The Marvel and DC rivalry is dead. Or, at the very least, it's a myth, perpetrated by the media. Fake news, as some might say. The people behind the big-screen adventures of our favorite DC and Marvel superheroes have buried the hatchet time and time again in interviews, but these new comments by Marvel President Kevin Feige suggest that everyone's on the same team, and the common goal is delivering comic book movies that the world can embrace. Feige explains:
I buy a ticket, and I watch the movie. There's not really a rivalry. A rivalry is much more amongst the press, I think. Geoff Johns [at DC] is a very good friend of mine. We grew up together in the business and recently celebrated Richard Donner, who we both used to work for. So, I applaud all the successes he has. And I really just look at it as a fan. When the movies perform well and are well-received, it's good for us---which is why I'm always rooting for them.
Beef? Squashed. It doesn't get much clearer than that. The success of one superhero movie usually means that it's good for all superhero movies... and on the flip side, a steady stream of bad superhero movies (by Marvel, Fox or DC) can poison the well for the entire genre. Nothing contributes to the idea of "Superhero Fatigue" faster than a steady diet of disappointing costume dramas. So naturally Kevin Feige celebrates when Wonder Woman does well. It should mean that it helps audiences get excited for his own Spider-Man: Homecoming. Win, win.
Still don't believe the fact that Geoff Johns and Kevin Feige are friends in real life? Watch this footage from that Richard Donner tribute, where they discuss the influence that the first Superman movie had on the industry, and the superhero genre, and they playfully talk about all of the stories they have shared between them as creative directors and superhero producers:
After hearing Kevin Feige's comments to AlloCine, I can only think of the next natural step between Marvel and DC: A crossover. Some fans already have speculated that a Wonder Woman sequel set in the past, particularly during World War II, could find a place for Captain Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). There have been moments in the past, in the comics, where characters like Superman and Spider-Man teamed up, and I know I'd love to see The Flash on screen with Ant-Man and the Wasp for an adventure.
Baby steps, though. The studios get along. They both seem to be on solid footing, and exciting narrative tracks. Maybe a team up happens one day. For now, head over here for everything we know about Upcoming Marvel Movies, as well as Upcoming DC Movies.
