DC’s New Animated Universe Further Compounds DCEU’s Failure

With four animated films released so far, the Tomorrowverse is already proving to be a more cohesive DC Shared Universe than the DCEU.

DC and Warner Bros. Animation Creates a New Shared Universe of Animated Films, and First Entries Spotlight Live-Action DCEUthe biggest flaw. With the release of Superman: the man of tomorrow for home video in 2020, DC launched a new animated film timeline that replaced the New-52 inspired DC Animated Film Universe, also known as DCAMU. Contrary to the strategy adopted between The Flashpoint Paradox and brutality Justice League Dark: Apokolipsthis new DC Animated Universe doesn’t strictly follow any specific comic book era, and instead it mixes adaptations with original stories.

In addition to Superman: the man of tomorrowthis universe includes Justice Society: World War II, Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One, Batman: The Long Halloween, Part 2and the next Green Lantern: Beware of my power. Although there was initially no confirmation that these films would be set in the same universe, things like The man of tomorrowof Superman appearing in justice society and the Flash from that same film appearing in the post-credits scene of The Long Halloween Part 2 proved that the films do indeed take place in the same timeline. The trailer for Green Lantern: Beware of my powerfor example, reveals that the The man of tomorrowMartian Manhunter, Green Arrow, and Hawkgirl will feature during John Stewart’s story.

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All of this interconnectivity, especially the way it was created, shows just how flawed the DCEU’s approach to its shared universe was. In theatrical films, the franchise jumped from introducing Superman in Steel man to all Justice League appearing on the screen for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. On the other hand, this new animated universe takes its time to properly introduce every hero and corner of the DC Universe before any major crossovers happen. The man of tomorrow showed Superman’s origins while introducing Martian Manhunter; justice society featured both Flash and Wonder Woman; The Long Halloween was all about Batman, and now Green Lantern: Beware of my power will see how John Stewart becomes Green Lantern. Compared to how the DCEU was designed, with Superman and Wonder Woman being the only heroes to receive a solo movie before Zack Snyder did Justice Leaguethe Tomorrowverse looks a lot more promising.

It must be said that the creation of a franchise of live action films is considerably more complex than the creation of an animated video universe directly at home. Actor availability, the need for lengthy contracts, and the constant risk of a movie failing at the box office are some of the challenges that franchises like the MCU and DCEU face, which has made the feat of the first all the more remarkable. That said, the DCEU could have adopted a better strategy to start its shared universe. As The Tomorrowverse proves, the DC Universe shines brightest when it has time to showcase its characters’ origins and first encounters before a major crossover event like Justice League arrived.

Although the DCEU was DC’s attempt to compete with the MCU, DC’s new animated movie timeline is DC’s own property that is actually enforcing the MCU’s Kevin Feige blueprint of how to create a shared universe. With only four movies released and one on the horizon, the Tomorrowverse is already showing signs that it will be as good as, if not better than, the previous New-52-inspired DCAUM. Not only that, but the Tomorrowverse also has all the tools to outdo the DCEU – underlining just how much the DCEUis the biggest failure.

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