marvel could possibly ever dream up. And don’t feel the need to connect them. Just make good stuff, and the people will come.

I know these pleas won’t be heeded, but at least now they’re off my chest. Zaslav, my friend, my mensch, I know you’ll do the right thing.

The next big DC movie is Black Adam starring the Rock, which comes out on October 21.

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