….
Just as DJ predicted, MDCU is about to expand, and the foundation is being laid–
The conference room on the eighteenth floor of LIE Studio's headquarters had floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city, but nobody was looking at the view.
Every seat at the long black table was filled.
Laptops open, notebooks scattered, the projection screen at the head of the room displaying a single image:
IRON MAN FIRST MONTH: $320.3M DOMESTIC WORLDWIDE TOTAL: $557M
Regal sat near the head of the table, wearing a simple black henley and jeans - his usual uniform when he wasn't required to dress up for press.
To his right sat Deonte Maravich, President of Red Studio, who had flown in specifically for this meeting.
To his left, Pete Harty, who has been coordinating production schedules across multiple projects.
Around the table: producers, executives, department heads, and the key creative leads who would shape what came next.
The energy in the room was electric but focused. This wasn't a celebration - that had happened over the weekend. This was strategy.
Pete stood, gesturing to the screen. "Let me start by saying what everyone already knows: Iron Man exceeded our projections. Not by a small margin, by a significant one. We anticipated a strong opening, but $557M domestically puts us in rarefied air."
He clicked to the next slide, which showed a comparison chart:
2013 OPENING MONTH:
| Spider-Man: Web of Destiny - $337.0M
| Iron Man - $320.3M
| The Monuments Men - $196.5M
| Frozen - $170.2M
"We now have two of the three highest-grossing openings of the year." Deonte continued. "Both Regal's films, and are properties from MarvelD Comics, which - as everyone in this room knows, Regal owns seventy-eight percent of. The question isn't whether we continue, it's how aggressively we expand."
Pete clicked to the next slide: a timeline stretching from 2013 to 2024, with color-coded blocks representing different films. But this timeline was different from what anyone expected.
Two parallel tracks ran side by side, labeled clearly:
EARTH-616 (MARVEL) - Blue blocks EARTH-1 (DC) - Red blocks
The room went silent as people absorbed what they were seeing.
"What am I looking at?" Patricia Gonzalez, head of physical production, asked carefully.
Regal stood, walking to the projection screen. His expression was calm, but there was an intensity in his eyes that commanded attention.
"You are looking at the next eight years of franchise filmmaking." he said quietly. "Not just Marvel. Both Marvel and DC, running simultaneously on parallel narrative tracks that will eventually converge into something unprecedented."
He clicked to the next slide, which showed the full slate:
====
PHASE ONE: ORIGINS (2013-2017)
[Earth-616] (Marvel):
| 2013: Iron Man (Finished)
| 2014: The Incredible Hulk
| 2015: Captain America: The First Avenger
| 2016: Thor
| 2017: The Avengers
[Earth-1] (DC):
| 2014: Superman: Man of Tomorrow
| 2015: Batman: Knight of Gotham
| 2016: Wonder Woman: Daughter of Themyscira
PHASE TWO: EXPANSION (2018-2020)
[Earth-616]:
| 2018: Iron Man 2
| 2019: Guardians of the Galaxy
| 2020: Spider-Man: Homecoming
[Earth-1]:
| 2018: The Flash: Speed Force
| 2019: Aquaman: King of Atlantis
| 2020: Green Lantern: Corps
PHASE THREE: CONVERGENCE (2021-2024)
[Earth-616]:
| 2021: Avengers: Age of Ultron
[Earth-1]:
| 2022: Justice League
[Crossover Event]:
| 2023: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part I (May)
| 2024: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part II (November)
PHASE FOUR: (2024 - 2028| Possibilities)
[Earth-616]:
| Ant-Man
| Captain Marvel
| Dr. Strange
| Black Panther
[Earth-1]:
| Aquaman 2
| Teen Titans
| Raven: Daughter of Darkness (solo film)
| Starfire: Princess of Tamaran (solo film)
| Teen Titans 2: Judas Contract
====
The silence in the room was profound.
Finally, Amara Okafor, the art director, spoke. "You want to build two separate cinematic universes... simultaneously?"
"Not just build them." Regal said, his voice carrying absolute conviction. "Keep them completely separate, different realities, rules, and tones - until 2023, when the multiverse finally collides in a Crisis event that brings both worlds together."
"That's..." Patricia trailed off, searching for words. "That's beyond ambitious. That's—"
"But…." Regal finished. "I believe it is entirely achievable."
Deonte leaned forward, fingers steepled. His expression was thoughtful rather than skeptical. "Walk me through the logic. Why separate universes?"
Regal had been preparing this argument for months, really, since he had first acquired majority ownership of MarvelD Comics back in 2012, shortly after the success of [The Hangover].
"Because DC and Marvel characters can't coexist on the same planet without destroying each other's narrative integrity." he said simply.
He clicked a new slide showing power-scale comparisons - Superman lifting a planet, Flash running through time, Batman with contingency plans for gods. Then Spider-Man stopping a mugger, Daredevil protecting Hell's Kitchen, Iron Man in his workshop.
