The Marvel vs. DC rivalry is arguably much less important to the contracted talent than it is to either the studios or the fans, with countless actors having starred in numerous projects from both comic book companies. However, you’re a lot more likely to find those in front of the camera pulling double duty than those behind it.
That being said, David S. Goyer has written four Marvel adaptations and been credited on five DC movies, Dave Callaham scripted Wonder Woman and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Crank creators Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor received a screenplay credit for Jonah Hex and also directed Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, to give three examples.
However, in terms of the MCU and DCEU, only Joss Whedon and James Gunn have helmed films in both franchises, and by all accounts, the latter’s The Suicide Squad is poised to turn out much better than the former’s Justice League. Of course, given how closely linked he’s become to Warner Bros.’ shared universe as the architect of the entire mythology, Zack Snyder directing a Marvel blockbuster seems almost unthinkable, but in a recent interview, he admitted that he’d love to get his hands on Elektra.
“I would choose Elektra Lives Again. Do you know that Frank Miller comic book? It’s a graphic novel about Elektra. Daredevil is having these dreams about Elektra coming back to life, and it’s really cool and weird. It’s just cool, and beautiful. That’s what I would do. No one cares, but that’s what I would do.”
It certainly wouldn’t be hard to make a better fist of Elektra than Rob Bowman, who directed the 2005 box office bomb that set both the female-driven comic book movie and Jennifer Garner’s career back by years. And while there’s little chance that Snyder would actually jump ship over to the MCU, it would be one hell of a trolling job on Kevin Feige’s part if he offered the Man of Steel, Batman V Superman and Justice League director the opportunity to adapt Frank Miller’s iconic storyline.