Marvel To Be Removed as Batman, Superman Take Charge at Universal Orlando
You Could See the Bat Signal Soon
Universal Orlando Resort may soon break the news that Superman and Batman are joining the parks. Here’s what we know.
Are Theme Park Superheroes About to Switch Sides?
Picture this: you rope-drop your favorite Orlando park, grab a snack, and head toward that familiar skyline of comic-book buildings and larger‑than‑life heroes—only to find the costumes, colors, and even the logos have changed. No more red-and-blue web-slinger, no more raging green monster. Instead, towering above the midway: the Bat-Signal.
It sounds like a fan’s hypothetical “what if,” but inside the world of theme park licensing and media mega-mergers, that kind of change is suddenly much easier to imagine. And for Disney foodies and park fans, it could reshape how Marvel and DC show up across the theme park landscape.
Netflix Makes a Massive Move
The spark for all this speculation started on the entertainment side. Netflix has announced a landmark deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a transaction valued at roughly 72 billion dollars in equity and about 82.7 billion dollars in enterprise value. When that deal closes—expected within 12 to 18 months after Discovery Global spins off into a separate company—Netflix gains more than just movies and shows for its platform.
Its new library is stacked: classics like Casablanca and The Wizard of Oz, fan favorites like Harry Potter, Friends, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, and, crucially, the entire DC Universe. That means Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the Justice League now sit under the same streaming umbrella as Stranger Things and Squid Game.
How Universal Quietly Enters the Picture
According to reporting from Bloomberg and KTLA 5, Warner Bros. (soon to be under Netflix’s control) has been exploring new licensing deals for DC heroes at theme parks. Currently, DC attractions live primarily at Six Flags parks, where guests can ride coasters and attractions themed to Batman, Justice League, and even Lex Luthor.
Warner Bros. were in early talks with Universal theme parks to license DC Comics IP for new attractions. DC is brainstorming the possibility of building life-size blocks of Superman’s Metropolis and Batman’s Gotham for fans to walk through, with marquee venues from the comic book world such as Gotham’s Iceberg Lounge.
Warner Bros. were in early talks with Universal theme parks to license DC Comics IP for new attractions.
DC is brainstorming the possibility of building life-size blocks of Superman’s Metropolis and Batman’s Gotham for fans to walk through, with marquee venues from the comic… pic.twitter.com/TFj6yciSx6
— The Batman Saga News (@TheBatmanSagaNW) December 6, 2025
Those long-standing agreements give Six Flags bragging rights to DC, but talks are reportedly in very early stages about what might come next. One name that keeps surfacing in those conversations: Universal. While no contracts have been signed and all discussions are still preliminary, the notion of DC heading to Universal has become hard to ignore in industry circles.
Marvel Super Hero Island’s Future
Here’s where things get especially interesting for Disney fans who track the friendly rivalry between the Mouse and the globe. Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando is home to Marvel Super Hero Island, created long before Disney purchased Marvel in 2009. Universal’s agreement allows them to keep using certain Marvel characters east of the Mississippi River—a deal that has quietly influenced what Disney can and cannot do with Marvel in Walt Disney World.
If Universal ever chooses to replace or fully re-theme Marvel Super Hero Island and remove its “Marvel Universe” presence, that historic contract would effectively come to an end. Universal would lose theme park rights to those Marvel properties, clearing the way for a whole new lineup. That’s exactly where the DC rumors become so compelling: the same land currently serving up Marvel could, in theory, be transformed into Metropolis and Gotham.
From Shawarma to Gotham Grub?
While everything remains hypothetical and years away at best, the potential transformation goes beyond just ride facades. Themed dining and snacks are now central to the theme park experience—something Disney Dining readers know better than anyone. A DC-branded land at Universal would likely bring its own food and beverage storylines.
Think moody Gotham back-alley eateries, Metropolis cafés inspired by classic newspaper offices, or Justice League‑themed quick-service spots. It would mirror how Disney’s Avengers Campus blends shawarma, Pym particle–inspired bites, and Marvel lore into its menus. The more Universal steps up its culinary theming, the stronger the overall competition becomes—and that usually pushes Disney to keep innovating, too.
Why This Is Healthy Competition for Disney
From a Disney perspective, Universal exploring DC while Disney leans into Marvel is actually a healthy outcome. Instead of both resort giants fighting over the same heroes, each could develop its own superhero identity: Disney with Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and multiverse storytelling; Universal with Batman, Superman, and the moody streets of Gotham and Metropolis.
When rival parks chase different yet equally beloved brands, guests tend to win. New attractions, more immersive lands, and themed food and drinks often follow. With Epic Universe already generating millions, and Universal and Disney constantly refreshing their offerings, the superhero “split” could spark another wave of creative one-upmanship across Orlando and beyond.
For now, Marvel Super Hero Island is still very much open, shawarma is still on the menu in Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort, and DC remains at Six Flags. But as streaming giants reshuffle the entertainment deck, the balance of power in theme park superheroes might be next to change—one contract, and one land, at a time.
