Anghus Houvouras on the speculation that Disney could be interested in buying Time Warner, which would bring Marvel and DC Comics under the same roof….
As soon as I heard this story I thought of all the bizarre tweets from Zack Snyder and J.J. Abrams. You remember the ones: Batman and R2D2. Henry Cavill in a Jedi robe with a light saber. The Bat-Signal shining a Jedi symbol over the skies of Gotham. Are these cryptic clues trying to tell us something?
Is Disney buying DC Comics? Even hearing the question is enough to get fans excited. The mere thought of Disney buying Time Warner, and thus having creative control of both Marvel and DC is insane. There have been rumblings in the past about the possibility of Marvel and DC merging, long before Disney came into the picture. Back when it was just about the comic books and joining their iconic brand into an unstoppable marketing machine. It’s a whole new game in the era of the big budget blockbuster which is being owned by comic book movies and other geek franchises.
It’s a dream scenario for fans who pine for seeing their favorite superheroes inhabit the same world. A world where Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark could appear in the same film. Where Lex Luthor and Kang the Conqueror could plot to overthrow the world. A world of infinite potential where the Justice League and the Avengers could team up to take on Darkseid and Thanos. The Guardians of the Galaxy could travel through space with Green Lantern or some other space faring hero that wasn’t ruined by Ryan Reynolds…
What was once nothing more than a dream scenario and the inspiration for countless pieces of fan fiction is now seeming far more likely than anyone originally suspected. The Hollywood Reporter has discussed a scenario that could see Disney potentially bidding for Time Warner and all of its assets which includes everything from CNN to DC Comics.
Disney has been on a shopping spree over the past decade scooping up franchise brands like Marvel and Lucasfilm. Time Warner would be a far bigger investment. DC Comics wouldn’t be the reason for the purchase, but it would be the most interesting ancillary benefit for film fans.
It’s difficult to wrap your head around. For so long it’s been DC vs. Marvel. Comic fans are a passionate lot. How many discussions have we had in our youth about which hero would win in a fight. I can recall conversations about Superman vs. The Hulk that lasted hours. To have them inhabiting the same fictional world seems almost too good to be true.
On the other hand, there’s something to be said for creative competition. DC and Marvel have thrived in recent years because of the competition. Having two giants in publishing and film creates competition and fuels innovation. If one mega-conglomorate controls the two most famous houses in comics it could create a frictionless environment that leads to stale and lifeless stories.
There’s more potential in this scenario than peril. The idea of our favorite comic book characters existing in the same universe creates so many amazing possibilities.
What do you think?
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the novel My Career Suicide Note, is available from Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.
Originally published August 16, 2014. Updated January 18, 2020.
