The DC Universe is currently having a bit of a resurgence. With its own streaming service, some huge films and hitting the cinemas and with the upcoming Crisis on Infinite Earths, there’s no rest for the team over at Warner Brothers.
The Arrowverse and the DCEU are the two biggest shared universes under the DC banner. Crisis on Infinite Earths is going to continue trying to tie them all together, but that hasn’t stopped people from arguing over which is better. We’re taking a look at 5 things that the Arrowverse does really well and 5 things that the DCEU is better at.
DCEU: STAR POWER
The DCEU has a lot of budget at their disposal. The movie studio can bring in as many stars as they want and they have certainly stacked the deck. While we’ll talk about the Arrowverse casting later, it’s difficult to ignore the fact that the DCEU does have more star power.
With Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa essentially heightening their careers through their roles, actors like Ben Affleck and Jesse Eisenberg have added a little prestige to the brand. With each brand comes a new list of cast members, which continues to help the films feel more prominent.
ARROWVERSE: RELATIONSHIPS
A huge factor of the Arrowverse is the relationships between the characters. Whether it’s the romantic links between two of the heroes, or perhaps the friendships that they have formed, this is a major reason why so many people love the Arrowverse.
In the DCEU many of the relationships feel forced or even non-existent. While there’s a bit of a mentor/student relationship between Batman and the Flash for instance, compare that to Oliver Queen and Barry Allen on the CW and it’s easy to see which one has been developed better.
DCEU: GRITTY TONE
It’s hard to argue with the fact that the DCEU has mostly nailed the gritty tone that it was originally aiming for. While some of the CW shows have tried to put their hands in a little grit and dirt, the shine has definitely been taken off of the heroes in the films.
While some people have critiqued this decision and claimed that the campy fun of the Arrowverse is much better for the properties, grittiness certainly can have its benefits. For instance, the Batman we saw, while not necessarily accurate to the comics, was certainly a unique take.
ARROWVERSE: COSTUMES
There are a variety of costumes across the Arrowverse, but many of them are actually comic accurate. While sometimes it takes a few attempts to get to the best version of what they can be, it’s got to be said that the costumes are a lot of fun.
DCEU: ACTION SEQUENCES
The Arrowverse has some great action sequences but they are limited by time and budget. While the punches feel real and there’s some spectacular moments, it’s hard to compare that to the big blockbuster sequences of the DCEU.
Sometimes the fights against the Big Bads of the films leave a little to be desired, but on the other hand, there are countless moments from across these films that have given us some really unique fighting styles and blockbuster set pieces.
ARROWVERSE: UNIVERSE-BUILDING
The Arrowverse is much better at building a comprehensive universe. Across all of its shows it has managed to include dozens of characters from the comics and is always continuing to expand the world that it has built. Through time travel or different realities, the Arrowverse could eventually have a bit of everything.
The Infinite Earths crossover event is now even bringing in characters from shows outside of the Arrowverse itself. This is a really fun idea and something that the films just wouldn’t be able to accomplish. This has been built up for so long that the CW has earned the moment.
DCEU: CINEMATOGRAPHY
The DCEU can afford better cameras and have more time to be able to effectively plan out their shots. The Warner Bros. films therefore have much better cinematography. The Arrowverse has moments where it looks like the shot is directly from a comic panel.
However, the cinematography masterminds behind these blockbuster films have managed to capture some truly amazing moments from these iconic heroes. Comics are a visual medium and it has to be said that the films have managed to achieve everything that works about those books.
ARROWVERSE: FAN SERVICE
The fans who watch the shows on the CW know exactly what they want and are a very strong community. It’s easy to listen to them and it’s clear that the showrunners often take into account what the fans are looking for from the shows.
While fan service can sometimes damage a show, the best decisions are always made in the Arrowverse, making sure to subvert expectations when needed. Ultimately, watching the Arrowverse is far more satisfying than the DCEU because it accomplishes everything you could want from the stories.
DCEU: FILMMAKERS
The filmmakers who have been chosen to work on the DCEU are truly special. There’s been some great choices already across a number of films. Patty Jenkins is of course a standout for her work with the Wonder Woman character.
James Wan is another example of someone who really brought something different to the table. The upcoming debut of James Gunn as part of the DCEU is sure to set it off in another direction and of course Zack Snyder certainly contributed a fair amount in his role.
ARROWVERSE: CASTING
While the DCEU certainly has all the star power they could need, the Arrowverse has consistently made sure that they have cast the best people for the roles. The casting over at the CW is therefore top notch and benefits all the shows under their banner.
It’s difficult to imagine Oliver Queen being played by anyone other than Stephen Amell. Grant Gustin’s portrayal of Barry Allen may be better than what we’ve seen in the films. Kara has been cast with the right amount of hope and optimism that the character deserves. In every case, the casting has been spot-on.
