Joe and Anthony Russo Discuss How Snyder’s DCEU Setback Inspired an MCU Masterpiece

‘Captain America: Civil War’ was pivotal in the MCU because it introduced the Sokovia Accords, causing a divide among the Avengers and sparking a clash between Captain America and Iron Man. This marked the first time superheroes fought each other in the MCU, with no clear winner.

Additionally, the film introduced new characters like Black Panther and Spider-Man, shaping the future of the MCU. Its character conflicts and thrilling action left a lasting impact on team dynamics and relationships within the Avengers, cementing its status as a standout entry in the franchise.

Did you know that the MCU hit was actually influenced by a DCEU disappointment? Joe and Anthony Russo revealed how Zack Snyder’s poorly received film, ‘Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,’ inspired them to change direction and conceive the idea of having superheroes engage in a monumental ideological conflict.

For our part, when we finished Winter Soldier two years ago and we were thinking about doing the next one, the only thing that seemed interesting to us was to deconstruct the Marvel Universe — because where else can we go at this point? There have been 11 or 12 movies so far, all with a fairly traditional structure. Our pitch to them was: People will tell you they love chocolate ice cream — until you give it to them five days a week. It’s time to give them some rainbow sherbet. Kevin [Feige] is a maverick and he’s very sensitive to how people are responding to his content. He said he thought we might be right. And after they announced Batman v. Superman, he said, ‘you guys are absolutely right.’ We needed to do something challenging with the material or we were going to start to lose the audience.

‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ faced criticism for its pacing, dark tone, and portrayal of Batman and Superman. The film’s complex narrative, plot holes, and overloaded storylines also drew negative reviews from both critics and audiences. While the movie initially performed well at the box office, it experienced a significant drop in its second weekend as word spread about its flaws. Despite its shortcomings, Snyder’s visionary approach and willingness to take risks paved the way for some successful projects. Want to share your thoughts? Drop a comment below!

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