The Untold Secrets Behind The DCEU & Arrowverse's Missed Opportunity (Revealed by The Crisis Crossover)

Summary

The Arrowverse and DCEU did not merge primarily because of the mixed response to certain DCEU movies and the potential adverse effects on the thriving Arrowverse.

The merging of the universes could have isolated movie-goers and overwhelmed the audience due to the need for extensive knowledge of the Arrowverse timeline.

Merging the universes may have caused casting problems and limited creative decisions, as it would have required making choices between two actors portraying the same character and constrained future movie options.

The DCEU and the Arrowverse, although they crossed over during Crisis on Infinite Earths, never merged due to several reasons. Both shared DC universes were established around the same time, with the DCEU beginning in 2013 with Man of Steel, followed by the Arrowverse in 2012 with Arrow. Although they co-existed separately for several years, they finally came together in 2020's Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Four.

The Flash, portrayed by Grant Gustin in the Arrowverse and Ezra Miller in the DCEU, met each other through the multiverse. However, despite this encounter, the two universes continued to exist independently without any further crossovers. The Arrowverse concluded with The Flash season 9 in May 2023, and the DCEU will come to an end in December with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Despite the previous crossovers, the DCEU and the Arrowverse never fully merged, and the reasons for this are evident.

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The Arrowverse & DCEU Combining Would've Created Several Issues For Both

The joining of the Arrowverse and DCEU, while a desire for fans, would have presented numerous complications. The DCEU movies, despite their assortment of captivating films, had to contend with a prevailing sense of negativity stemming from the highly vocal criticism aimed at certain controversial DCEU offerings. In contrast, the Arrowverse has predominantly garnered positive feedback. If the two universes were to merge, it is conceivable that the Arrowverse's characters and projects could have suffered adverse effects, rather than enhancing the quality of the DCEU.

One potential issue resulting from the combination of the Arrowverse and the DCEU is the increased burden on DC fans to fully understand the universe. The Arrowverse consists of six main shows, each with multiple seasons, making it overwhelming for viewers to keep up with all the content in order to comprehend the movies. Furthermore, the films would be limited in referring to the shows and their events as frequently as the Arrowverse audience would desire, for fear of alienating movie-goers.

Another challenge would arise in casting decisions. DC would have to make choices between two actors portraying the same character, such as Gustin and Miller's portrayal of The Flash. This casting issue would also impact the future of DC's movies. As many characters already existed in the Arrowverse but had not yet appeared in the DCEU at the time of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the movies would be compelled to utilize the actors from the Arrowverse or wait for The Flash movie to recast, limiting creative decisions on the movie side.

Why Crisis On Infinite Earths Crossover Was Better Than The DCEU & Arrowverse Combining

Crisis on Infinite Earths in the Arrowverse showcased a potential crossover between the shared DC TV universe and the DCEU. By bringing together Gustin and Miller's iterations of The Flash, the event achieved a balance between uniting the universes and maintaining their distinctiveness. This approach allowed Crisis on Infinite Earths to avoid potential complications that would arise from merging the Arrowverse and the DCEU, while still giving fans the exhilarating opportunity to witness interactions between characters from both universes.