This post is inspired by the myriad of Tweets that I have read recently suggesting that movie critics, i.e. Rotten Tomatoes (RT), have a bias for Marvel vs DC.
Although there are a few examples (e.g. the generally disliked Thor: The Dark World receiving a Fresh score) that suggest that this could be the case, there is overriding evidence that tells an entirely different story altogether. In fact, I think there are incorrect assumptions being made by fan boys and girls on both sides of this comic book equation.
Here are some interesting facts regarding Marvel and DC live-action films!
Marvel Movie Facts
Pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
- From 1944-1997, only four films based on Marvel Comics characters were released: Captain America* (1944); Howard the Duck (1988); The Punisher* (1989), and Captain America (1990).
- Their average Rotten Tomatoes (RT) score is an extremely low 7% (Rotten).
- The first relatively successful Marvel movie was Blade (54% RT), distributed by New Line Cinema in 1998.
- The second successful Marvel film(s) were 20th Century Fox’s X-Men flicks: X-Men (2000) and X2 (2003), with an average RT score of 84%.
- The third and most successful Marvel film(s) were Sony’s Spider-Man trilogy, including Spider-Man (89% RT), Spider-Man 2 (93% RT) and Spider-Man 3 (63% RT).
- There have been 32 Marvel movies made by studios other than Marvel.
- With the exception of : 1) Deadpool (83% RT); 2) Spider-Man (89% RT); 3) Spider-Man 2 (93% RT); 4) Spider-Man 3 (63% RT); 5) The Amazing Spider-Man (73% RT); 6) The Wolverine (70% RT); 7) X-Men (81% RT); 8) X2 (86% RT); 9) X-Men: First Class (87% RT), and 10) X-Men: Days of Future Past (91% RT), the other 22 movies (2/3 of them) have received Rotten scores.
- Eight of the top 10 highest-rated superhero movies on Rotten Tomatoes are based off Marvel characters (five of these are MCU films).
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
- The MCU was “born” in 2008 with the release of the highly-successful, critically-acclaimed Iron Man (94% RT).
- All 13 films in the MCU have received a Fresh score (above 60% RT) by Rotten Tomatoes, with an average RT score of 81%.
- Marvel movies have been nominated for 13 Oscars.
DC Movie Facts
Pre-Warner Brothers
- Between 1951-1989, nine feature films were produced by studios other than Warner Brothers, including Superman and the Mole Men* (1951), Stamp Day for Superman* (1954), Batman: The Movie (1966), Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Swamp Thing (1982), Superman III (1983), Supergirl (1984), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), and The Return of the Swamp Thing (1989).
- Their average RT score is a solid 57%, boosted by Superman I & II, which have an aggregate 91% RT score, Batman (1966) with its 80% RT score, and Swamp Thing’s 64% RT.
- 1978’s Superman (93% RT), starring Christopher Reeve in the titular role, was the most commercially and critically successful comic book film adaptation from the dawn of the comic book live-action movie in 1944 through 2008 (64 years).
Warner Brothers
- After the release of the highest-grossing superhero movie of all-time, 1989’s Batman (72% RT), Warner Brothers became the sole producer of all DC-based films.
- The Dark Knight Trilogy is the highest rated comic book movie trilogy on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 89%.
- The dawn of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) began in 2013 with the release of Man of Steel (55% RT) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (27% RT) this year. The average RT score for the DCEU is 41% thus far.
- Two of the movies on Rotten Tomatoes’ top superhero movies ever are based off DC characters.
- The Dark Knight (94% RT) is ranked #1.
- There have been 30 live-action films released based on DC characters.
- DC films have been nominated for 19 Oscars, winning four along the way.
In Summary
Based on the “critical” numbers above, prior to 1998, DC clearly had a stranglehold on quality superhero movie films with the genre-defining Superman in 1978 and the blockbuster Batman in 1989. New Line Cinema’s Blade trilogy, Fox’s X-Men trilogy and Sony’s splendid Spider-Man trilogy entered the fray to put Marvel-based heroes on the map in the late 1990s/early 2000s. However, nothing trumped what Christopher Nolan did with the Dark Knight Trilogy, which still ranks as the best comic book movie trilogy of all-time.
As we got deeper into the 2000s, the tide began to shift squarely to Marvel. To be more specific, the release of Iron Man (which coincidentally dropped the same year as The Dark Knight) in 2008, launched the dawn of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which set a new standard for successful, critically-acclaimed comic book movies. Very similar to the earlier Superman and Tim Burton Batman films, these movies feature A-list casts, enormous budgets, and the latest in special effects technology.
In 2013, DC’s response was the DC Extended Universe, which has gotten off to a slow start with the cooly-received Man of Steel and poorly-received Batman v Superman. However, with the well-casted Suicide Squad on this summer’s horizon, and the scene-stealing Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman movie on next summer’s horizon, there is time for DC to right the ship. Fresh off the rousing success of Captain America: Civil War, the MCU simply needs to continue to follow Kevin Feige’s impressive lead.
At the end of the day, good comic book movies based on any publisher and produced by any studio are good for the genre, the movie business, and fans and geeks worldwide. DC set the trail with the original Superman in 1978, continued it with the Batman blockbuster in 1989, and reached the pinnacle of its powers with the Dark Knight Trilogy (2008-2012).
Right now, the Marvel Cinematic Universe films are leading the pack in terms of both critical and commercial success, based on their recipe of cunning casting, strong screenwriting and deft directing.
But as my favorite hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest so eloquently stated, “I said well, daddy, don’t you know that things go in cycles…” And if that statement holds true, I trust that MCU’s current perch will raise DC’s current cinematic standards and Spawn (pun intended) other publishers’ characters to see the light of day in the not-too-distant future.
*Films not scored by Rotten Tomatoes.
