Screenwriting : writing Sci-Fi since the MCU! by Ryan Mogensen

I absolutely love MCU films, even though I am very conscious about their faults: the powers are generic, the villains are forgettable (minus Infinity War's Thanos) and the formula is quite obvious. But damn, do they know how to use their characters. Steve Rogers, Thor and Tony Stark are some of the best character arcs I've seen. And Endgame was probably the best experience I've had in a movie theatre. Scorsese is totally right: MCU films are pure entertainment, but isn't entertainment half of what film is? Sure, it's an art form, but it's also meant to entertain.

Personally, when it comes to sci-fi, I prefer stuff like Alien, and I think there's still enough room to work in the genre without mimicking Marvel. I just have to find a different POV that is unique to your story and your characters!

I don't find it difficult to write Sci-Fi after the MCU at all. There are so many stories to tell and themes to explore with science fiction, besides superheroes. In fact, I'm currently working on an adult animated series that mixes spy-thriller with Sci-Fi, and that deals with transhumanism and its philosophical aspects.

I agree Martin Scorsese is not the intended audience but makes a valid point but so does everyone who’s commented so far because I agree with you guys. I think there is a stigma that anything that falls into the realm of super hero’s will automatically be compared to the franchise for reference. The universe I’m building with a couple of friends and co-writers is different than what we’re seeing in Marvel and DC but with as much content that exists there’s enough familiarity that the audience can relate and unfortunately compare it to other things that exist because that’s the reference material available. But I’m determined to bring a whole new cinematic universe to the forefront.

Ryan Mogensen I absolutely agree with you. In the end, you have to follow your guts and write the story you want to tell, with your own voice.

Tons of opportunities in the sci-fi space. So much to explore. Love Marvel, DC and Star Wars. And yes I think I can write something that would appeal to those who aren't fans of the genre. It's always about characters and the story.

My 2 cents: Marvel has the merit of continuation. Audiences grew more and more acquainted with these characters over the course of many years; they didn't just automatically love them off the bat.

I remember people groaning that there was going to be a Captain America movie, asking 'who are the Guardians of the Galaxy', and many others scoffing that there was even such thing as an Ant-Man. But now, each are beloved worldwide.

True appreciation comes with time, and when you have just one two-hour film to build a connection with characters, it doesn't quite compare to a 22-Film franchise of Characters.

You better hope people are nostalgic for your characters in 20 years.

So here’s a secondary question to this discussion? Where had DC failed but Marvel succeeded? This is a loaded question of sorts if you’ve followed bot series and movies from both sides? Because we know as fans one franchise from the basis of comics isn’t more successful than the other it’s preferences but where have they failed/succeeded?

I would say casting, tone and character are DC's biggest problem. Casting, because so far we haven's seen a Marvel-level casting decision (just look how they go through Batmen without ever nailing them). Marvel nailed RDJ, they nailed Chris Evans and they nailed every other casting decision they made.

Tone, because it is a mistake to try and build a cinematic franchise around a single director's vision, especially when that director has never been able to create an empathetic character in his whole career (I believe Zack Snyder is also form and no content, but I understand if someone disagrees with me, it's subjective).

And character because DC's characters suck, basically. And I don't mean they actually suck, but just that they're so far off from reality that it becomes hard for me as an audience member to relate with them: Superman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman... The only relatable character (out of the big five) is Batman which, guess what, it's their biggest cash-cow! All the other characters have their own vulnerabilities, but DC films have always failed to explored them properly.

I think it's a bit more complicated than that. First, DC/Warner tried to go too fast and launched Justice League with only two previous movies. It took years and several movies for Marvel to finally be able to launch the first Avenger movie. DC tried to take a shortcut, obviously. That said, I think a lot of people have missed the point of DC characters. Most of them are godlike beings, while Marvel characters tend to be more human. Personally, I enjoyed Zack Snyder's vision and ambition of trying to picture flawed gods and not classic superheroes. But I can also see why not everyone was on board with that vision.

If we are talking DC vs Marvel. DC characters are flawed. They are super human. Marvel does a bit of that. But Marvel tend to have humans that become super. I heard Len Wein the creator of Wolverines say that Batman is DCs best Marvel character.

I think Marvel is more successful because they start with Humans.

from what I hear from writing friends, Marvel builds within. The whole MCU is in a campus training ground. Marvel has their own writer's room/thunderdome-setting. They bring in multiple writers and pair them with directors & producers. Similar to Pixar and how they make movies.

DC/Warner seems to be a closed boys club. It's the same 4 or 5 dudes running the entire slate for the next 10-15 years. Snyder, Goyer, Terrio, Goldsman - they got their fingerprints all over. DC tried with a rebel outsider, David Ayer, on Suicide Squad; it was a bad marriage.

It totally makes sense.

So one thing from discussion with a friend an avid reader reader and over comic enthusiast is DC had dominated in the animated full length films regardless of they were family friendly or more adult based on films which seem to refer to the comics closest than the live action. We’ve seen flops from Marvel with what they consider many of the marvel legacy movies. However Marvel did it first and there were zero complaints with the first X-men, Fantastic four and Hulks films. But what else was there to compare it to? Nothing and that’s been great for Marvel even after we do a comparison to the now MCU and DC films. I agree with DC not investing like Marvel did it’s crippled there desire with fans or audience to produce success. We might see different with the Black Adam movie with Dwayne Johnson but who knows at this point. DC initially did well with their shows where Marvel was in the, eh ranking. Now though? Marvel has kept their shows on point with staying within the MCU and setting up the upcoming films. I’m eager to see the Multiverse movies because I believe they are resetting everything that’s happened with their films outside the MCU and the future films not made.

Marvel had an actual plan. DC didn't.

