David Zaslav Responds To BATGIRL Cancellation; Announces New Marvel Studios-Inspired 10-Year Plan

David Zaslav Responds To BATGIRL Cancellation; Announces New Marvel Studios-Inspired 10-Year Plan

During today's investor Q&A on the Warner Bros Discovery Q2 call, David Zaslav responded to the backlash resulting from Batgirl's cancellation, while also announcing a DCEU "reset" for The DCEU...

By MarkCassidy - Aug 04, 2022 06:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Batgirl
Source: Via THR

Well, under its new leadership, Warner Bros.' DC Films division has finally admitted that it's looking to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for inspiration!

During today's Q2 investor call Q&A, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was asked about the backlash stemming from the studio's decision to completely scrap the Batgirl movie, and while he didn't address the move directly, he remained steadfast in his commitment to the theatrical model.

“Our ambition to is bring Warners back and produce great, high-quality films,” he said. “We can build a long-term sustainable growth business out of DC. We’re not releasing a film before it’s ready.”

“The focus is to make these films as good as possible," he added.

There has been a lot of speculation that other DC Comics-based projects could follow-suit and fall by the wayside, and while we may see further delays and maybe even some more shelvings, it sounds like three of the biggest upcoming tentpoles are safe.

“We have seen The Flash, Black Adam and Shazam 2,” said Zaslav, “We are very excited about them. We’ve seen them. We think they are terrific, and we think we can make them even better.”

The executive also announced a new "10-year plan" for The DCEU (or whatever it ends up being referred to), making it very clear that what Kevin Feige and co. have managed to achieve with the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be a big influence.

“You look at Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman — these are brands that are known everywhere in the world,” Zaslav added. “We have done a reset. We’ve restructured the business where we are going to focus, where there is going to be a team with a 10-year plan focusing just on DC. We believe we can build a much more sustainable business.”

“It’s very similar to the structure Alan Horn, Bob Iger and Kevin Feige put together very effectively at Disney. We think we can build a much stronger, sustainable growth business out of DC.”

Fair enough, - but as the great Public Enemy once said, that thought was thought before!

This would hardly be the first time the studio implemented a new policy to restructure/rejig its DC Films Universe, so it's a hard to remain optimistic about this latest "10-year plan. At any rate, this "reset" will likely stem from whatever Flashpoint-like adventures await us in The Flash, so WBD does have an opportunity to make some major alterations over the next couple of years.

What do you guys make of Zaslav's comments? Be sure to share your thoughts in the usual place.

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Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 8/4/2022, 6:47 PM
Once they opened the Q&A and literally the FIRST question from a certain Bryan (BASED!) was about Batgirl's cancellation and DC's future, if not for him we wouldn't know jackshit about DC hahaha :P

I dunno what they mean by "reset", but it sure sounded like a reboot eventhough on the other hand they'll still release a couple of movie that are already made, like Black Adam, Shazam 2, Flash and Aquaman 2...

But "DC Studios" is something i've been asking for years, no more random ass projects, i want a clear direction, a single vision and a PLAN, a f*cking 10 year PLAN a la Marvel Studios, f*cking finally!!!

I also read that the Green Lantern HBO MAX series seems to be safe, thank God!

Dunno about animation tho, yikes!


Guess we'll have to wait for the investor's day this fall for the big announcements.
Scarilian
Scarilian - 8/4/2022, 9:31 PM
@Doomsday8888 -
Put bluntly.

The Flash was going to end setting up Batgirl, Supergirl and Wonder Woman as the new DC trinity. Batgirl & Supergirl would have featured Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton. The choice for a new DC Trinity being comprised entirely of females was made due to the popularity of Wonder Woman, this was written before Wonder Woman 1984 released and regardless of other factors, that movie was a financial disaster for WB.

WB is believed to have information on Ezra that is currently not public, which is forcing them to either re-shoot Flash OR cancel it - most likely the later option.

Black Adam, Shazam 2, Blue Beetle are fine, they'll release as intended potentially with minimal reshoots.

Aquaman 2 is being reshot to remove Amber Heard and replace with a different actress in the role. It's also adding Affleck because David Zaslav apparently wants to give him more of a role. Cavill is also expected to return, but they want to keep that secret as the first film of the new phase featuring Superman, Shazam and Black Adam.
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 8/4/2022, 10:07 PM
@Doomsday8888 - OT: Anything Watchmen not drawn by Dave Gibbons feels wrong to me. That picture hurts my soul.
MuadDib
MuadDib - 8/4/2022, 11:03 PM
@Scarilian - Eating 70+ million on Batgirl to then cancel Flash or reshoot it which would balloon the budget even more seems crazy.

I personally would love them to do it, as I’m not happy with the current storyline, but I have a hard time believing they’d do it.

But after what’s transpired these past few weeks, and if Ezra really does have more shoes to drop, I wouldn’t put it past them.

DC was already on thin ice, the way they navigate the next 2-3 years will either sink them completely or allow them to gain a solid footing.

I’m all for a DC studios, also be saying that for years now. One guy who knows the characters making the overarching decisions all with a long term plan in place. It’s the only way they find success.

