While Zack Snyder is often credited as the architect of the DC Extended Universe (DCU), the significant contributions of Jay Olivia should not be overlooked.
As an animation veteran and regular collaborator of Snyder, Olivia’s influence extends beyond their joint projects, including “Man of Steel,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and “Justice League.”
In a recent interview commemorating the 10th anniversary of “The Flashpoint Paradox,” Olivia shared how his work served as a blueprint for building and expanding the DCU across various platforms.
According to Olivia, Geoff Johns, a crucial figure in the DCU’s development, used Olivia’s animated movies as a testbed to greenlight live-action projects. His successful rendition of “Suicide Squad” paved the way for David Ayer’s and James Gunn’s subsequent films.
Olivia’s involvement in “The Flash” also left its mark. Despite being a key part of its creation, he admitted not having seen the film and expressed surprise that no one reached out to him about it.
Beyond his contributions to the DCU, Olivia offered insights on comic book fatigue, emphasizing the audience’s craving for cleverly executed stories without hidden agendas. His perspective resonates as superhero films face challenges in finding unique narratives.
With the concept of the multiverse gaining traction in superhero storytelling, Olivia’s words serve as a call for filmmakers to deliver original blockbusters akin to “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and step away from formulaic productions like “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Flash.”
