The Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline was introduced to comic book fans back by DC Comics in a crossover story back in the 1980s. Written by Marv Wolfman, the comic has been adapted a couple of times in the media, both in live action as well as animation.
The DCAU is currently closing their Tomorrowverse chapter with the Crisis storyline. It started with the eighth instalment, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One, which was released earlier in January this year. The second movie in the Crisis trilogy of the storyline, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two, was released earlier today, and the third will conclude the Tomorrowverse later this year
Crisis Has Already Been Adapted by The Arrowverse
The Arrowverse shows adapted the Crisis storyline back in 2019, with characters from 6 CW shows coming together to bring this to life. Characters from The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, Arrow, Legend of Tomorrow and Black Lightning came together with a five episode long story, which was the sixth and final major Arrowverse crossover event.
Not to say that the Tomorrowverse was lagging behind, as the different plots for the whole storyline had started taking shape long back. It started with Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020) and is finally coming to an end with the Crisis trilogy. But when the creators and producers of Tomorrowverse found out about Arrowverse doing the Crisis story, they were a little bummed. Producer Jim Krieg told Comicbook.com:
“It has to be on record that we started this process, building up to Crisis on Infinite Earths way before there was an inkling…well, maybe they thought of it, but we had no idea the Arrowverse was going to do it. And when we heard after having done several movies, the deflate was just like, ‘Oh my God.'”
For animations, it has to be said, that they take a long time to be made. So even though the first movie in Tomorrowverse came in 2020, the idea was formed long back.
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Producers Never Watched Arrowverse Crisis
Producers Jim Krieg, Butch Lukic, and Jeff Wameister, have made it clear that although both Arrowverse Crisis and Tomorrowverse Crisis are adapted from the same comic book storyline, and will inevitably have similar elements, the animated movies had nothing to do with the live-action. Butch Lukic said:
“They weren’t going to approach it the same way we were. We were told they were goign to do Crisis, but we were already set on, okay, well, we have to do these movies to build up to that Crisis point ourselves.”
Krieg added that though they both are based on the same story, theirs, in his opinion, is done the “right way.”
“We had already started the movies, and it was all building to that. Of course we think we did it ‘the right way,’ but still, a little wind comes out of your sails.”
Lukic further added:
“I didn’t watch any of those, so I didn’t get influenced by it.”
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two was released on April 23, 2024, and is currently running in theaters.
