“It didn’t because it was the same thing”: DC’s Latest Animated Movie Was Created in the Same Spirit of Legendary ’90s DCAU Animation
As far as the realm of superhero animated content is concerned, DC has proved its excellence time and again. With 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series kickstarting the DCAU, the franchise entertained millions of fans for years before concluding with 2006’s Justice League. However, the thirst for animated DC content is still being quenched through new movies and series.
Over the years since the end of DCAU, numerous movies based on the DC Comics have been released. One such movie is Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths. Considering the evolution of the content over the years, it is no surprise that the creators are more inclined towards making movies in the sequel structure, and yet Crisis on Infinite Earths has maintained its uniqueness.
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Has the Same Magic as the ’90s DCAU
The switch to the sequel structure might have come as a disappointment to those who were enamored with Bruce Timm‘s DCAU. Even so, they have maintained the integrity of the animated franchise so far and successfully kept fans entertained.
Crisis on Infinite Earths is quite refreshing in this regard as although it has three parts, each part has its own story to tell while also connecting it to the other parts. In an interview with ComicBookMovie.com, creator Jeff Wamester was asked how the switch from a 90-minute movie to a three-parter affected his approach.
Wamester revealed that there was no change to his approach, saying:
“It didn’t because it was the same thing [Laughs]. These are contained. They’re connected in a larger three-act structure so…by virtue, it’s the same. Every move along [the way], we have to be careful about the long-term with how [these stories] connect to the ending.”
Telling a story in a 90-minute timeframe is certainly a challenge, but it is one that the creators have accomplished with movies like Mask of the Phantasm and Batman and Mr. Freeze, which were critically acclaimed upon release.
Crisis on Infinite Earths is more of an artistic piece that lets the creatives showcase their talents, rather than just another project in the Tomorrowverse.
Jim Krieg on Bringing in More Tomorrowverse Characters
Tomorrowverse is the successor of the DCAMU, which began in 2020 with Man of Tomorrow and is scheduled to end this year. Crisis on Infinite Earths is written by Jim Krieg who has been working on the new movie franchise since the beginning.
Upon being asked if they had considered bringing in characters from other animated universes, Krieg said:
“We talked about it from Man of Tomorrow. It was a challenge because the animation styles can be so drastically different and they clash a little bit. Hopefully…well, we’ll see what happens.”
Producer Butch Lukic gave a hopeful update on this saying that the second movie will feature some characters from other universes.
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
