MCU vs DCU Multiverse: What’s the actual difference?

There’s no denying that the exploration of the multiverse has injected fresh excitement and limitless possibilities into superhero stories, old and new. 

A collision of cosmic proportions is happening right in front of our eyes. No, I’m not talking about some astral phenomenon light-years away. I’m referring to the superhero-infested big screens, where two of the biggest comic book entities – the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and DC Universe – have gone deep into the concept of the multiverse, each offering unique takes on this mind-bending idea.

The multiverse concept is both terrifying and fascinating. It’s a theory that suggests an infinite number of realities exist alongside our own, each with distinct variations of our universe. Imagine a universe where you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or another where dinosaurs still roam around. The storytelling possibilities are endless. It’s no wonder that both Marvel and DC embraced this concept wholeheartedly, initially within their comics and now in their cinematic incarnations.

Marvel’s Multi-Dimensional Chessboard

Our favorite Marvel heroes first dipped their toes into the multiverse in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. It marked the beginning of a sprawling Multiverse Saga, a bold seven-year plan that intends to fully explore the magnitude and endless possibilities of the multiverse.

In the first season of Loki, we got a crash course on the rules of Marvel’s multiverse. It revealed that every decision by variants (those who veer off the Sacred Timeline) can potentially create new, branching timelines. This concept was further expanded in the What If…? series, which showcased an array of alternate realities, all arising from pivotal decisions that deviated from the Sacred Timeline.