Why DC Studios Needs to Spotlight the Magic Side of the DCU

DC Studios has a big job ahead of it. Not only do they have to make successful movies, but they have to make everyone forget about the stink of the DCEU and sell a universe of superheroes and supervillains that isn’t nearly as grounded as the Marvel Universe. The DCU has been going great so far, but that run only constitutes one (admittedly excellent) animated series and some big teaser trailers. The DCU has many land mines it needs to avoid if it wants to become as successful as the MCU, and while superhero stories will always be very similar, the DCU needs to think outside the box. Luckily for them, DC Comics has a lot of inspiration to offer, as well as something that can be a guaranteed winner for the films — magic.

DC Comics’ magical side is the best in comics. Legendary stories from the best minds in fiction have all sprung out of this corner of the DC Multiverse, fueled by characters that fans loved or at least loved to hate. If the DCU plays its cards right, it’ll be able to give fans superhero stories unlike any they’ve ever seen before, which is exactly what the superhero film genre needs right now.

DC’s Magic Side Is a Doorway to Unlimited Story Possibilities

Anyone who knows DC’s oeuvre of stories knows that the ones with magic in them are some of the best ever. The great thing about magic stories in superhero comics is that it can be used in a variety of ways, telling multiple kinds of stories. The simplest is, of course, horror and that’s a very big untapped market in the current world of superhero stories. Some of the most critically acclaimed stories of the ’80s and ’90s are DC horror books, like Swamp Thing, The Sandman, Hellblazer, and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. All but the last of these stories revolved around magic of sorts, and even Arkham Asylum used occult themes to make its story work. Right now, there’s no one doing any kind of superhero horror, and the DCU can change that by dipping into the magical side of its universe. But magic stories offer so much more than just horror.

Need a powerful and dangerous monster? Patchwork Man and Solomon Grundy, men resurrected by magic and science, are right there. Need a magic detective to solve a crime that no one else could? There’s Doctor Occult and his other half, Rose. Want to tell a story about how the battle against the darkness can break even the best and turn them into monsters? Mister E is the character for you. Want something to appeal to kids? Tim Hunter is the original Harry Potter. Want harder-edged heroes with a magical bent? The Demon and the Spectre would make for amazing film stars. Also, there’s Detective Chimp, a chimp with a genius IQ, the ability to talk, and a love of alcoholic beverages: he deserves his own film trilogy. All of those characters are just scratching the surface of what the magical side of the DCU could be like.

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And then, of course, there are the two characters that everyone wants to see show up in the DCU — John Constantine and Zatanna. John Constantine is the poster boy for DC’s magical community, a bad boy who is willing to do anything imaginable, no matter how terrible, to protect the world from darkness. He’s funny, charming, and undoubtedly dangerous, a brilliant combination that has made him a beloved character every time he shows up. Constantine’s first movie turns twenty this year, and while it wasn’t blockbuster successful, it still struck a chord with fans. There’s sequel buzz for Constantine’s next movie, which is a step in the right direction.

Zatanna, though, is a character who could pay dividends for the DCU. Zatanna was DC’s answer to Scarlet Witch, and that’s exactly what the DCU could use her for. Zatanna is a character with basically infinite potential to carry her own films: she has multiple top-notch stories that can be used for inspiration; she’s a member of the Justice League, and she can show up in any number of other films. She’s also one of the founding members of the Justice League Dark, the magic themed version of the Justice League. Zatanna is a perfect example of why the DCU needs its magic side to stand out — she brings so much to the table. She’s what the magic side of things can be if handled right: a character who can be put in any kind of story and still be an important player.

Magic Could be the Edge That Puts the DCU Over the Top

The MCU’s success has made superheroes more popular than ever, but their formulaic superhero movies have also done a lot of damage to the public’s perception of the types of stories that superheroes can tell. The DCU needs to be able to show people that superheroes can be more than just boilerplate action comedies and the best way to do that would be to accentuate the magical side of DC. Magic has always been a successful thing for DC Comics, and there’s no reason it can’t be for DC Studios. Magic can do for these films what it did for DC in the ’80s and ’90s — change the language of superhero stories and create critically acclaimed masterpieces. All it would take is a little hocus pocus.

The DCU’s first film release will be Superman on July 11th.