"Look at the difference. Superman can hear every scream on the planet. He can move faster than light. He is functionally invincible to most threats. The Flash can literally rewrite timelines by running. Batman has unlimited resources and contingency plans to neutralize any superhuman threat."
James Richardson, the lead designer, was already nodding. "If they existed on the same Earth, every Marvel conflict would have an obvious question: 'Why didn't Superman just handle this?'"
"Yup." Regal confirmed. "You destroy the stakes for half your heroes immediately. Why does Spider-Man matter if Superman exists? Why does New York need the Avengers if the Justice League is across the river? The entire Marvel narrative collapses under the weight of DC's power scale."
He advanced to another slide showing two distinct visual palettes, one gritty and grounded with muted colors and realistic lighting, the other mythic and operatic with bold primary colors and dramatic compositions.
"Beyond power levels, there is a fundamental tone. Marvel heroes are human first, gods second. They are flawed, make mistakes, operate in moral gray areas. Tony Stark is an alcoholic arms dealer trying to redeem himself. Steve Rogers is a man out of time struggling with modern morality. Peter Parker can't pay rent and misses dates because of superhero obligations."
Pete picked up the thread smoothly. "DC heroes are the opposite - they are gods pretending to be human, or at least they operate on that mythological level. Superman is literally the embodiment of hope. Wonder Woman is a warrior princess from a mythological island. Batman is a billionaire who's turned himself into an urban legend. They're archetypal, symbolic, larger than life."
"Oil and water." Regal said. "Beautiful separately, disastrous when forced together prematurely, so we don't. We build Earth-616 for Marvel - modern, gritty, consequence-driven, operating on street to city to planetary scale. And we build Earth-1 for DC - mythic, operatic, symbolic, operating on planetary to cosmic to metaphysical scale. Separate realities, separate rules, separate visual languages."
"Until 2023." Deonte said, understanding dawning in his eyes. "When you've spent eight years establishing both universes as complete, functional worlds with their own internal logic, their own heroes, their own threats... then you shatter the barriers between them."
"Crisis on Infinite Earths." Regal confirmed. "A two-part event film where reality itself is collapsing, forcing these separate worlds to collide. By then, audiences will have invested nearly a decade in both universes. They will know these characters, love these worlds. The collision will feel earned, momentous, not like a cheap cash-grab team-up."
Patricia was shaking her head, but there was a smile breaking through. "The logistics alone... we are talking about fourteen films before the crossover, plus the two Crisis films. Sixteen total productions with different creative teams, visual styles, and everything else…"
"Which is why we're planning it now." Pete said. "While Iron Man is still in theaters and we have momentum but aren't yet overwhelmed by the scale."
Claire Hendricks, the CFO, had been silent until now, running calculations on her tablet. When she looked up, her expression was serious.
"Let's talk numbers. [Iron Man] cost $180 million and is tracking for $700 million worldwide. If we maintain similar budgets, between $150-200 million per film, and produce two films per year..." She paused, double-checking her math. "We're looking at a total investment of approximately $2.8 billion across eight years for the sixteen films. That's production only, not marketing, which typically adds another 50-75%."
The room absorbed that figure - somewhere between $4.2 and $4.9 billion total investment.
"And the projected return?" Deonte asked.
"If they average even sixty percent of Iron Man's performance, say $420 million per film, we're looking at $6.7 billion in gross revenue before we even get to the Crisis films, which would presumably perform significantly higher." She looked up from her tablet. "Obviously, that's before distribution costs, marketing expenses, and exhibitor percentages. But the profit margin is substantial."
She set down her stylus. "More importantly, we're not just building films. We're building intellectual property that will generate revenue for decades. Theme park attractions, video games, merchandise, streaming rights, licensing deals. Regal owns seventy-eight percent of MarvelD Comics, which means he - and by extension, we as his production and distribution partners, control both the comic book properties and the film adaptations. The vertical integration alone is worth billions long-term."
"Assuming we execute successfully." Patricia added. "One major failure could destabilize the entire structure. If Superman bombs, the entire DC side becomes questionable. If Avengers disappoints, the team-up concept is dead."
"That's why we are being strategic about it." Regal said. He clicked on a new slide showing Phase One in detail.
"Phase One establishes the foundational heroes on both Earths. For Marvel, we've already succeeded with Iron Man. Captain America completes principal photography in six months for a July 2015 release. Thor follows in May 2016. The Avengers bring them together in May 2017."
He switched to the DC side. "For DC, we start with the trinity - the three pillars that everything else builds on. Superman in December 2014, Batman in July 2015, Wonder Woman in May 2016. Get these three right, and the rest follows naturally."
"And you are directing Superman." Pete said, making it a statement rather than a question.
"Yes." Regal's tone left no room for debate. "Superman is the most important film in the entire slate - including Avengers. He's the most iconic superhero in history. The one everyone knows even if they've never picked up a comic book. The character that defined the entire genre."
