Marvel Studios has a lot of irons in the fire but the difference between them and Warner Bros. is that they're actually organised! The studio has countless projects in the works, the vast majority of which don't have release dates. Some of these projects have been officially announced and others have been reported through reliable sources like Deadline and Variety but it's clear that many won't happen.
Why? That's something we examine below as we take an in-depth look at Warner Bros.' DC Films slate and single out the eight projects we know are almost certainly never going to become a reality.
It's sad to think these DC Comics adaptations won't happen but something of an inevitability when Warner Bros. can't get its sh*t together. While these characters could appear in other forms - which is something else we look at here - chances are that we can already forget about these movies...
8. Nightwing
The news that Nightwing is getting his own movie from the director of The LEGO Batman Movie was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from fans but we've heard nothing about the project since. It doesn't appear as if it's moved forward in any way since then and that could have something to do with The Batman.
After all, there's a very good chance the former Robin was going to be introduced in the version Ben Affleck and Geoff Johns were developing but with the fate of that movie up in the air, Warner Bros. could be considering new ways to handle the character. Bear in mind that reliable sources have already claimed that the studio is mulling over Affleck's Caped Crusader passing the mantle to another hero, so it could be that we see Nightwing suit up as the new Batman in whatever movie Matt Reeves ends up helming. Either way, this definitely has the feel of a project only announced by the studio to curry favour among worried fans.
7. The Joker
Moviegoers are going to be left trying to figure out what sort of connection this movie has to whatever Jared Leto is up to and with Suicide Squad 2 and that Joker/Harley Quinn spinoff in the works, we'll be seeing plenty of him over the next few years. While I can see Warner Bros. making standalone DC Comics adaptations free of the constraints of the DC Extended Universe, I wouldn't put money on The Joker being the first of those; instead, it feels more like the studio testing the waters with fans to gauge their reaction to the idea.
6. Black Adam
Not too long ago, the signs were pointing to Black Adam happening before Shazam. Dwayne Johnson talked extensively about meetings with Warner Bros. and those took what would have been a supporting role for him in the latter movie to being a solo outing for the villain who it seems is going to be portrayed here as an anti-hero. Now, Shazam is in the early stages of production and seemingly on track for release in 2019.
Black Adam, on the other hand, seems to have vanished from the release schedule and it's hard not to wonder if something has gone wrong. The Rock's schedule is obviously packed and it's entirely feasible that he's going to get to it eventually but it seems Warner Bros. could be waiting to see how Shazam is received before expanding on this world and introducing his nemesis in a separate movie (which seems like a terrible idea regardless). While he's waiting, The Rock could be enticed by Marvel to join their Cinematic Universe too...
5. Gotham City Sirens
Commercially, Suicide Squad was a hit. Critically, it was a complete and utter disaster for Warner Bros. and so we were all gobsmacked when it was revealed that David Ayer would return to the DC Extended Universe to take the helm of the Harley Quinn led Gotham City Sirens. The movie wasn't mentioned at Comic-Con and the director has taken what appear to be some very nasty digs at the process of working for a big studio since, while there are now plans in place for a Joker/Harley Quinn spinoff which appear to have taken its place anyway.
While it seems inevitable that the likes of Poison Ivy and Catwoman will join Harley somewhere down the line, whatever this movie was going to be appears to be dead in the water and that's not really all that surprising. Ayer just isn't a good fit for this world and Warner Bros. courted disaster by even considering letting him return to ruin even more characters. Simply put, it's best to forget all about this one.
4. Man Of Steel 2
We've been hearing rumours about that Man of Steel sequel happening for years now and none of them have come to anything. Both George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman: The Golden Circle) have been named as being in the mix to take the helm of the movie but there's been no movement beyond that and it feels like Warner Bros. may have given up on the iconic character.
After all, Man of Steel underperformed and so did Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice so it could just be that Superman has become a character they don't have an awful lot of faith in to deliver for them. Justice League could change that as there's a lot of buzz around his return but moviegoers never seem to have really fallen in love with Henry Cavill's Superman so it's hard to say just how much of a difference his resurrection will make. Either way, there's been literally no movement on this one and that really doesn't bode well for Superman's solo adventures on the big screen moving forward.
3. The Batman
Ben Affleck was writing The Batman with Geoff Johns and set to direct. Then, he dropped out of directing duties. Shortly after, War for the Planet of the Apes helmer Matt Reeves was hired to take over and he made the decision to go back to the drawing board with the story. Since then, there have been conflicting reports about whether or not Affleck will return as the Dark Knight and whether this movie is going to be totally standalone or part of the DC Extended Universe. It's neverending.
As a result, it's become impossible to imagine The Batman every happening and as time goes on, I fully expect the project to fall apart and simply not happen. That's not to say we won't see another movie starring the Caped Crusader but Wonder Woman has proved to Warner Bros. that their other heroes are every bit as profitable and I fully expect the iconic character to remain on the shelf for a long time to come.
2. Cyborg
Have you seen the Justice League trailer? I'm guessing you must have so do you really think Cyborg is getting his own solo outing after watching that? It's not going to happen and while Joss Whedon may have done some work to improve the hero's origin story and dialogue in the upcoming superhero ensemble, it's tough to imagine there being a great deal of demand from fans to see the character get the spotlight for a solid two plus hours.
Like Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Scarlet Witch, Cyborg is just one of those heroes who works best as part of a team. Sure, it's possible he could have a significant role in Flashpoint or another DC Comics adaptation but Cyborg very much feels like one of those movies Warner Bros. announced for the hell of it without having much of a plan in place for what direction it could take. A solo outing for Cyborg could work if handled the right way but that doesn't mean it should happen.
1. Justice League 2
There's a very good chance that Justice League will be a huge hit when it's released this November but that doesn't necessarily mean a sequel will happen. Don't get me wrong, I expect the team to stick around in some form but plans for the League to square off with Darkseid in any sort of direct follow-up are probably dead by this point. Zack Snyder's future with the DC Extended Universe is definitely in doubt, while Joss Whedon can't be relied upon to take charge of the sequel as he no doubt wants to crack on with Batgirl.
It actually appears as if the heroic group are set to show up in Flashpoint and Warner Bros. could find any number of ways to deal with them moving forward which doesn't necessarily involve an actual sequel. I do think one will happen eventually but certainly not in the way originally planned, especially as it's probably going to be without Ben Affleck's Batman, a key member of the roster.
Do you guys agree that these DC Comics movies aren't going to happen in the near future? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.