MultiVersus’ official cinematic trailer is all about team-ups, as characters from diverse Warner Bros. properties are thrown into a shared multiverse.MultiVersus’ cinematic trailer also confirmed three new charactersfor its roster:Looney Tunes’ Tasmanian Devil,Scooby-Doo’s Velma, andThe Iron Giant’s titular sentient robot.
The Iron Giant appears last in the trailer, announcing itself as Superman in a touching tag-team duo with DC Comics' Superman - and even dons the red ‘S’ symbol from its animated film. This seems to be a match made in heaven as this moment inMultiVersus’ cinematic trailer finally brings the two together. However, some fans are upset about the Iron Giant’s inclusion, finding issues with how it is being represented.
RELATED:New Gameplay Leaked for Warner Bros. MultiVersus
MultiVersus’ Iron Giant Is Potentially Exploitative
The Iron Giant’s inclusion has stirred some disappointment in dedicated fans ofThe Iron Giantfilm and a thematic message the titular character expresses through its actions.The Iron Giant’s character is strongly opposed to violence and is taught not to use its built-in weaponry, but Iron Giant is now being used as a cameo mascot who recklessly charges into combat. Most recently, the Iron Giant was used as a character’s avatar at the end ofReady Player One, fighting off entire armies in a virtual reality environment. This has irked fans who know this is what the original character was opposed to, and many believe its inclusion inMultiVersusto also be grossly misrepresentative of the character’s morals.
It is ultimately up to Warner Bros. which characters are selected, and the choice for Iron Giant was likely due to brand awareness and the fact that fans would be able toinstantly recognize the character as part ofMultiVersus' lineup. Still, fans question the decision given it rendersTheIron Giant’s themes null and void in terms of how the character is adapted. If it were up to them, the Iron Giant would not be a part of any title that forces it to engage in combat or violence.
RELATED:MultiVersus Reveals Alternate Costumes for Shaggy
MultiVersus’ Iron Giant Is Also Seen as Wholesome
Of course, not everyone has their moral compass aligned this way for a crossover fighting game inherently built on fan service, and some may not care what purposes the Iron Giant is used for outside its animated film canon. These people seem to see Iron Giant’s inclusion as a fun nostalgia trip to one of their favorite childhood films. This way, it could be appreciated that they areable to play as Iron Giant inMultiVersus.
Some fans have also expressed that the team-up of Superman and the Iron Giant is wholesome, and thatMultiVersusdoesn’t promote legitimate violence or an inclination toward violence despite being a fighting game. As a platform-fighter, it is difficult to argue that any actions or combat are purely violent or malicious, especially due toMultiVersus’ cartoonish style.
MultiVersusis in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
