10 DCU Film Ideas That Would Shatter Avengers: Endgame’s Box Office Record

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It’s natural for fans to compare DC and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With DC gaining momentum and Marvel having reached a high point with Avengers: Endgame, many are asking if DC can achieve similar success, particularly in terms of box office numbers. While it’s possible, DC would need to focus on adapting its strongest stories. Luckily, DC has plenty of excellent source material to choose from.

Similar to how Avengers: Endgame wrapped up a storyline built over ten years, DC Comics has several options for a major cinematic event. They could create a large-scale crossover inspired by stories like Dark Nights: Metal or Crisis on Infinite Earths. Alternatively, they could explore a compelling alternate reality, much like the JLA: Age of Wonder or DC Bombshells comics. Any of these stories could be incredibly successful as a movie.

JLA: Age of Wonder Is a Unique Elseworld

In the 1986 story JLA: Age of Wonder, Superman decides to reveal his alien origins as a Kryptonian, hoping it will help advance American technology. He teams up with Lex Luthor, Thomas Edison, and Nikola Tesla, but Luthor has a secret plan of his own. Now, this group of brilliant minds—known as the League of Science—must contend with Luthor’s scheme and prevent World War I from breaking out.

Though short at just two issues, JLA: Age of Wonder quickly gained a dedicated following. Its striking steampunk style is a major draw, and it offers a fantastic foundation for reimagining many DC Universe characters. Seeing these retro-futuristic designs on the big screen would be a huge hit with fans.

JLA: Act of God Has An Enthalling Mystery

In Doug Moench’s JLA: Act of God, a strange event called the Black Light strips all superheroes of their powers. The heroes struggle to cope with this loss – Superman even falls on hard times and becomes a homeless alcoholic. The cause of the Black Light remains a mystery, but Superman suspects it’s a trial sent by divine beings.

JLA: Act of God is a story that delves into the characters’ minds, but its core idea would make for a thrilling, large-scale movie – similar to Avengers: Infinity War. The idea of a strange event eliminating superheroes and leaving ordinary heroes to deal with the aftermath would grab audiences worldwide and leave them eager for a follow-up.

Dark Knights of Steel Fills The Need for Good Fantasy in Media

Dark Knights of Steel is a standout title, and it offers a truly unique take on the superhero universe. The story reimagines heroes as knights, princesses, and even dragons – like Beast Boy! It’s set in a detailed fantasy world centered around a conflict between three kingdoms, where magical beings (known as metahumans) are facing persecution for their powers.

While a full adaptation of Dark Knights of Steel might not fit into the main DC Universe, a standalone film set in that fantasy world could be a big hit, especially after the success of Game of Thrones. Fantasy stories are popular, and reimagining DC’s heroes as medieval characters is a clever idea. It would offer a unique perspective that could attract even people who don’t typically follow superheroes.

Identity Crisis Shows The Darkest Side of The Superhero Community

When Elongated Man’s wife, Sue Dibny, is murdered, the heroes of the world unite to find the killer, initially focusing on Doctor Light. However, the investigation quickly reveals widespread corruption and misconduct within the superhero community, exposing the lengths some heroes will go to in order to protect each other.

Okay, so with James Gunn now in charge of the DCU, things are about to get really interesting. I’m hoping we see some stories that aren’t afraid to go dark, and honestly, an adaptation of Identity Crisis would be perfect. We’ve seen heroes messed up before, but what makes that story so brutal is how personal it is. It’s not some huge, world-ending threat; it’s a problem within the hero community, and that makes it hit way harder because they’re all supposed to be close friends and family.

Blackest Night/Brightest Day Can Become A Long Saga

Blackest Night is considered the largest Green Lantern story yet. It centers around Nekron, who represents Death itself, and his plan to destroy all life and feeling in the universe. He accomplishes this by creating the Black Lantern Corps, an army of the undead, forcing the Green Lanterns and other DC superheroes to intervene. The story continues in a direct sequel, Brightest Day, which follows the resurrected heroes as they adjust to their second chance at life.

