10 Lessons The DCEU Must Learn From Avengers: Infinity War

10. Lay The Groundwork First

There are a whopping 40 Marvel characters in Infinity War, yet at no point does that feel like overkill. While Thanos hogs the spotlight at times, each hero gets the chance to make a mark on the story and, in most cases, their screen time is appropriate.

Marvel Studios was able to thrust these characters into the thick of an intergalactic conflict without the need to waste time telling a series of complex backstories. The previous MCU films shouldered that responsibility and Infinity War is the result of 10 years of universe building which dates back to the original Iron Man.

One of the main reasons Justice League fell apart on arrival is because the entire thing felt rushed. When the first Avengers movie proved a Hulk smash at the box office, DC and Warner Bros wanted a rival superhero team-up on its slate yesterday; but with only a handful of films feeding into it, the project turned out half-baked.

Ideally, the Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg should have appeared in solo movies before the main event, to prevent them from jostling for introductory screen time, and this is a mistake the DC Extended Universe cannot afford to repeat.

It seems Justice League 2 will focus on Lex Luthor's Legion of Doom, so it's important that the next wave of movies introduces as many of its villainous members as possible before they pool their resources for a showdown with Superman and co.