The sad history of failed cinematic universes

Not so easy to copy the MCU formula

Sony's Spider-Man Villain Universe:

Sony’s attempt with its Spider-Man villain spinoff films is a perfect example of this "copy and paste" mentality. The MCU didn't just build a universe — it meticulously introduced its characters, developed their stories, and carefully wove them together into an interconnected tapestry. Each movie had its own identity, but also felt like a piece of a larger puzzle. Sony, on the other hand, seemed to think that slapping the Spider-Man brand onto a set of half-baked villain origin stories would create instant success.

Venom, despite its critical failure, made money largely because of the massive popularity of the character and the curiosity surrounding it. But the fact that the sequels and subsequent spinoffs like Morbius, Madame Web, and Kravenhave all been critical and commercial disappointments shows that a universe can't survive solely on name recognition. There’s no emotional investment, no narrative through-line that ties it all together in a satisfying way. Kraven the Hunter, with its bizarre decisions and poor reception, is just the latest casualty in Sony’s failed attempt to build something that’s both rushed and directionless.

Universal’s Dark Universe:

The Dark Universe was another cautionary tale of a rushed attempt to build a cinematic universe without any real grounding or coherent plan. It’s almost surreal that Universal thought they could launch a shared universe with The Mummy as the cornerstone, especially with the bizarre casting of Tom Cruise and the decision to make it an action-packed adventure movie rather than a gothic horror story. It felt like they were more concerned with setting up the next film than telling a good story with the one they had. By the time The Mummy bombed, the whole thing collapsed before it could get off the ground, and the cast photo with Cruise, Bardem, and Depp became more of a punchline than a tease for an exciting cinematic future.

It’s a stark reminder that a cinematic universe needs more than just the promise of future films; it needs a solid first installment that excites audiences and sets a tone for what’s to come. Without that, you're left with empty promises and underwhelming films.

DC’s Struggles and James Gunn’s Approach:

DC’s own journey has been just as tumultuous, though there’s definitely reason for optimism now with James Gunn at the helm. It’s easy to look at the missteps of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Justice League and assume that DC was doomed to fail in comparison to Marvel, but what they’ve gone through is a valuable learning experience. Under Zack Snyder, DC was too focused on trying to compete with Marvel’s success, rushing into a shared universe without laying the necessary groundwork. The tonal inconsistencies, rushed story arcs, and lack of character development doomed those early films, and the audience backlash made it clear that just bringing characters together wasn't enough.

James Gunn, however, has shown he’s not in a rush. His approach to the DC Universe — focusing on telling individual stories with the right creative team and allowing for the necessary time to develop a cohesive narrative — feels much more thoughtful. Like you said, he got to watch Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios build their universe with care, and if anyone can build a compelling, interconnected universe that doesn’t feel like it's just a money-grab, it’s probably Gunn. The fact that he’s taking the time to pick the right projects, while keeping the overall vision in mind, gives DC a fighting chance to build something that lasts.

The Danger of Rushing:

Your point about the importance of pacing is crucial. The MCU didn’t become the juggernaut it is by rushing to get to the “big team-up” movie. It took years of setup and careful world-building. Sony, Universal, and others that failed in creating their universes rushed to force out movies before they had anything solid to build on. In the case of Sony’s Spider-Manvillains, they tried to use the success of Venom as proof that audiences would flock to any Spider-Man-related content. But the lack of cohesive storytelling and a broader vision for the universe undermined their efforts. In contrast, even though Marvel has had its fair share of missteps, the foundation they laid in Phase 1 (with movies like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America) made the larger universe feel earned when the Avengers finally came together.

If Gunn can avoid the mistakes of the past — and focus on creating strong, individual stories that gradually lead into a larger universe — DC may very well be poised to carve out its own niche. But it will only succeed if it doesn’t rush, and if it takes the time to craft compelling, high-quality films that stand on their own before attempting to pull the larger threads together.

The Bottom Line:

Ultimately, the key takeaway here is that building a successful cinematic universe requires more than just linking movies together. It’s about creating individual stories that resonate with audiences and building a world that feels lived-in and consistent. Sony’s Spider-Man villain films, Universal’s Dark Universe, and even DC’s earlier missteps all failed because they prioritized quantity over quality and were too eager to capitalize on the MCU’s success without laying the proper groundwork.

DC’s future, on the other hand, looks promising because James Gunn is taking the time to avoid those same mistakes. It’s clear that building a universe — especially one that spans over a decade — is a long-term investment, and it’s not something that can be rushed. Whether or not DC can maintain this thoughtful, steady approach is yet to be seen, but the first test will come next summer with Superman: Legacy. Time will tell if Gunn’s vision can deliver what DC has struggled to achieve for so long.

What I watched this week

This week I saw two films, the aforementioned Kraven the Hunter, where I stand by everything I said above about it. It is truly one of the most incoherent, lazy, and just awfully made movies across every level of filmmaking. It is truly a 0/10 film if I have ever seen one.

The second is Carry-On, the new Netflix Christmas action movie. As far as Netflix action movies go, this might be the Citizen Kane of them all. It was entertaining to watch, got a little ridiculous in the second half of the movie, but was pretty much everything you could want from a Netflix original.

Opening this week

I don’t think there are any t.v shows premiering this week, just new episodes of the shows that were listed in last week’s article. Next week though we should have a big one to talk about.

But on the film side we have two huge Christmas releases coming out, and even though I won’t be watching either, I know millions will be rushing to the theater to do so. Those two films are Sonic 3 and Mufasa: The Lion King prequel. I’m sure both films will be exactly what audiences would expect so if they are your thing, then you’re going to love them.

Also opening in select cities is The Brutalist, A24’s 3 hour and 40 minute epic that also features a 15 minute intermission. I am super excited to check this one out whenever it makes its way to the midwest. One of the frontrunners to compete for a lot of Oscars and should be a very distinct type of film in a very basic film landscape now-a-days.

If you are still reading to this point THANK YOU as always and hope the month of December has been treating you well, 2025 is right around the corner!