🎬 Vixen: The Movie (2017)
Based on comic
Vixen: The Movie is a 2017 animated superhero film from Warner Bros., compiling the two seasons of the CW Seed animated web series Vixen into a single feature-length story. The film brings DC Comics' animal-powered heroine to the screen in a story set within the Arrowverse, the shared television universe that includes Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow.
The character of Vixen was created by Gerry Conway and Bob Oksner, debuting in Action Comics #521 in 1981. Mari Jiwe McCabe, the modern Vixen, wields the Tantu Totem, a mystical necklace passed down through her family that allows her to harness the abilities of any animal. The web series and subsequent movie follow Mari as she discovers her powers and learns to become a hero, with guidance from established Arrowverse characters like Oliver Queen and Barry Allen. The film features Megalyn Echikunwoke as the voice of Mari, reprising her role from the web series, and includes 15 minutes of previously unseen footage not included in the original CW Seed release.
What sets this adaptation apart is its integration into the live-action Arrowverse continuity. While Vixen: The Movie is animated, the character of Mari McCabe later appeared in live-action on Arrow, played by the same actress. The film also explores the legacy of the Vixen mantle through Mari's grandmother, connecting to the earlier incarnation of the character seen in DC's Legends of Tomorrow. This dual approach—animated storytelling with live-action crossover potential—was an innovative experiment for DC's television strategy at the time.
Vixen is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Bob Oksner, she made her first appearance in Action Comics #521 in July 1981, featured in a Superman story. The character's alter ego is Mari Jiwe McCabe, a native of the fictional African nation of Zambesi who inherits the mystical Tantu Totem, a family heirloom that grants her the ability to mimic the abilities of any animal on Earth.
As one of DC's earliest prominent Black female superheroes, Vixen has been a member of several major superhero teams including the Justice League, Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, and the Global Guardians. Her powers allow her to channel the speed of a cheetah, the strength of an elephant, the flight of a hawk, and countless other animal attributes, making her a versatile and formidable hero. Beyond her superhero career, Mari works as a fashion model and animal rights activist, using both platforms to protect the natural world.
The character has grown from a supporting player in Superman stories to a respected Justice Leaguer with her own limited series and a significant role in DC's animated universe. Her unique power set, cultural heritage, and connection to African mythology through the trickster god Anansi have made her a distinctive and enduring figure in the DC pantheon.
