Years before theDCU’sTeen Titansmovie even begins filming, the MCU perfectly captures the essence of the DC team inThunderbolts*. Penned by Ana Nogueira,the DCU’sTeen Titansmovieis only starting to take shape. While the project is set to be part of the DCU’s “Gods and Monsters” chapter, it will remain in development for a while.
Over at Marvel, the MCU has been welcoming new superhero teams in preparation forPhase 6’s upcomingAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars.Captain America: Brave New Worldplanted the seeds for a new Avengers line-up andThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsteased the titular team’s Earth-616 arrival. Meanwhile,Thunderbolts*introduced a ragtag squad of legacy heroes: the New Avengers.
Thunderbolts* Is Everything The DCU’s Teen Titans Movie Needs To Be
AlthoughThunderboltsis based on the eponymous comic book property, it has little connection to Zemo’s team. Instead,Thunderboltsfollows a group of anti-heroes who find themselves trying to live up to the legacy of famous MCU heroes. As they help one of their own contain his dark side, they also fight their own dark feelings and grow closer together.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the MCU’s Thunderbolts follow very similar beats to DC’s Teen Titans. The Teen Titans are also a chosen family who create an identity of their own away from the Justice League’s shadow. Besides, the Teen Titans often find themselves pulling Raven away from Trigon’s dark influence while they try to control their own dark impulses.
The Thunderbolts' failed attempts to stop Sentry and the Void taking over Sentry like a demonic entity seem like the perfect big-screen adaptation of the Teen Titans' struggles with Raven and Trigon. On top of that,the New Avengers overseeing oncoming threats in a tower HQindirectly inherited from the Avengers is a perfect representation of the Teen Titans' daily operations.
The DCU’s Teen Titans Movie Still Has The Opportunity To Do What Other Adaptations Haven’t
The DCU’sTeen Titansmovie has a unique opportunity to showcase the team’s powers with an unprecedented scope. Unlike the famous animated show and the live-action series, a big-screenTeen Titansfilm can fully render Starfire’s cosmic blasts, Raven’s demonic magic, and Beast Boy’s shapeshifting with movie-quality VFX. The same goes for villains like Deathstroke, Blackfire, and Terra.
Just as crucially, the DCU’sTeen Titanscan tell a two-hour, standalone story focused on the Titans’ team dynamics and individual arcs. All this while still working as a self-contained installment in the wider DCU.Unlike the TV shows,Teen Titanswould actively coexist with known, live-action portrayals of heroes like Batman and Superman.
LikeThunderbolts*does with its New Avengers, the DCU’sTeen Titanscan root its story in the legacy of established heroes without needing those characters to appear. It can set the stage forfuture DC crossovers and sequels. However, it will likely remain fully self-contained and focused on a powerful standalone narrative with a clear central theme of unity.
Teen Titans (DCU)
Rumored to be part of James Gunn’s DC Universe, the Teen Titans movie is expected to feature, as main characters, a group of young superheroes. Known for its ensemble team of DC protagonists, the film will explore their dynamics, personal growth, and battles against formidable adversaries.
Thunderbolts*
Cast
Thunderbolts follows seven disillusioned individuals who find themselves trapped in a perilous situation. Tasked with a daunting mission, they must face the most shadowy aspects of their histories in order to survive and achieve their goals.
