Vote up the DC movies that are nothing like the comics that inspired them.
Superhero films take many liberties. While they often have decades of storylines from comic books to pull from, there's a lot that's left on the cutting room floor, including pivotal characters. Much like the MCU, DC movies borrow what they need from the source material, then move in their own unique direction.
This isn't to say it's a bad or good thing, though, especially since it's tough to create beat-by-beat adaptations of comic book storylines. In some cases, the changes make a lot of sense and serve the story that's being told, while in other instances, sticking closer to the comics might have produced an altogether different film. Nonetheless, let's take a closer look at the DC superhero movies that deviate the most from the comics that inspired them.
What Is the Same: The Santa Prisca bruiser known as Bane debuts and decides to take over Gotham City. In the process, he breaks Batman's back and spirit, showing him how darkness isn't his ally after all.
What's Way Different: Surprisingly, the comic book storyline is slightly more realistic since it understands Batman won't heal from a broken back in record time, though the means of how he heals are typical comic book chicanery. Instead, Azrael takes over the mantle of the Bat, takes out Bane, loses his mind, and goes one step too far in his quest for justice. Eventually, Batman returns, aided by his Boy Wonders, and puts a stop to AzBat's reign of holy terror.
What Is the Same: John Constantine suffers from terminal lung cancer. Determined to find a way to live on and prosper, he tries to cut a magical deal with supernatural forces to prevent him from passing away.
What's Way Different: The biggest difference here is Constantine is blond and from Liverpool, England, in the comics. While it might seem like a minor change in the grand scheme of things, it isn't, since Constantine's personality revolves around his dry British sense of humor - which is unfortunately not prevalent in the film adaptation.
31 votes
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16 VOTES
'The Dark Knight Rises' Recreates 'No Man's Land' With A Different State Of Emergency
What Is the Same: Gotham City is cut off from the rest of the world and deemed extremely dangerous. (To be fair, it sounds like just another Tuesday in the city that best epitomizes Hell on Earth.) Several criminals spot the opportunity to stake their claim while chaos reigns on the streets.
What's Way Different: In the comics, no man's land is declared in Gotham City after a massive earthquake strikes and decimates the city. As a result, the government gets as many people out of there as humanly possible. The villains, though, are far more ruthless in the comic book storyline and send the city into a freefall, as they turn Gotham into a chessboard for their gang wars. Also, it's revealed Lex Luthor is behind a diabolical real estate plan to destroy deeds, then claim Gotham as his own.
The Comic Inspiration: Batman: The Long Halloween.
What Is the Same: The Batman kicks off on Halloween with more tricks than treats. Additionally, there are two main plot points in the movie that follow the source material: The unraveling of the mysterious murderer wreaking havoc throughout Gotham City, and the Falcone family's shady history with the Waynes.
What's Way Different: The Long Halloween boasts way more villains, with the main rogue being the Holiday killer - not the Riddler. More importantly, Harvey Dent and his wife, Gilda, play a huge role in this storyline, with this comic book arc serving as a reimagined origin story for Two-Face while establishing Gilda as a key and dangerous individual in the DC Universe.
The Comic Inspiration: Backup stories from the New 52's reboot of Justice League.
What Is the Same: Billy Batson bounces around the adoption system before eventually finding a foster family who loves him. The wizard Shazam deems Billy to be pure of heart and makes him his champion, giving him sensational superpowers. Billy ends up sharing these powers with his foster brothers and sisters, as they become a family of superheroes.
What's Way Different: The absence of Black Adam. Like Batman and the Joker, Shazam and Adam's journeys are intertwined together. In the comics, it is Doctor Sivana who frees Teth-Adam from his slumber and sets up the gargantuan battle between the powerful beings. Whereas in the film universe, Black Adam is still a few years away from flexing his muscles and laying the smackdown on the DC Universe.
7 votes
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12 VOTES
'Batman v Superman' Tries To Lift The Broad Beats Of 'The Death of Superman'
What Is the Same: The butt-ugly Doomsday causes unimaginable damage, and it's up to Superman to stop him. However, this creature is the most powerful being the Man of Steel has ever faced. In order to save humanity and prevent further carnage, Big Blue sacrifices himself as he lands the killing blow on his foe. Afterwards, the world mourns the death of Superman.
What's Way Different: While Doomsday is a genetically enhanced creature in both the film and comics, it isn't Lex Luthor who creates him in The Death of Superman. The monster isn't tied to General Zod in creation, either. Instead, he is simply an ancient being that escapes his prison and heads to Earth where his rampage leads him straight to Kal-El.
