The Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe – the “SnyderVerse” to close and personal friends – have a lot in common. They are both sprawling, multi-franchise cinematic sagas drawn from decades of comic books and showcasing the adventures of colorful superheroes as they fend off hawkish conquerors of alien worlds. Despite their strong basic similarities, the tone, look, and feel of these films are so different – differences that can all be attributed to the filmmakers who produced them, producer Kevin Feige and director Zack Snyder, respectively.

Examining these filmmakers, their backgrounds and beliefs can give us insight into the MCU and the SnyderVerse, and help us understand why they are the way they are. And that’s exactly what we do in the video below, which examines Zack Snyder’s education and family history to find the origins of his philosophy on DC superheroes. It also explores the early days of Marvel Studios and compares Iron Man to other films by director Jon Favreau, especially his comedies like Made. Check it out:

If you enjoyed our video comparing the Marvel and DC Cinematic Universes, check out some of our “Scene Fights” videos below, including our side-by-side breakdowns of Thor and Wonder woman, Logan and The dark knight rises, and Spider Man (2002) and The Amazing Spider-Man. Plus, there are tons of others on ScreenCrush YouTube Channel. Be sure to subscribe to see all of our future episodes.