The concept of the Justice League, which debuted in the 1960s, was the first major superhero team-up.
Because fans loved it and sales were good, Marvel followed suit and created The Avengers.
Looking at the names of these two teams, it's clear they are in competition.
The Justice League was originally composed of seven members: Superman, batman, wonder woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter, also known as the Big Seven.
However, as time went on, more and more comics were released, and writers constantly changed.
There were brilliant writers and terrible writers, and many times, for the sake of sales, plots were contrived that couldn't be resolved, with The batman Who Laughs being a prime example.
When they couldn't continue a story, they kept opening up parallel universes, eventually making it unclear what was going on.
DC once tried to sort out how many plot holes it had created, so it specifically hired a company to inventory them.
Guess what happened?
It took this company over two years to read through and clarify DC's comics.
Over two years! You can imagine what a massive undertaking and a huge mess this was.
DC originally wanted to do something big, but after seeing this situation, it chose to give up.
They directly rebooted with "Flashpoint Paradox," entering the New 52 era in 2011.
I'm tired, let's just destroy it all!
But later, after much deliberation, New 52 also ended in 2019, and the DC Universe rebooted again.
And even after two major reboots and decades of development, Martian Manhunter among the Big Seven has never been powerful.
It's not that his settings and abilities are weak; in fact, they are too strong, but his popularity has always been low.
Martian Manhunter's settings are completely on par with Superman, and he's even more versatile than Superman.
So, bringing him into the story poses an awkward question: what is your role, buddy?
For a warrior and tank, we have Superman; for intelligence and technology, we have batman; wonder woman has the divine lineage and female buff.
The Flash can turn the tide in desperate situations, Aquaman can control the sea for water battles, and Green Lantern Hal has the strongest willpower and can develop cosmic space.
Constantine follows the dark magic route, and his personality is also very distinctive.
What do you have, Martian Manhunter?
Pat your ugly forehead and tell me, what do you have besides expensive special effects that waste money?
You deserved to be replaced by Cyborg in New 52; Cyborg can engage in information warfare, at least he's much more useful than you.
However, Cyborg's distinctiveness is also limited; his popularity isn't high, and he similarly doesn't qualify for a solo movie. Simply put, his commercial value isn't enough.
He's fine for group battles with the big shots, where he might get a medal or exemption from military service.
But he lacks appeal on his own, like Marvel's Black Widow, who is a very typical example of this type.
James Wan coughed a few times: "Regarding the issues you raised, whether it's Martian Manhunter or Cyborg, we have no intention of abandoning them."
"We know that many fans like these two characters, but for the sake of the overall plan, they are not suitable for independent films at the moment."
"However, various characters will also be interspersed in other heroes' movies."
"For example, Constantine won't just be Constantine; Zatanna and Doctor Fate are all characters with interconnected storylines."
"The same goes for Cyborg and Martian Manhunter; they will appear in other heroes' movies and undertake important tasks."
The reporters noted down his words, but as for what interpretations would be published, that remained to be seen.
The Los Angeles Times reporter continued to ask: "James, how are these projects progressing? Are the scripts ready? Are the actors confirmed? When can they start?"
James Wan smoothed his specially dyed black hair: "I know everyone wants more information, but this is a big plan; it's not that easy."
"Tell us, you must have something prepared."
Eric smiled slightly: "Just a few words, James, to let everyone know we're not joking. Maybe it can help our stock price go up a few points."
Hahahaha... a light chuckle immediately spread through the room.
"Okay! Regarding the scripts,'Superman,' 'wonder woman,' 'Constantine,' and 'Aquaman' are basically completed."
"We referenced a large number of comics, trying to restore every detail of the settings as much as possible, and some storyboards and lines are almost one-to-one reproductions of comic scenes."
"This process is complex but joyful, and we are confident that both comic fans and non-comic fans will find enjoyment."
"As for the other works, they are currently still in creation; we hope to refine them to be the best."