The only reason they’re moving forward with a musical Joker is because the first one made a billion. But what a trash movie to green light during this fiasco of a situation is occurring.

emeraldtaurus
emeraldtaurus - 8/5/2022, 4:09 AM
@Scarilian - I like alot if what you said there . .Hope it's true.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 8/5/2022, 4:51 AM
@Doomsday8888 - WB Discovery adding a DC Studios to their assets would be a really smart move. They already kinda have it with DC Films, but it doesn't have it's own (creative) leadership. Zaslav wants to change that I think. So it's a step in the right direction for sure.
oldnoname
oldnoname - 8/5/2022, 9:27 AM
@TheVandalore - writing aside, I think Gary Frank did a serviceable job in doomsday clock. Good, even.
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 8/5/2022, 10:04 AM
@oldnoname - I'll be honest, I haven't given Doomsday Clock a chance yet. Before Watchmen hurt too much and I wasn't able to give DC another chance. I didn't even care for the HBO show. Those 12 issues are a masterpiece to me. Closest I've come to liking anything beyond the OG comic was Snyders ultimate directors cut, but even then he changed stuff I hated.

I'm not one for giving Alan Moore more ego fuel, but that one body of work of his really needs to be left alone. Or at least I see it as a self contained masterpiece.
oldnoname
oldnoname - 8/5/2022, 5:04 PM
@TheVandalore - I think I lucked out and missed Before Watchmen entirely. But I loved the HBO show. I don't know that you'll like doomsday clock; especially since I think the show was better written.

Frustrating thing about Alan Moore is that he really is as good as he thinks he is lol
Nightwing1015
Nightwing1015 - 8/4/2022, 6:57 PM
If they only implemented this 10-year plan the first time around in 2012, we'd be living in a golden age of DC films right now.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 8/4/2022, 7:23 PM
@Nightwing1015 - Dunno about that as MoS underperformed and Batman wasn't ready yet. After seeing BvS and Ayer's Suicide Squad which is within that 10 yr plan I doubt we would be in a golden age of DC because of the terrible reception.

Imagine if Iron Man under performed and Phase 1 was just mediocre...the MCU wouldn't be here either.
2013venjix
2013venjix - 8/4/2022, 7:25 PM
@Nightwing1015 - Amen to that!!
Spock0Clock
Spock0Clock - 8/4/2022, 7:30 PM
@Nightwing1015 - The best time to plan a cohesive cinematic universe is 10 years ago. The next-best time in today.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 8/4/2022, 7:41 PM
@Spock0Clock - Well said.
Nightwing1015
Nightwing1015 - 8/4/2022, 8:11 PM
@mastakilla39 - Those films would have turned out differently because it would be a different plan. Fundamentally they backed the wrong horse in Snyder. I don't even dislike his films that intensely but they certainly weren't a good basis for a cinematic DC universe. If they had backed a variety of different creative voices and let a guy like Dini, Timm or Johns coordinate between them, things would've turned out better.
UncleHarm1
UncleHarm1 - 8/4/2022, 8:29 PM
@Spock0Clock - There's a billboard right by me that says the same thing about financial investments...
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 8/4/2022, 8:31 PM
@Nightwing1015 - They did, it was the Snyderverse.
It failed on the second movie, but the 10 years plan was there.
Tpo81
Tpo81 - 8/4/2022, 8:36 PM
@Nightwing1015 - u act like saying their doing a 10 year plan automatically brings in good direction, acting & storytelling. Doesn’t matter what plan you have or how many years you say that said plan will take, until u release an Ironman type movie & make all the right moves behind the scenes you end up with dogshit movies like whedon league. I wonder if that musical is gonna bein their master plan of synergy. DC is such a joke. They should just be stripped of their serials
Arthorious
Arthorious - 8/4/2022, 9:15 PM
@mastakilla39 - they didn’t really have a proper plan after man of steel. They jumped straight into mini justice league movie.
Fogs
Fogs - 8/5/2022, 3:57 AM
@Nightwing1015 - With producers, writers and directors who actually understand and like those characters? Yes, totally.
Spock0Clock
Spock0Clock - 8/5/2022, 6:34 AM
@UncleHarm1 - It just comes from a common saying about planting trees, but after a brief Googling, I can't find its origin.
Drace24
Drace24 - 8/5/2022, 7:39 AM
@Nightwing1015 - Kinda exciting to think about an alternate timeline where WB/DC have what Disney and Marvel have now. Wonder how this would have affected our popular zeitgeist.
Drace24
Drace24 - 8/5/2022, 7:44 AM
@TheHumanSpider2 - Lol. The Snyderverse had no plan, dude.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 8/5/2022, 8:36 AM
@Drace24 - It did.
The plan was shit, but it was a plan.
UncleHarm1
UncleHarm1 - 8/5/2022, 12:03 PM
@Spock0Clock - I have never planted a tree, I am suddenly ashamed.
NicolausCopernicus
NicolausCopernicus - 8/4/2022, 6:58 PM
words words words
promises promises promises
heard it all before
I´ll believe it when I see it
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