Zack Snyder may have just fired the first “Civil War” shot between DC Comics and Marvel.
The “Batman V Superman” director opened up to The Daily Beast on Thursday about what separates the two superhero titans, and said that he thinks DC has the gravitas to outlast Marvel’s lighter touch.
“I look at it as more being mythological than, say, bubblegum,” he said of DC’s universe. “And I think that that’s appropriate for Batman and Superman because they’re the most mythological of our superheroes.”
PHOTOS: New ‘Batman V Superman’ Dawn Of Justice Pics
Despite the public’s seemingly insatiable appetite for caped crusaders, at least one major Hollywood figure has expressed their exhaustion with the genre.
Steven Spielberg recently told the Associated Press that the popularity of comic book adaptations is fleeting, and predicted they will eventually “go the way of the Western” and meet an inevitable demise.
PHOTOS: Sexy Superheroes
Snyder agreed, but went on to explain why he believes DC’s content is more timeless than what rival Marvel has to offer. Both studios are preparing to unveil extended cinematic platforms over the next few years, but, according to the “300” director, DC has the bonus of featuring more iconic characters who aren’t dependent on box office trends.
“I feel like he’s right,” he admitted of Spielberg’s forecast. “But I feel like Batman and Superman are transcendent of superhero movies in a way, because they’re Batman and Superman. They’re not just, like, the flavor of the week Ant-Man – not to be mean, but whatever it is. What is the next Blank-Man?”
Snyder is also honest about the inspiration he derives from his successful predecessors. He said that he’s taken a page or two from the “Dark Knight” trilogy on how to maintain DC’s brooding grit.
“It’s a tricky process, setting up the DC universe, or Justice League,” he said. “The credit goes to [director] Chris Nolan because he set the die for the DC universe in a great way that I tried to emulate.”
READ: ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Trailer Revealed At D23 Expo
With such a solid foundation underneath him, Snyder said he’s confident to take the franchise reins. With five DC films on deck between now and 2019, he’s got a long way to ride before reaching the sunset.
Snyder doesn’t mind the long road ahead. After all, he added, true art never goes out of style for good.
“There are still great Westerns,” he pointed out.
“Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” soars into theaters on March 25, 2016.
— Erin Biglow
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.