“We have done a reset.” This statement came from David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros Discovery, some days after he decided to shelve Batgirl. The announcement triggered the majority of fans as well as many insiders in DC. “We are going to focus on quality. We are not going to release any film before it’s ready,” said the mogul. “DC is something we can make better.”
Zaslav also affirmed that the studio would develop a 10-year plan for future DC theatrical releases like Kevin Feige did with Marvel. It seems like the executive is trying to do the opposite of what Jason Kilar, former CEO, did. The latter gave more importance to straight-to-stream projects instead of theatrical ones. Yes, the studio was unable to drop its projects strictly in theatres at that time. But releasing big-budget movies in theatres and on HBO Max simultaneously was not a good idea either. As a result, both Wonder Woman 1984 and The Suicide Squad suffered the horrible consequences of the studio’s controversial decision.
DC Films president Walter Hamada showed his dismay over Batgirl’s unexpected cancellation. He even tried leaving his post but decided to stay until the release of Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam.
Before the merging of WB and Discovery, Hamada developed a plan to release three to four DC films a year. Also, he crafted a new strategy for future projects after the Justice League tanked at the box office in 2017.
Additionally, Hamada was interested in making a movie based on “Crisis on Infinite Earths”. This comic arc has been adapted on multiple occasions for The CW. Furthermore, a project based on the Secret Six was also in talks for development.
Although, some forthcoming projects are still safe. The studio cannot just take anything from James Gunn. That will be a sin! He is busy developing Peacemaker Season 2 for HBO Max and several other DC projects. Plus, a film on Blue Beetle, the comic publication’s first-ever Latino superhero, still has its August 2023 release window. And how can we forget the Joker sequel starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga?
Let’s talk about The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, in case you are wondering what will happen to them. According to various reports, WB wanted to reboot the entire DCEU franchise with Ezra Miller’s The Flash. However, the actor faced his third arrest on August 7 in Vermont. His recent controversies started worrying the fans about the film’s future. But neither Zaslav nor DC has stated anything about the movie’s postponement or cancellation.
“We’ve seen them (The Flash and Aquaman 2). We think they are terrific, and we think we can make them even better,” Zaslav said.
DC doesn’t have much to offer to its fanbase after Black Adam, The Flash, Aquaman 2, the Shazam sequel, and Blue Beetle. Will David Zaslav take DCEU to new heights? Or will he make the superhero franchise messier than ever before? Let’s hope his ten-year plan works out well. Stay tuned for more updates.
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