The weight of that statement settled over the room.
Amara leaned forward, curious and slightly concerned. "That's either the greatest opportunity or the most dangerous pressure imaginable. What's your approach? How do you introduce Superman to a world that's never seen him on screen?"
Regal had been thinking about this question for three years - since he had first acquired MarvelD Comics and realized he would eventually have to crack this particular problem.
He clicked a new slide showing comic book covers spanning different eras: Golden Age Superman punching tanks, Silver Age Superman moving planets, Bronze Age Superman struggling with mortality, Modern Age Superman facing complex moral dilemmas.
"There is a fundamental question at the heart of Superman that most people misunderstand: How do you make an invincible god relatable?"
He pointed to the Golden Age cover. "The earliest version was pure power fantasy. A strong man who punched bad guys and stood for truth and justice. Simple, effective, but lacking depth."
He moved to the Modern Age cover, which showed a more conflicted Superman. "Then comics tried making him darker, more 'realistic.' An alien among us, always feeling isolated because of his power. Brooding, uncertain, conflicted about his place in the world. This version asks, 'What if having godlike power made you lonely and separate from humanity?'"
Regal turned back to face the room, his expression thoughtful. "Both approaches have merit, but they're incomplete. They both start from the wrong premise."
"Which is?" Deonte prompted.
"They both assume the 'real' person is the godlike alien, and Clark Kent is the mask he wears to blend in with humans. But that's backwards."
He clicked a new slide, not comic art this time, but concept images: Kansas wheat fields under endless sky, a small-town main street, a modest farmhouse, a high school football field, a family dinner table.
"Clark Kent was found as an infant and raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville, Kansas. He didn't grow up on Krypton learning Kryptonian values. He grew up in Middle America learning American values. He went to school, played sports, had crushes, helped with farm chores, and learned to drive a pickup truck. He's fundamentally, essentially human in everything except biology."
Pete was nodding slowly. "His powers don't define him. His upbringing does."
"Clark's powers are what he has. His humanity is who he is." Regal's voice carried a conviction that made everyone lean in. "The alien biology gave him abilities. The Kent family gave him character. And that character, that essential goodness, that moral clarity, that optimism about human nature, that all comes from Kansas. From humanity."
He advanced to the next slide showing a split image: Clark Kent in glasses and flannel on one side, Superman in costume on the other.
"So the real conflict isn't 'aliens trying to understand humanity.' It's 'humans trying to figure out what to do with godlike power.' Clark knows exactly who he is. He's a good man raised by good people who taught him to help others, to do the right thing, to believe in the best of humanity. Superman isn't who he is - Superman is what he does."
James spoke up, understanding dawning. "So the question becomes: what responsibility does someone with his abilities have to the world?"
"Yes, and more specifically: how do you help everyone when you can hear every scream, every cry for help, every disaster happening simultaneously across the entire planet?"
Regal's voice dropped slightly, becoming more contemplative. "That's the real tragedy of Superman - not that he's isolated by his power, but that despite being functionally godlike, he's still limited. He can only be in one place at a time. He can save a hundred people, but while he's doing that, a thousand others die that he might have saved if he'd gone somewhere else. He has to make impossible choices every single day."
The room was completely silent now, everyone absorbed in the framework Regal was building.
"So Superman struggles not with power or isolation." Amara said slowly, "But with the weight of impossible choices. Knowing he can't save everyone no matter how hard he tries."
"Yes, and that limitation is what makes him heroic. Superman isn't special because he's powerful - gods are powerful. He's special because despite being able to hear every tragedy on Earth, despite knowing he will fail more often than he succeeds in absolute terms, he keeps trying anyway. He doesn't become cynical or detached. He doesn't decide some lives matter more than others. He maintains his optimism, his fundamental faith in humanity, even knowing he can't save everyone."
Regal pulled up a final slide, a single piece of concept art showing Superman in flight, the sun behind him, looking down at the Earth with an expression that was neither grim nor naively optimistic, but determined and achingly human despite the godlike context.
"This is the Superman I want to introduce to the world. Not dark and brooding - we don't need that. But grounded, human at his core, struggling with impossible choices while maintaining his fundamental goodness. An optimist living in a complicated world, and that optimism is both his greatest strength and his greatest vulnerability."
Patricia asked the practical question everyone was thinking. "Who do you cast for that? That's an incredibly specific and difficult balance to strike."
Regal smiled slightly. "I have a shortlist. But I want to hold proper auditions first - see who connects with this interpretation of the character. I need someone who can convey power and gentleness simultaneously. Someone who looks like they could benchpress a building but also help a child find their lost dog and make them feel completely safe, and whose face can show both the weight of impossible responsibility and the simple joy of being able to help."
"That's a tall order." Pete observed.
"It's Superman. It should be."
Deonte checked his watch. "We've been at this for two hours. Let's take a fifteen-minute break, then reconvene to discuss production logistics and director assignments for the other films."
.
….
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
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