Quibi has greenlit Slugfest, a new documentary series executive produced by Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame) that will delve into the pitched rivalry between Marvel and DC Comics, the publishers whose combined IP has become a dominant source material for today’s film and TV.
The directors of Framing John DeLorean and Believer, Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, are on board. The series will be produced by AGBO CEO Todd Makurath, Peter Rieveschl (The Amazing Race), Nick Gilhool (Top Chef) and Jen Casey (Extreme Weather).
The series is inspired by Reed Tucker’s book Slugfest: Inside the Epic, 50-year Battle Between Marvel and DC. The competition between the publishers actually dates back to the FDR years and the publication of Action Comics No. 1 (which introduced Superman and launched DC) and Marvel Comics No. 1 (which introduced Namor the Sub-Mariner), but it was the revolutionary 1960s relaunch of Marvel by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko that gave the rivalry an urgency that transformed the marketplace.
Today, Disney’s Marvel Studios is a powerhouse like no other at box office, with mega-hits such as Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War, both directed by the Brothers Russo. DC has surged at theaters with recent releases such as Joker, Aquaman and Wonder Woman and is a major force in television, led by the six DC-based series on The CW (Arrow, Batwoman, The Flash, Supergirl, Black Lightning and Legends of Tomorrow).
From Quibi: “The men and women who were behind the creation of some of the best-known and most revered characters in the world will share their stories and reflect on the symbiotic relationship between DC and Marvel, whose rivalry pushed the medium to its greatest heights. The series features the stories of the remarkable behind-the-scenes endeavors and achievements that defined these industry titans, from the secret crossover inspired by the Halloween parades of small-town Rutland, Vermont, to the history behind the bone-crushing handshake between Superman and Spider-Man, in the first official crossover.”
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