DC FanDome was a huge success for Warner Bros., generating millions of views in 24 hours and resulting in plenty of positive publicity for the studio and its slate of DC Comics movies, TV shows, and video games. Now, the hope among fans is that this could become a yearly occurrence.
During an interview with Variety, Ann Sarnoff, head of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, reflected on the event's enormous success. Initially revealing that "[after] Fandome we saw viewership of our DC movies pop on HBO Max," she then indicated that Warner Bros. is looking at ways to continue that success, albeit by monetising the concept.
"One of the big themes we’ve been talking about since the beginning is using our content and our IP in bigger and better ways," Sarnoff explained. "It’s clear we have a very big fan base that wants to stay very connected to us. We’re going to keep doing it in the spirit of super-serving fans and then see if there’s a way to monetize it."
That could be as simple as including adverts in the next DC FanDome...or as disappointing as asking fans to pay to access certain content and panels. That could backfire in a huge way.
Clearly, it's still early days, and there's no reason to be concerned just yet. Ultimately, no one can blame Warner Bros. for looking to cash in on DC FanDome's success, and it does make sense for them as a business (however, it's still believed the event cost less than a Hall H panel at Comic-Con).