"So, four films are about to enter the production phase, is that right?"
James Wan nodded slightly: "That's one way to look at it; the teams will be officially assembled soon."
"What about the roles? James, how is the casting going?"
James Wan looked at Zack Snyder: "You tell them, Zack."
Zack Snyder, speaking with a slight accent, continued: "Regarding this issue, we are already in contact with some actors."
"After discussion, we plan to invite Keanu Reeves to play Constantine."
"To invite Henry Cavill to play Superman, and to invite Gal Gadot to play wonder woman."
"Other roles also have approved actors, but of course, these are not final decisions; they still need to go through auditions."
"I want to take this opportunity to say that if you think you are suitable for a certain role, then come for an audition; we will choose the most suitable one."
After discussing DC matters, the cameras focused on Marvel.
Kevin Feige, not yet wearing the hat he would later frequently wear, said: "Just as James and Zack mentioned, our approach is also to connect the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe through independent hero films."
"And clearly, 'Iron Man' and 'captain america' have already gotten off to a good start."
"Earlier this year, we said we would prepare individual films for Ant-Man and Thor as soon as possible."
"Now I can tell everyone that things are progressing very smoothly, and the scripts are completed."
"At the same time, individual films for characters like hulk, Spider-Man, and X-Men will also begin preparation."
"The scale of Marvel's cinematic universe is no smaller than DC's, and with the experience from 'Iron Man' and 'captain america,' we are confident we can do even better."
As soon as Kevin Feige finished speaking, a group of reporters couldn't hold back their questions.
The Russo Brothers called on a reporter from the Chicago Sun-Times.
The reporter frowned and asked: "I don't quite understand Kevin's meaning; Marvel is going to develop Spider-Man and X-Men series."
"But Sony just released 'Spider-Man 2' last year, and the third part is in preparation. Sam Raimi said in an interview that he would continue to film it."
"And Fox's 'X-Men 3' is already in post-production. I don't understand."
"I don't understand this situation. Does it mean Marvel will co-produce sequels with Sony and Fox?"
"And Universal's 'hulk'; is Marvel going to continue filming it?"
This question was also on the minds of all the reporters present. They had never seen a situation where two companies simultaneously developed the same IP.
For the reporters' questions, fortunately, Eric had already provided a countermeasure, so the Russo Brothers calmly explained: "No, that's not the case."
"It's not joint development, but independent development, without interference from each other."
"Sony's Spider-Man belongs only to Sony, with Tobey Maguire playing Peter Parker."
"But Marvel's Spider-Man also belongs only to Marvel; the actor and storyline will be completely different from the Sony version."
"In fact, apart from the superpowers and character names, everything else is brand new. These are characters exclusive to the Marvel Cinematic Universe."
"The same goes for X-Men, hulk, or other characters."
"But, if you do that, won't the audience be very conflicted?" the reporter pressed.
"This question is very simple. Have you read the comics?"
"Of course, I have."
"Since you've read them, you should know that there are multiverses in the comics, where each universe has the same character, but the story is completely different."
"For example, the Ultimate Universe subverted the origins of many characters."
"So, Sony's Spider-Man is Peter Parker of Universe 212, and Marvel's Spider-Man is Peter Parker of Universe 616."
Upon hearing this explanation, the reporter was visibly stunned for a moment, then suddenly gave a thumbs-up: "That makes perfect sense!"
At the end of the press conference, Eric released another bombshell.
"Now that MGM and Warner Bros. have converged, we have ample influential film and television IPs."
"So, I plan to utilize these IPs more fully to bring more joy and value to people."
"I have decided to establish a new company, primarily focused on amusement park projects."
"Here, you will be able to experience various themed styles: Star Wars, The Matrix, harry potter, transformers, superheroes, frozen, and so on."
"It's like going to Disney World, the difference being that Star Wars will not renew its contract with Disney after its current term expires in the future."
Eric wasn't hiding anything; who couldn't see that creating an amusement park was aimed directly at Disney's lifeline?
