Marvel has quickly responded to critics' terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, reception to Suicide Squad, rival DC's latest forray into creating its own Marvel Universe. The Hollywood Reporter asked Marvel television head Jeph Loeb> if the overwhelmingly negative reception to Suicide Squad has taught him anything and if it would have an effect on how Marvel released its properties. Loeb said "No," adding that its a question he's often asked.
"The truth is, they do what they do and we do what we do," he toldTHR. "I tend to sort of think about it like I'm not sure that people that make medical shows look at other medical shows and go, 'Why is my medical show better than this?'"
Loeb added that it's too soon to "determine the success" of Suicide Squad, though he said he's "happy" about the villain-centered film's record-breaking box office numbers. Squad ran away with this weekend's box office scoring $135 million by Saturday and set a new record for biggest August opening, a record previously held by Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.
Loeb said, "The DC characters which I know and I love and have had a lot of fun writing and being a part of are really strong, wonderful characters. And I think it's a little early for us to determine the success of Suicide Squad. At the moment, I'm very happy that it's opened to $150 million, that is an accomplishment. We'll see what happens afterwards."
He may not be upset about the critics bashing the film, like Squad star Cara Delevingne, but Loeb made it clear that it's the fans' opinion that matters: "We tell these stories so that people can enjoy them. So let's see whether or not people enjoy them. I think that's really the key to it all."
Marvel, after getting critically lauded for Captain America: Civil War, may be facing its own critical fire squad later this year for Doctor Strange. The film, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, has already been accused of whitewashing.
