The DCEU has had quite the uphill battle ahead of it. Not only did it have to craft brand new versions of these DC characters after the beloved Nolan-verse, but it also had to contend with competitors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While the early days have seen a good deal of bumps along the way, the future is looking brighter than ever, with the successful releases of Aquaman and Shazam! Over it’s run thus far, the films have not only made mistakes in tone and story, but their continuity has rarely been perfect. Here are a few of those mistakes you might have missed.
Rematerializing Busses
Man of Steel saw a brand new imagining of everyone’s favorite Kryptonian hero. Superman was given an origin film fueled with much larger questions, embracing a darker and arguably more mature tone than Superman films of the past.
While the film offered a brand new type of Superman film, it still was plagued with standard filmmaking problems. During the Metropolis battle, a buss numbered 6370 is destroyed during the fight. Later on, the bus appears in a parking lot unphased.
Zod’s Scar
One of the more exciting sequences in Man of Steel had to be the opening sequence on Krypton. Never before in live-action had Krypton been realized in as big a scope as this, along with the politics of the Kryptonian government.
During the fight on the planet between Jor-El and General Zod, the general suffers a blow that causes a large gash on his face. In later scenes the scar on his face tends to appear and disappear between shots and scenes.
Storage Issues
To say the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was divisive is an understatement. Creative choices in the film along with the overall final product left many fans disappointed, while others fell in love with Zack Snyder’s vision for this universe.
One divisive scene found Diana discovering the world of Meta Humans through an email from Bruce Wayne. In the scene, the total size of the email attachment is 24 MB. Yet, when the attachment is opened, the total size of each individual file in the attachment is bigger, listed at 800 MB.
Cover That Thing Up
The relationship between Senator Finch and Lex Luthor is one of the stranger ones in the DCEU. Every scene between the two of them was filled with the weirdest tension, making audiences feel uncomfortable in ways the filmmakers probably never intended.
The death of Senator Finch somehow had to be equally strange, with a glass of urine labeled Peach Tea delivered to her as a calling card before an explosion kills her. The mason jar full of urine though seems to have strange magical properties, as the lid for the container can be seen in some shots but is missing in others.
Altered History
A nice connective bit of tissue between Batman v Superman and Wonder Woman was the photo taken of Diana and her soldier companions during WWI. Who knew that this photo would set off the biggest critical hit of the entire DCEU with Wonder Woman?
Sadly, the photo also has a continuity error in it. In the photos, Diana has a shoulder strap for her lasso crossing her right side. Later on, when the photo is finally taken in real-time, the strap crosses over her left side.
Nailed It
Margo Robbie’s Harley Quinn finally brought a fan-favorite Batman character to the big screen. After years of animated and comic book storytelling, a proper iteration of the character was brought to life. Robbie’s performance was one of the most praised elements of the Suicide Squad.
Sadly, for all the love this performance earned, there are some continuity issues with costume and makeup. For example, Harley’s nails go from being painted to unpainted constantly. In one shot when she checks her phone, a nail is painted, while later in another that same nail is plain and unpainted.
Who Is This Guy?
Another solidly received performance was Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. This hard-edged overseer of the Suicide Squad is not to be tested, even without any superpowers. In one scene, Waller can be found having dinner with military advisors over forming the group of mercenaries.
One of the military men referenced as Admiral MacKensie. This itself wouldn’t really be an issue, as it doesn’t come into play much throughout the rest of the film. But once the credits roll, it seems someone must have gotten the name wrong, as the actor is credited as playing someone named “Olsen”.
Slo-Mo Mistakes
Justice League is a movie that many fear to even mention. The contentious relationship it holds between many fans, the creators, and the studio is one that has sparked a constant debate online, with a hoard of fans demanding the “true” Snyder-Cut be released.
With so many alternative takes and different directors, there were bound to be a few continuity issues with the film. In one moment, The Flash utilizes his powers to save everyone, moving so fast that the universe moves in slow motion. Before, Wonder Woman had been reaching for her falling sword with her left hand. When The Flash flies by to tap it towards her, she is reaching with her right hand.
Everything’s Golden
With Aquaman, many fans saw the DCEU have a fresh new start. Barely cornered with a greater universe outside of its own story, Aquaman finally gave fans a continuation of the victories that the solo Wonder Woman began. The DCEU finally found some footing.
But, although the film was a fresh new start, like all films it has continuity issues. In one moment, a solider pays Black Manta for his work by throwing a bag of gold towards him. When Black Manta stands up in the next shot, the gold has moved behind him.
Pack It Up
Shazam! is one of the funniest non-Marvel superhero movies in recent memory. The brighter color palette and lighthearted energy made Shazam! a classic continuation of films like the original Richard Donner Superman.
Sadly, the film isn’t without its mistakes. When Billy turns into his adult alter-ego, he accidentally rips his backpack. Later on in the film though, the same backpack seems to be untouched and is utilized like normal. Maybe Billy bought an identical one, or maybe the props department made a little mistake.