Eric Cooper was clearly targeting Mickey Mouse's Achilles' heel.
"I believe that the global film landscape will change in the next decade."
"The era of superheroes has arrived!"
The richness of content and high specifications of this press conference exceeded many people's imaginations.
Especially the Marvel and DC cinematic universes, after being described, even those who weren't comic fans could see that this would be an incredibly grand plan.
Eric Cooper's final assertion, given that his past statements have generally come true, suggests that the era of superheroes might truly be arriving.
The most direct reaction to this was naturally the capital market.
The stock prices of several related companies indeed rose in response. Among them, Warner Bros.'s market value had returned to its original point after Eric's acquisition, falling back to over 20 billion US dollars.
During his continuous adjustments to the company structure, the stock price continued to decline.
However, this press conference acted like a strong shot in the arm; the stock price rebounded strongly, even achieving an overshoot at one point.
Conversely, Disney's stock price immediately dropped nearly 5 percent after the press conference.
Even though Eric only made a statement, and it would take at least two or three years for his park to be built, it still impacted Disney.
It seems that when it actually comes to fruition, a 30-40% cut isn't impossible.
In any case, the general public welcomed this; currently, Disney dominates the domestic amusement park market in the United States.
Competition is good; at least it can drive down ticket prices, right?
Moreover, people can't always go to Disney; it's human nature to try something new for a fresh experience.
For Hollywood practitioners, it was also good news. These films, one could tell by instinct, would definitely be large productions.
Although they said Superman was cast and Constantine also had a candidate.
But even if they couldn't get a lead role, there were still supporting roles. A prominent small supporting role in such a large production could add a significant highlight to one's resume.
Undoubtedly, the happiest were the fans.
Whether Marvel or DC fans, all major forums, chat rooms, offline gatherings, and social media were buzzing with discussions about this press conference.
For them, spring had truly arrived; the dream moment many had envisioned was here.
However, many people expressed dissatisfaction after hearing Zack Snyder's actor choices.
Henry Cavill?
His somewhat effeminate aesthetic in "twilight"—was he really a match for Superman?
Keanu Reeves playing Constantine—was he too handsome?
Gal Gadot becoming wonder woman—were her breasts too small?
Related discussions continued for almost half a month.
DC's official website then directly released a wave of promotional photos.
After some makeup, Henry Cavill clearly became more muscular.
Not only was his face sharply chiseled, but his whole body showed clear muscle definition, giving a powerful impression.
Especially Superman's suit, which abandoned the traditional external underwear, featured a pure black version and a dark blue one with a red cape.
It was not only handsome but also very imposing.
Keanu Reeves, on the other hand, wore a yellow trench coat, the classic Constantine look.
He had a stubbled face, a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, and sat slightly bowed at a bar counter.
The smoke, alcohol, and trench coat, combined with Keanu Reeves' melancholic and charming looks, created a decadent feeling that captivated anyone who saw it.
Then came Gadot's styling: a gold and red armor, completely devoid of a plastic feel.
She held a shield in one hand and a sword in the other, with a golden Lasso of Truth at her waist and a tiara on her forehead.
After several years of fitness training, clear muscle lines were visible beneath the armor.
She looked like a Valkyrie, fiercely wielding her weapon with a determined expression.
After these three official character photos were released, the voices of doubt were immediately silenced.
They couldn't be called perfect, but their charisma was enough to conquer most people.
Moviegoers also noticed that the costume styles were completely different from Christopher Reeve's Superman and Lynda Carter's wonder woman.
They appeared more powerful and dominant, perhaps indicating that the film's style would also not be a lighthearted comedy.
After DC released its promotional photos, Marvel followed suit by unveiling Black Widow's official character photo.
A tight leather suit combined with sexy red lips immediately showcased Scarlett Johansson's sensual and alluring side.
Some people had already announced online that they wanted to drink Black Widow's bathwater.