A Marvel vs DC Crossover No One Expected Might Have Been Revealed, And It Would Be Better Than a Movie

Marvel and DC have crossed over with each other numerous times in the comics, and for years, fans have daydreamed about the same thing happening in other mediums. With superhero movies remaining popular (even with some missteps at the box office this year), the prospect of a Marvel/DC crossover film remains a tantalizing one — even when one considers the logistical nightmare of putting such a project together. The good thing about Marvel and DC is that their characters are prevalent across all kinds of entertainment, meaning we can look beyond movies for other crossover opportunities. Based on the latest developments, theme park attendees could be in for a treat.

According to a report in Bloomberg, Warner Bros. Discovery is exploring available options to license DC characters for new theme park attractions. Among the possible suitors is Universal Studios, which is currently home to Marvel Super Hero Island, where fans can ride the Incredible Hulk Coaster, experience the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, and go on Doctor Doom’s Fearfall. It’s unknown if any deal between WBD and Universal would impact the latter’s licensing deal with Marvel. Bloomberg notes that any talks WBD is having are “at an early stage.”

Marvel and DC at Universal Studios Would Be Great for Fans

Six Flags already has a themed DC Universe area at its parks, but it would be fun to see WBD expand its license with other locations. If Universal Studios beats out its competition, it could create a scenario where the theme park becomes a one-stop shop for all superhero fans, offering a variety of experiences based on Batman, Spider-Man, Superman, and Hulk. Depending on how things unfold, Universal Studios could get creative with different types of attractions, using its licenses to mirror the comics and create rides that combine characters from both companies. Maybe the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man could get an update to have the web head team up with Superman against Lex Luthor and the Green Goblin.

In some ways, this could be more entertaining than a crossover film. A movie on the scale of Marvel vs. DC is unprecedented, and such a project would be subject to a ton of corporate red tape. It’s possible for studios to make deals with each other (Spider-Man wouldn’t be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe if it wasn’t), but a Marvel/DC crossover would have even more details to sort out, and that’s before we get to figuring out the story. Everyone has their own idea for what could bring the MCU and DCU together on screen, meaning it would be very challenging to craft a narrative that could please a majority of the audience and do all of the characters justice. Even if the movie has a protracted run time (which would almost be a necessity), there’s only so much time to go around, meaning some heroes would be short changed.

Read Next

5 Marvel and DC Character Crossovers Everyone Wants to See

At a theme park, all those concerns go out the window. Universal Studios could seemingly do whatever it wanted with the dual licenses. Instead of worrying about where a movie fits in an established cinematic canon and how box office profits would be split up, Marvel/DC rides could just focus on being as fun as possible, giving each hero the attention he or she deserves for a variety of attractions. Universal could even easily set up character meet and greets that combine icons from Marvel and DC lore. Universal holding a Marvel license for theme parks shouldn’t be a conflict of interest since this is a very different realm from movies or TV.

It’s worth noting that Universal Studios already has a relationship with WBD, as evidenced by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area. Perhaps that will give Universal an advantage over other parks should any conversations proceed to the negotiating stage. Warners knows first-hand what Universal Studios is capable of, as the theme park has delivered numerous immersive experiences for fans over the years. It would be fun to see what they could do with access to the library of DC characters.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!