When people think ofanimatedsuperhero movies, DC is typically the first that comes to mind. After the release of the critically acclaimedBatman: Mask of the Phantasmin 1993 and otherdirect-to-video hitslikeBatman Beyond: Return of the Joker, starting in 2007 Warner Bros. Animation created DC Studios Animation. The company has released adaptations of popular stand-alone stories likeBatman: The Dark Knight ReturnsandAll-Star Supermanand from 2013 to 2020 had an entire interconnected universe of stories. The recent release ofLegion of Superheroesmarks the 47th animated film the company has released since 2007.
Meanwhile,Marvelis the most popular name in superhero films and live-action television thanks to theMarvel Cinematic Universe, yet when it comes to animated feature films, they have a much smaller number of releases and in the direct-to-video market have made less of an impact. While Marvel Animation certainly has released plenty of television series based on their characters, movies have been less of a priority. Here is why Marvel has made fewer animated films, but why they have one notable achievement that DC does not: Academy Awards.
Marvel Didn’t Have an Established Home Like DC Did
Unlike DC which has been a subsidiary of Warner Bros. since the 1970s, Marvel was an independent company for years and had made deals licensing their characters to other studios. Warner Bros. had a direct animation company to produce animated films based on their DC Comics character. Marvel did not, and made deals with other parties and in the 90s and early 2000s with animated films were less of a priority and more focus was put on live-action films.
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In 2004 Marvel Entertainment struck a deal with Lions Gate Entertainment to produce eight to 10 direct-to-video animated films. This was seen as vital as the next year Marvel Studios, the live-action film side of the company, was beginning their plans to produce their own films independently and using the animated films as a testing ground to expose heroes and concepts to audiences, primarily kids could help benefit their live-action feature films.
The collaboration produced eight films:Ultimate Avengers: The MovieandUltimate Avengers 2: Rise of Black Pantherin 2006,The Invincible Iron ManandDoctor Strange: Sorcerer Supremein 2007,Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrowin 2008,Hulk Vs.in 2009,Planet Hulkin 2010, andThor: Tales of Asgardin 2011. By this point, the contract was met and not renewed as Disney had purchased Marvel and would keep all productions in-house including any future animated films.
Disney Invests Less in the Direct-to-Video Market
Disney purchased Marvel in 2009, and that gave Marvel a bigger audience than ever before with the resources of one of the most profitable studios on the planet. Warner Bros. had found great financial and critical success with direct-to-video animated projects, and one would assume that Disney would do the same for Marvel. In the 2000s, Disney invested heavily in the direct-to-video market with sequels to their popular films and even founded specific animation studios to handle these releases. While often criticized by fans for being cheap cash grabs, they did manage to turn a profit and some of the releases are even well-regarded today. However
In 2006, the new Disney CEO Bob Iger appointedPixar head John Lasseteras the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios following the company’s acquisition of Pixar. One of Lasseter’s first moves was to shut down the divisions that were responsible for creating direct-to-video Disney sequels as he had a notable disdain for them. This was three years before Disney bought Marvel, and by the time they did Disney was more interested in animated series based on the various Marvel heroes than direct-to-video releases
Disney did release a few direct-to-video animated Marvel films; the first was under the brand Heroes United — 2013’sIron Man and Hulk: Heroes Unitedand 2014’sIron Man and Captain America: Heroes United. Both films received negative reviews and no new entry has been made since. They also released two anime-inspired films at the same time as part of Marvel Anime, 2013’sIron Man: Rise of the Technovoreand 2014’sAvengers Confidential: Black Widow& Punisher,which did receive better reactions from fans.
By this point, home video revenue was down and streaming seemed to be the new name of the game. Disney was focused mainly on Marvel live-action films, with animation being used for their television networkDisney XD likeGuardians of the GalaxyandMarvel Rising. Even recently in the age of streaming, Marvel’s biggest animated project isWhat If..?which is a Disney+ series as opposed to a film. Yet there have been two high-profile animated films based on Marvel Comics that have broken out in a way that no DC animated film has.
Marvel Theatrical Animation Is Oscar Gold
While Marvel Animation may not have the highest profile direct-to-video animated films, the theatrical release side is another story. Marvel does have two high-profile animated films that have garnered great attention and have won the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture: 2014’sBig Hero 6and 2018’sSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.Big Hero 6is produced by Walt Disney Animation but separates the characters and concept so far from the Marvel Universe that it becomes its own unique interpretation, very much like how Disney put their spin on classic fairy tales.Big Hero 6is less a Marvel propertyand more of a Disney property.
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Versewas produced by Sony Pictures Animation, separate from Disney and the rest of the Marvel franchise butfully embracing the rich Spider-Man property. The movie was so successful that it has a highly anticipated sequel,Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, set for release on August 18, 2025. The third film,Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verseis already set for release on July 28, 2025, with a female-led spin-off also in development.
While Marvel may not have the same output of animated projects that DC does, it is hard to argue that releases likeBig Hero 6andSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Versehave reached a far greater audience.
