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 characters for its roster: Looney Tunes’ Tasmanian Devil, Scooby-Doo’s Velma, and The 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 in MultiVersus’ 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.
MultiVersus’ Iron Giant Is Potentially Exploitative
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The Iron Giant’s inclusion has stirred some disappointment in dedicated fans of The Iron Giant film 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 of Ready 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 in MultiVersus to 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 to instantly recognize the character as part of MultiVersus' lineup. Still, fans question the decision given it renders The Iron 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.
MultiVersus’ Iron Giant Is Also Seen as Wholesome
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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 are able to play as Iron Giant in MultiVersus.
Some fans have also expressed that the team-up of Superman and the Iron Giant is wholesome, and that MultiVersus doesn’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 to MultiVersus’ cartoonish style.
One may not say that SpongeBob SquarePants is inherently violent now that he is a part of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, for example, so MultiVersus arguably offers the same levity. It will be left up to each fans’ discretion whether this character inclusion bothers them or not. But if the Iron Giant is to be in any Warner Bros. game, this is perhaps the most wholesome use of the character given how it ties into a canon interest with Superman. In the meantime, interested fans can now sign up for MultiVersus' closed alpha, which starts next week.
MultiVersus is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.