The eternal rivalry between DC and Marvel has always been an interesting topic of discussion, and with 2021 looking to return the theatrical market to normal, it’s getting pretty heated. With the arrival of a new list of the most-anticipated superhero movies set to be released in 2021 and 2022, that competition is about to heat up. All because one DC movie, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, has nabbed the #1 spot over Marvel’s extensive lineup.
While lists can be subjective, this ranked rundown of Marvel and DC projects comes from IMDb itself. The Suicide Squad’s victory was determined by the popularity of the film’s entry in the site’s library, which sees the R-rated action comedy topping quite a notable field of contenders. What’s more interesting is, when you look at the fill list included below, you can see that while DC wins the battle, Marvel kind of wins the war:
1. The Suicide Squad2. Black Widow3. The Batman4. Spider-Man: No Way Home5. Thor: Love and Thunder6. Eternals7. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness8. Venom: Let There Be Carnage9. Black Adam10. The Flash
Let’s take a moment to soak in the lack of surprise that The Suicide Squad seems to be uber popular. With James Gunn’s DC epic toppling the record for red band trailer viewers, the very mature rated sequel kind of acts like a fresh breath of air to comic movie fans. It’s something new and different, while also operating on a familiar wavelength to Gunn’s other comic franchise, Guardians of the Galaxy. Throw in Margot Robbie’s insanely popular Harley Quinn and John Cena’s franchise future friendly Peacemaker, and you’ve got a cocktail for success in a time of great reopening.
If you’re a demoralized Marvel Studios fan at this moment, don’t let yourself get too beat up about it. While DC’s The Suicide Squad topped the list, the comic juggernaut only has three films on this top 10 list; with The Batman ranking the highest in third place. Meanwhile The Rock’s Black Adam project and Ezra Miller’s The Flash, which is currently in production, bring up the rear of the list, with respective ninth and tenth place finishes.
Other than those three projects, it’s Marvel to the max, topping out with Black Widow’s second place finish. The Scarlett Johansson MCU prequel is the most anticipated 2021-2022 theatrical release in this list. Filling out Marvel’s fleet of titles is a bench free of slouches, with Venom: Let There Be Carnage coming in as the lowest ranking title in 8th place.
The wounds are now officially fresh in the Marvel/DC cinematic rivalry, and The Suicide Squad seems to be ahead of Black Widow for the time being. This summer’s theatrical market will declare a winner, as Black Widow heads to theaters and Disney+ Premier Access on July 9, while The Suicide Squad blows the doors off of theaters and HBO Max on August 6.
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