The Disney Crossovers Worth Mega-Billions, They Are Leaving Money On The Table
Disney CEO Bob Iger famously announced cut-backs to budgets for the media giant’s largest franchises such as Marvel and Star Wars last year, much to the chagrin of many fans. This move is being made to maintain a quality over quantity approach to the respective film and television universes, with the intention of mitigating box office poison such as superhero fatigue. Still, Disney seems to be sitting on a massive gold mine that they aren’t exploring at all, in the form of major crossover events between their many franchises.
The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Jedi
Consider it now, Marvel’s Avengers crossing over with not just the X-Men and Deadpool, but Jedi knights as well. Most members of the super-powered team have already been to the deep reaches of space, so Wookiees and Gungans wouldn’t be quite the shock to the system that they would be had they appeared in 2008’s Iron Man. While there are a number of logistical hurdles to clear for this Disney crossover to come to fruition, such as Peter Parker’s existing knowledge of the Star Wars franchise in Captain America: Civil War, the split continuity of the multiverse could easily hand wave these problems away like a Jedi.
Avengers Vs. Xenomorphs?
If Disney is too scared to make this crossover event happen in a feature film, they could at least explore the possibility in an episode of What If, which seemingly exists entirely to give these head-scratching scenarios life on the small screen. If Thor, Ant-Man, and any of the other remaining Avengers do decide to venture into the deep recesses of the galaxy far far away, Marvel may as well kill a few birds with one stone, by introducing other alien creatures such as the Xenomorphs from Alien or the Na’vi from Avatar.
Aliens Vs. Predator 3
Speaking of Xenomorphs, Disney has the chance to create the most ambitious crossover of all time, by offering a long-awaited conclusion to the Alien Vs. Predator franchise. The franchise, which already touts a wholly off-the-grid continuity unbothered by the events of either IP, spanned two films in 2004 and 2007, both of which featured the titular deep-space creatures duking it out on Earth while human bystanders get slaughtered in the crossfire. While it may be a completely crazy idea, the coolest possible way to end the critically-panned trilogy would see the Xenomorphs and Yautja hunters tearing each other apart during an invasion on the Planet of the Apes.
For The Crossovers, Forget Continuity
When Marvel reinvented the superhero film genre, it did incredible things for film continuity across multiple projects. However, this move led to a ripple effect which now has a strangle-hold on modern cinema. While Disney crossover events would be amazing to behold, there’s almost no way to smash two flagship franchises into each-other like a pair of Barbie dolls kissing without completely disrupting the continuity of both IPs.
The best crossover films are unbothered with silly little things like continuity, consistency, or status quo, and exist solely to provide fan service to viewers at home wondering “who would win in a fight” while flipping aimlessly through their DVD collection. As the single largest provider of television and film entertainment, Disney has the opportunity to create crossover events unlike any ever created before.
Crossovers Have Limitless Potential
At their best, crossover films have the potential to reach heights such as 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, though not every installment needs to have this level of emotional resonance and gritty realism. Sometimes viewers just want to see Indiana Jones, Buzz Lightyear, and the Genie from Aladdin teaming up to prevent Cruella De Vil, Scar the lion, and Maleficent from bringing about an age of darkness in The Nightmare Before Christmas‘ Halloween town. I suppose what I’m saying is that if Disney truly wanted to cash in on their greatest crossover event, they’d finally commit to the herculean task of making a Kingdom Hearts film adaptation.
