Kevin Feige Loves These 4 DC Movies—Even Marvel’s Boss Can’t Resist Their Magic

Kevin Feige, the influential head of Marvel Studios, has often remained respectful toward DC Films despite the rivalry between the two comic book giants. While Marvel has dominated the box office with $31 billion in revenue and established Feige as the highest-grossing producer ever, he has publicly expressed admiration for certain DC movies. Feige’s rare praise shines a light on four DC films he openly loves, reflecting an appreciation that transcends franchise competition.

Wonder Woman (2017): A Beacon of Hope for DC

Patty Jenkins’ 2017 film Wonder Woman emerged as a standout success during a period when other DCEU movies faced harsh criticism. Starring Gal Gadot as Diana Prince and Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, the story follows an Amazonian princess leaving her mystical home, Themyscira, to stop Ares, the god of war, during World War I.

Development of a Wonder Woman movie dated back to 1996 but took decades to come to fruition amid numerous directorial changes. Jenkins and her team grounded the film in classic comic influences, drawing from George Pérez’s 1980s runs, William Moulton Marston’s origin stories, and the modern New 52 narrative.

Kevin Feige acknowledged the film as a turning point when asked about DC’s progress. In an interview with Umberto Gonzalez, he said,

“I don’t know. I’m not one to bestow advice onto others. I think you can look at what they did with ‘Wonder Woman’ and they’ve figured that out. I’ve got great confidence in Geoff Johns over there and now Joss Whedon helping them out that just makes me excited as a fan to see what’s next.”

—Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President

Despite Feige’s optimism, Joss Whedon’s involvement later became controversial, and the DCEU struggled to fully stabilize. Nevertheless, Wonder Woman received critical acclaim, earning a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and generating $824 million worldwide. It became the highest-grossing film directed by a solo female filmmaker until 2021 and was widely praised for its strong feminism, spectacular action, and chemistry between leads Gadot and Pine.

Superman: The Movie (1978): The Blueprint for Superhero Films

The 1978 classic Superman: The Movie, produced by Alexander Salkind and directed by Richard Donner, set the standard for superhero cinema. Starring Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent/Kal-El, Marlon Brando as Jor-El, and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, the film combined a monumental budget for its time ($55 million) and a powerhouse creative team including Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather.

The narrative chronicles Superman’s origins from Krypton to Smallville and his emergence as Metropolis’s defender. Luthor, depicted as a ruthless villain, plots catastrophic schemes including a missile launch to devastate California.

Feige has cited this movie as an essential influence. In MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, he revealed,

“Superman: The Movie is still to this day the archetype of the perfect superhero film origin story. We watch it before we make any of our films.”

—Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President

Feige’s admiration stems from the film’s blend of visual spectacle and moral clarity, which he believes defines how superhero stories should be told. The film’s influence remains strong, inspiring elements like John Williams’s iconic score and Christopher Reeve’s portrayal, which many still hail as definitive. Its Oscar nominations in editing, score, and sound underline its historic significance, playing a foundational role in elevating superhero movies to mainstream success.

The Dark Knight (2008): Redefining the Superhero Genre

Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight transformed the Batman mythos for modern audiences, starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne and Heath Ledger as the Joker. Gotham City is in chaos, with Batman collaborating with Lt. James Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent to fight organized crime. The Joker’s unpredictable menace pushes the narrative into darker territory, especially after Dent’s tragic fall from grace.

The film stood out for its technical achievements, notably using IMAX cameras for the first time in a blockbuster and relying heavily on practical effects instead of CGI, including a real hospital explosion and a massive 18-wheeler truck stunt.

Feige has praised its impact on the superhero genre. When discussing 2008’s breakthrough year with Iron Man, he remarked to Wired,

“Chris Nolan’s Batman is the greatest thing that happened because it bolstered everything. Imagine the one-two punch in 2008 of Iron Man and Dark Knight? It was great. Six years earlier I was having conversations with studio execs where they’d say,”

Why don’t you come work for us? These comic book movies can’t last forever. It’s probably towards the tail end.

“And I, being with big bright-eyed naiveté would go,”

I don’t know, I think we can do more. I think there’s more fun to be had.”” —Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President

Both The Dark Knight and Iron Man helped shift perceptions around superhero films, making the genre respected and commercially viable. Ledger’s Joker remains an unparalleled villain, and the film’s blend of intense performances and memorable action continues to make it a high-water mark in superhero history.

The Upcoming Superman (2025): James Gunn’s Vision for a New DC Era

The upcoming Superman movie, slated for 2025 and directed by James Gunn, is the first chapter of DC’s new universe called Gods & Monsters. Featuring David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, the story revolves around Luthor’s campaign to depict Superman as a tyrant destined to rule Earth. Superman must team up with the Justice Gang and Lois to thwart Luthor’s destructive plans.

James Gunn’s involvement began quietly, with Warner Bros. initially seeking his direction as early as 2018, but he declined the offer until he had a clear vision for the character, focusing instead on The Suicide Squad. Once Gunn and Peter Safran became co-chairs at DC, expectations grew for a strong challenge to Marvel’s dominance.

At a recent media roundtable, Feige expressed his admiration for Gunn’s Superman film, highlighting its confident storytelling approach and rejecting the idea of superhero fatigue. He stated,

“Look at Superman… it’s clearly not superhero fatigue, right? I liked it a lot. I love how you just jump right into it. You don’t know who Mr. Terrific is? Tough. You’ll figure it out. You don’t know what this is? Just go, go. This is a fully fleshed-out world.”

—Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President

Rather than envy, Feige’s praise reflects optimism that the superhero movie landscape remains vibrant and welcoming to diverse interpretations and new audiences. James Gunn’s ability to blend humor and heartfelt storytelling promises to attract widespread appeal, indicating that both Marvel and DC can thrive simultaneously in an ever-expanding genre.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Why is Kevin Feige leaving Marvel?

A. Kevin Feige is not departing from Marvel, despite current rumors suggesting otherwise. Some fans believe he might leave Marvel Studios, where he’s worked since 2000. In 2007, he became president of production at Marvel Studios, around the time Iron Man was being developed.

Q. Kevin Feige is not going anywhere from Marvel Kevin Feige has confirmed that he is not leaving Marvel Studios, despite his contract ending in two years. “Do I want to be making big movies for big audiences in ten or 15 years from now? Yes, that’s all I want to do.

A. Why did Kevin Feige decide to step away from Marvel?

Kevin Feige left Marvel due to creative differences with the company. He wanted more control over Marvel’s projects, but the leadership disagreed. This led to his decision to step down from his role.