Bruce Timm’s pioneering work with DC’s animated shows is a shining example of adaptations done correctly. While TV shows and movies are the main source of entertainment today, back then people were heavily into comic books. Adapting from that material is hard as it is, but keeping it fun for an audience who already knows the direction where your show is going can be even more difficult. And some fans love to spoil those who are new to the genre, flaunting their knowledge.
Though they are the main demographics of superhero shows and films, these behavior can sometimes become very annoying. Filmmakers often have to tread carefully so as not to anger them by going too far from the source material, while also giving them something new to watch.
Timm once addressed the issue, reflecting how tiresome these spoilers can be to deal with.
Bruce Timm talks about frustrating spoilers
When the nerd phenomena began to take flight, many were curious about the new TV shows and films that would bring their favorite characters to life. Bruce Timm‘s DCAU was a breath of fresh air, with shows like Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, and Batman Beyond. However, he was sick of some insiders spoiling the fun for others, as evident from his interview with The World’s Finest:
“Well, it’s a drag, honestly. Some people just can’t wait to see the show to find out what happens, and when there’s a will, there’s a way. I do understand the impulse, I get that way myself sometimes, but it’s still frustrating. But, y’know, what are you gonna do?”
While spoilers and leaks do help generate hype for an upcoming project, they also kill a lot of fun that the audience might feel when they watch it for the first time. The MCU also faced the same problem later on.
MCU too was riddled with spoilers revealing movie plots
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the biggest CBM franchise today, with some of the most profitable movies and shows under its belt. Their earnings speak for themselves, but even the vast amount of cash couldn’t save them from leakers.
Almost every movie in the MCU has suffered dealing with script leaks, despite all the strict NDAs and secrecy. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania are recent examples of this, where the info about Illuminati and MODOK’s new comic-averse origin spread all over the internet.
Sometimes even the actors themselves spoil the plotlines. Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo are infamous for this. The latter actually accidentally live-streamed the first 10 minutes of Thor: Ragnarok through his phone!
Hopefully, we will get to see fewer leaks in the future, but as we know, that is simply not possible given the excitement and the reach fans have today. The world is blown open to them, and nothing is too easy to hide.
Most DCAU shows and films can be streamed on Max.
