I came across a site speaking about the difficulty of creating a cinematic universe and I began thinking about what it would take to put one together. I spoke a bit about it in my post about fixing the DCEU, but this time I want to make things more generic. Simply having characters appear in different movies doesn’t mean you have a cinematic universe. With that being said, here are seven things needed to have a cinematic universe:
1. Pick the right Cinematic Universe
This is not simply about creating movies with individual characters from a team. This is the glue that binds the movies together. Here is an example. In the Tarantinoverse the movies are connected through side characters, siblings, advertisements, and events. Some of these are subtle and doesn’t add to the overall theme of movies, but they are connected dots. This would be a loosely connected universe. Tightly connected cinematic universes would have a similar plot that flows through the main universe thread.
2. Do not force the connections
One of the major flaws in Universal’s Dark Universe revival was the fact that they came out the gate announcing it is a cinematic universe. There are even promo pictures released with characters we may or may not see in film. Yes, The Dark Universe is one of the original cinematic universes, but forcing it into the medium for today is a foolish move. Fans began to tear into the Mummy the moment the announcement was made. I am not suggesting that the criticism wasn’t justified, but I imagine if the movie was allowed to stand on its own it might have flown somewhat under the radar.
3. Make sure each movie can stand on its own.
This is highly dependent on which cinematic universe you choose to use. You do not want the audience to need to watch movies in a particular order. It should be a treat not a chore. The way this is accomplished is by making sure the individual movies stand on their own. For instance, could you jump right in and watch the Avengers? Yes, you can. You would definitely have questions, but none that would disrupt your experience in watching that film.
4. Remember what occurred in the previous films
This is extremely important if you plan to have the cinematic universe tightly connected. Characters are expected to develop, but it is key that you remember what those developments are. A character who is on top of their game in one movie can’t be an bumbling fool in the one following it chronologically. It must make sense; otherwise, the entire character thread becomes a waste.
5. Reward the fans for sticking with you
This can be done several ways, but here is pretty cool example to demonstrate what I mean with this one. There is a scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier where Jason Sitwell is speaking with Senator Stern. The senator reveals that he is an agent of Hydra in that scene. The takeaway is two-fold. One would say, “Oh crap Hydra is in the senate”, if this is the only movie you saw, but if you saw Iron Man 2, you would also say,”Oh, that is why Stern was treating Tony that way”. It is a simple nod, but very rewarding.
6. Stick to the story being told
Fans will want every character to have their own movie once they know you are creating a cinematic universe. The challenge is to avoid the pressure and stick to the story. Remember that a character or group should have their own movie if, and only if, there is information about the character that requires its own movie to tell. How will the world develop by introducing this character? Marvel’s Iron Fist didn’t garner the same acclaim as the others because there was no new information about the world that came out of it. This is not the case for universes that are not tightly connected; however, main threads rules in that universe must remain true.
7. Have fun
It should feel like it is fun making movies in the cinematic universe. Actors and Actresses will be asked to do a lot to make the universe work and if they aren’t happy, the movies won’t be good. This does not mean that everyone gets their way, but the full vision should be known to them. Avoid telling everything in a press release because that only builds unnecessary expectations. An element of the universe needs to remain organic just in case changes have to be made. In the end, be satisfied with the story you have.
What do you think? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!