The animated film DC League of Super-Pets has a post-credits scene that really only succeeds at two things: advertising Black Adam and putting focus on a problematic movie trend that was popularized by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since 2008, MCU credits scenes have done a fantastic job of incentivizing audiences to keep watching until after the credits. However, they've also resulted in the extensive use of this trend in movies that don't necessarily require them, such as DC League of Super-Pets.

After the Super-Pets save the day, the DC League of Super-Pets post-credits scene sees Superman and Krypto playing fetch at the park. This wholesome moment gets interrupted when Krypto's infamous squeezy Batman toy is instead caught by a dog called Anubis, who is then revealed to be the pet of Black Adam. In the DC League of Super-Pets post-credits scene, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson voices not just Krypto, but also Black Adam and Anubis. Johnson has revealed that this sequence was his idea, and that it was reportedly conceived after several tequila shots.

Related: League Of Super-Pets Voice Cast: What The Actors Look Like In Real Life

The DC League of Super-Pets post-credits scene does a fine job at satirizing this overused superhero movie trope, but it also worsens a problem that was created by the MCU, which now affects practically the entire superhero genre. Indeed, audiences today are much more inclined to stay until the end credits in anticipation of a rewarding sequence or two at the very end. In superhero movies, this typically means a tease or outright reveal of upcoming projects. This wasn't the case with DC League of Super-Pets. The end sequence is basically an advert for Johnson and a strange nod towards Black Adam, with no real connection to the DCEU. While it can be argued that this isn't much of a problem because DC League of Super-Pets is a standalone movie aimed at children, the reality is that this only sets the bar lower for the next generation of superhero film viewers.

Black Adam’s Surprise DC Super Pets Cameo Is A Commercial

Dwayne Johnson Super-Pets

DC League of Super-Pets' post-credits scene actually reflects why MCU Phase 4 post-credits scenes aren't working as well as they used to. In the past, the MCU's credits scenes were mostly about setting up the future, with cameos designed to be cheap fan payoffs - but ones that eventually lead somewhere. However, while Marvel viewers continue to expect mind-blowing reveals and teases after the credits, the MCU putting end credits scenes in literally every movie except Avengers: Endgame has significantly watered down the overall impact of this once surprising cinematic trick. After MCU Phase 3, most of Marvel's post-credits have been mostly just advertisements as well.

Combined with DC League of Super-Pets further relegating end credits scenes to mere advert status, the MCU, the DCEU, and the entire superhero genre's post-credits problem is only getting worse. Though most MCU characters introduced in post-credits scenes have performed their function well, both Marvel and DC need to think beyond advertising upcoming projects in their highly-anticipated and inevitable mid and end credits sequences. Moreover, it remains to be seen whether or not Marvel's most recent credits scenes will actually lead somewhere in MCU Phase 5.

More: League Of Super-Pets' Box Office Explained: Is It Disappointing For DC?

 

Key Release Dates