The Blackest Night/Brightest Day comic storyline is an ideal foundation for a major, long-term narrative in movies, similar to how the Infinity Saga was used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This story arc, spanning over 100 issues, dramatically changes the DC Universe, featuring the return of heroes and Lanterns with their own motivations. Given the upcoming Lanterns series, the complex and distinctive Green Lantern mythology could serve as a strong blueprint for the future of the DC Universe.

Absolute Power Makes Way For the Absolute Universe

In Absolute Power, Amanda Waller takes her fight against metahumans to a dangerous new level. She enlists the help of powerful villains, takes control of the Hall of Justice, and begins discrediting DC’s biggest heroes. To stop her, the Flash is forced to cut Earth-0 off from the rest of the multiverse. This drastic action unexpectedly causes Darkseid to change into an unstable form, ultimately leading him to create an entirely new reality.

The comic series Absolute Power launched what many consider to be one of DC’s strongest initiatives in recent years: the Absolute Universe. While the DC Universe is still early in its development, it’s likely too soon for the Alpha-World storyline to be adapted into a movie or show. Nevertheless, fans think this particular series would be an ideal way to refresh the DC Universe when the time is right.

Dark Nights: Metal Changes Everything Fans Know About the Multiverse

The story of Dark Nights: Metal begins with a shocking discovery: a hidden, twisted multiverse exists beneath the one we know. Seven evil Batmen are preparing to invade, and they’re led by the most dangerous one, The Batman Who Laughs. Our Batman, from the main DC universe, must lead the fight against them, as he inadvertently opened the door to this nightmare in the first place.

After the epic storyline Dark Nights: Metal, came Dark Nights: Death Metal, then Future State, and finally the Infinite Frontier relaunch. This makes Dark Nights: Death Metal the ideal series to conclude the initial phase of the DC Universe with a powerful finish.

Kingdom Come Explores A World Without Lawful Heroes

Honestly, things have gotten so crazy lately! Crime is just spiraling, and these new vigilantes are taking the law into their own hands, and it’s getting really brutal. It feels like the old-fashioned heroes, like Superman, just can’t keep up anymore. Everyone seems to think it’s okay to bypass the courts as long as they feel justice is done, but it’s quickly becoming a disaster. The Justice League is our only hope now – they have to step in fast to prevent a total nuclear catastrophe!

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It’s going to be difficult to adapt Kingdom Come because Alex Ross’s artwork is so iconic and unique. But the story itself is too strong to pass up. It could serve as a dramatic conclusion to the current DC Universe storyline, with events escalating to a breaking point. What’s great is that the Superman portrayed in Kingdom Come aligns perfectly with the established DCU version – he truly embodies hope and goodness.

Injustice Is a Morbid Take on Superman Power

Even if some fans aren’t thrilled with the idea, the Injustice storyline is a hugely popular take on an alternate DC Comics universe. The idea of a dark world where Superman becomes a dictator is fascinating, and the series pushes boundaries like never before. Given this, a live-action adaptation would likely be a massive hit, especially with David Corenswet playing Superman.

Henry Cavill’s Superman was already somewhat jaded, but David Corenswet’s version is optimistic and full of hope. Seeing that hope corrupted would be disturbing, even in a separate storyline. However, a movie based on Injustice – where Superman becomes a villain – could be a huge hit if released after audiences fully embrace Corenswet as a symbol of hope.

The Crisis Trilogy Is a Must At This Point

While one great movie can generate excitement, the DC Universe could really surpass Marvel’s success with a large-scale event. The ‘Crisis’ trilogy – Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis, and Final Crisis – would be a perfect choice. Though these stories were released over several decades, they all center around a conflict spanning multiple universes and showcase the unique style of DC Comics from different time periods.

Okay, so the Arrowverse did a “Crisis on Infinite Earths” event, but honestly, it felt kinda incomplete. They left out a lot of important characters and storylines from the comics. But now, with the new DCU, they actually have the money to really do it right. They’re setting us up for a huge, epic crisis that pulls in everything from across all the different eras of DC, and as a fan, that’s super exciting!

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2025-12-26 07:44