I may beg to differ on your take with Marvel films Ryan Mogensen in this point. Folks complained about the 3rd X-Men film in the first run. The next run left much to be desired. Definitely there were complaints with FF 2 (Galactus was a cloud) And The Hulk (Eric Bana) is still considered a disaster. Note that Marvel had no control over those characters at that time. Now they do so since Disney bought Fox. it will be interesting to see how they handle FF and X-Men. For some reason they won't do any more Hulk films. The only disappointing thing with Marvel for me is they killed some good shows like The Gifted, Cloak and Dagger, The Punisher, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Daredevil. Wish they kept them going.

I’ve enjoyed the Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and I was on the fence with the Iron First because I wasn’t sold on the actor playing Iron Fist. However I was a fan in the end. Didn’t care for the Flash series it was too much of a soap opera and a very predictable story line. The Punisher series wasn’t horrible but it was too slow starting off especially since I enjoy Jon Bernthal as an actor. I have mixed feelings about some of the older series for both DC and Marvel some never interested me to begin with.

Wink. Wink. Nick Assunto - Stage 32 Script Services Coordinator

The success of Marvel hasn't really affected how I write sci-fi. But then I consider the MCU movies more fantasy (with some sci-fi elements). When I write, I'm more interested in the philosophical and reality-altering elements of sci-fi. Not that there's anything wrong with how Marvel does it (I love most of their movies) it's just not what I enjoy writing.

Sci-fi is such a rich genre so there is plenty of room for unique voices and perspectives. Blade Runner, Dune, The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica all have their own unique voices in sci-fi, like American Gods and The Witcher have their own for fantasy.

Or, you can go in a different direction and use what is generally accepted in popular modern sci-fi and distort it to tell a different side of it, in the same way as shows like The Boys or several episodes of Black Mirror have done.

There’s been great feedback and input in this discussion from everyone. Everyone has had very valid positions and I appreciate what I’m hearing. Anyone working on or complete a Sci-Fi piece?

I myself and a couple friends are developing a universe with multiple characters and ensembles that eventually come together. Taking a unique twist on one particular galaxy based on scientific theory which influences the universe itself at its core and through characters that have multiple crossovers into other storylines as their stories develop and change. It’s exciting. I know that’s vague my apologies I don’t want to give too much without my partners agreement. I know at this moment it sounds low concept based on the description but our goal is once we finish it’ll be high concept once development is to the point where we can have multiple projects completed to paint a broader and unique concept to be seen by readers and audience.

As I already mentioned it, I'm working on an animated sci-fi show based on a tabletop RPG and storyworld I created. It's a sort of mix between Jason Bourne and the X-Men, with philosophical questions about the future of human evolution and what it means to be human. There are definitely some inspirations from Marvel and DC (spies with superpowers), my main sources of influence come from movies like Blade Runner, The Matrix, and 80s-90s Japanese anime.

Great points, Ewan!

Wow, for a question about writing away from the MCU, there sure are a lot of comments about the MCU!

The thing to remember about science-fiction is that it started as a commentary on social issues of the day. Wells' War of the Worlds was a commentary about evolution and racism (British imperialism). Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land is a satire on just about every social more. Star Trek: TOS, while considered groundbreaking for its thinly-veiled references to the political and cultural issues of the time, was certainly NOT groundbreaking in the sci-fi world. It was just the first real attempt to bring classic SF to the mainstream.

The best, most enduring science-fiction is centered on character; not superpowers or cool tech. Those were devices to explore character. Even today, in whatever medium, the best science-fiction is about characters.

So, to answer the OP's core question, can you write SF post-MCU. Absolutely - just start with deep, resonant, compelling characters.

I agree John Ellis, and yes there’s definitely been plenty of comments based on the MCU and those shows and movies that close resemble what they offer or represent. I guess you can call that just geeking out some. However I like what you said in regards to the depth of character. In one of my stories in the Sci-Fi universe the main character is fallen soldier now in hiding from the military hierarchy. He’s the galaxies for General of a once just Galactic Empire over thrown through a military coup. Betrayed by his closest advisers and military leaders who attempt to kill him and everyone of significance during a military ball. It goes awry, scattering survivors across the universe and leaving him and several others mortally wounded and left adrift in space. He wakes up from a coma a year after the incident having been found and hidden on a remote planet not knowing the true details of what happened following the events and how/who brought him there to be hidden and taken care of. The main protagonist is introduced approximately 8-10yrs after these events and hides while using the underground networkings of the galaxy to prepare him for revenge when someone from the past shows up and he’s thrown into a whirlwind of mercenaries, learning everyone he thought he lost is not dead and he has to get answers to move forward and take back what was taken from him and the galaxy he vowed his allegiance to centuries ago. There’s plenty we’ve seen before in other stories and he’s a character deeply scarred from loss and betrayal and the Sci-Fi comes in the form of the scientific theory that sets it apart from our own galaxy that gives there galactic population unique genetic attributes with some more unique than others.

I think the point is; are you writing a thing because it sold last year or is it a story you want to tell that comes from your own perspective. If its both then so much the better for possible sales. If you're writing something just because its trendy then that's a problem because what you produce risks being a bit derivative.

Writers who are telling stories from their own inner perspective don't worry about accidentally following trends. The trends are following them. By the way this is coming from a writer that has two super hero series sets (books) already written and on line. They have nothing to do with any established pantheon the hero is a woman and NO CAPES.

Great stuff Tabitha Baumander! I agree with that. I’m not writing to recreate something that was already made. I’m writing because it’s my perspective as you suggest and I’m writing to bring an original character and universe to life!

Screenwriter Chris Terrio's Vanity Fair interview dives into the clusterfuck management at Warner Bros.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/04/chris-terrio-justice-league...