The DC Animated Universe did a slew of things right, such that it became synonymous with good superhero media to this day. Be it The Justice League, Batman: The Animated Series, or Superman: The Animated Series, these animated shows created the blueprint for poignant superhero stories, along with figuring out what they must focus on.
However, despite how influential the animated series was, there are some cues from it that Zack Snyder failed to incorporate into his universe, which one can assume contributed to the DCEU’s problems. Further, it seems like James Gunn is going g to sidestep those issues, given the approach that he is taking for the new DCU.
We do not need any more Superhero Origins from DC
DC has some of the most recognizable characters when it comes to superhero fiction. Superman, Batman, and the like have been in the cultural zeitgeist for so long that even non-comic-book readers could tell you what their origin stories are. Superman is an alien from a doomed planet, Batman is an orphan, and Green Lantern has an alien ring. These stories have been retold so many times and in so many mediums, people do not need to be reminded of them in new ways.
Zack Snyder‘s DCEU focused on introducing Superman to the world in a way that didn’t feel like an origin story, but it was. Newer films like The Batman and the upcoming DCU under James Gunn have decided to stay away from origin stories, making the story more palatable to the mainstream rather than the characters. This was something that the animated series did as well. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited forwent the origin story for a slew of its key characters, such as Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman, but brought in their histories when they were relevant to the plot.
James Gunn’s DCU is a step in the right direction
When announcing the first chapter of the DCU, James Gunn was quick to name-drop a slew of projects that would make up a part of the first chapter of the DCU. Among them, he announced a Superman project, that is not the origin story of the character. He also announced that his Batman project will already have Damian Wayne, meaning we will be very deep into the Caped Crusader’s career by the time he makes his debut in the DCU.
This bodes well for James Gunn’s version of the universe, given that it seems like we will not be greeted with origin stories in these tellings of the characters’ stories. Even characters like Green Lantern and Wonder Woman might not be receiving origin stories, with Gunn choosing to focus on telling stories with them already established in the world. This will not only save valuable screen time for the franchise but also make it so that characters have time to tell interesting stories, rather than sticking to the compulsion of an origin story.
