10 Key Mistakes That Ultimately DOOMED The DC Extended Universe

10 Key Mistakes That Ultimately DOOMED The DC Extended Universe

When Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is released this December, the DC Extended Universe will reach its end. As we gear up to bid farewell to this era of storytelling, these are the decisions that doomed it.

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Sep 05, 2023 11:09 AM EST
Filed Under: DC Studios

There was a time when it looked like Marvel Studios and the MCU had a legitimate rival in Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe, but the shared world without an official name has largely proven to be a disappointment. 

This December, we'll say goodbye to the franchise when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is released. The DCEU will be rebooted as the DCU in 2024 and, while that's set to be an odd mix of new and old concepts and characters, it's also been a long time coming. 

Where did things go so badly wrong for the DCEU, though? Looking back over the past decade, it feels like it was destined to fail from the star. With that in mind, we've relived 10 years of history to bring you a closer look at 10 decisions that doomed the DCEU.

You can read through this feature by clicking on the "Next" button below!
 

10. Promoting Man Of Steel Like The Dark Knight Trilogy

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From Christopher Nolan's role as executive producer to Hans Zimmer being enlisted to compose the movie's score, it was clear Warner Bros. wanted to evoke memories of The Dark Knight Trilogy while promoting Man of Steel.

That was evident from the movie's trailers too and, when the Superman reboot was eventually released, Batman Begins it was not. 

Man of Steel should have been advertised as a Zack Snyder movie, tempering expectations while also making it clear we were 100% getting his vision for the character (rather than Nolan doing for Superman what he'd done for Batman). Ultimately, it was just a bad way to kick things off. 
 

9. The Dawn Of Justice Came Too Soon

Batman-v-Superman

When Snyder hit the Hall H stage at Comic-Con to announce plans for a Batman v Superman movie by reading an excerpt from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, we all lost our collective minds. 

A little more questionable, however, was the decision to add that awkward Dawn of Justice tagline to the movie's title. 

What should have been a story revolving solely around Batman and Superman squaring off (before inevitably teaming up) became a launching platform for Justice League. Rushed cameos and Wonder Woman's DCEU debut felt superfluous as Warner Bros. looked to imitate the MCU's success in one movie rather than several.
 

8. Batman v Superman Crammed In Too Much

batmanvsuperman02

As if throwing Wonder Woman and company into the mix wasn't enough, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice also included Lex Luthor's debut, an appearance from Doomsday, and a bizarre dream sequence teasing Snyder's future plans. 

It was too much too soon, and the fact we got The Dark Knight Returns and The Death of Superman in one 150-minute movie remains a perplexing move.

Whether it's down to Snyder or the studio, too many ideas were thrown at the wall back in 2016 and none of them really stuck. In fact, it was the decisions made here that largely began the DCEU's downward spiral. 
 

7. Suicide Squad's Course Correction

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Shocked by the largely negative critical response to Batman v Superman (and a disastrous second weekend at the box office), Warner Bros. decided Suicide Squad needed to forego its similarly dark tone and be lightened up. 

To do so, catchy pop songs were added, filmmaker David Ayer's ideas were largely neutered, and several edits resulted in an absolute mess of a movie. 

Rather than staying the course, Warner Bros. panicked and just assumed moviegoers didn't want a darker take on superheroes. If anything, the success Joker and The Batman have found in recent years proves they do, but next up for some sweeping changes was Justice League
 

6. Joss Whedon's Justice League

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We may never know what really led to Joss Whedon being hired to write new scenes for Justice League, but he was soon tasked with also directing them. Somewhere along the line, the man who'd helmed two hit Avengers movies literally lost the plot and, based on what we've heard, acted like a spoilt brat on set. 

Between that and the fact he was attempting to reshape Snyder's near-finished movie, it's no great surprise the end result was a disaster. 

Warner Bros. executives, keen to get their bonuses by releasing Justice League on time, allowed the blockbuster to go out in a state of upper disrepair with its Superman rocking a CG jawline and very little about this version actually working. The studio had utterly failed to replicate the success of The Avengers
 

5. Trying Too Hard To Be Marvel

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In case it isn't already obvious, Warner Bros. desperately wanted to replicate the success of the MCU with its unnamed DCEU. 

However, being 5 years behind Marvel Studios meant they had to rush things to the point where nothing really worked. Abandoning DC's premier superhero team after Justice League bombed, the focus then shifted to movies like Aquaman, Shazam!, and Wonder Woman 1984.

All of those attempted to imitate the MCU with mixed success, but that tone wasn't really what fans were looking for. The poor imitations continued and, while there were some critical and commercial hits, the franchise clearly didn't know what it wanted to be. 
 

4. Releasing The Snyder Cut

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On the one hand, we fully support the decision for Zack Snyder's Justice League to be released. The filmmaker was able to realise his vision after that 2017 travesty but this didn't get rid of the vocal #ReleaseTheSnyderCut contingent. It simply birthed the #RestoreTheSnyderVerse movement.

By showing fans what they could have had, Snyder's supporters were left more desperate than ever to see more of what the DCEU might have been. With a fanbase now fully divided, it became apparent neither side would ever truly be happy. 

Say what you will about Snyder, but everything we've seen and learned about his "SnyderVerse" plan is vastly better than what the DCEU has become. 
 

3. Dwayne Johnson Was Given Too Much Power

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The pandemic slowed the DCEU's roll and both Wonder Woman 1984 and The Suicide Squad were released on streaming. The former was a critical flop, while the latter received unanimous praise for delivering an R-rated and - you guessed it - darker take on the DCEU. 

As work on Black Adam resumed, Warner Bros. clearly believed Dwayne Johnson was the actor who could rescue this franchise. Instead, he attempted to build it around himself, going around studio brass to bring back Henry Cavill's Superman and laying the groundwork for the BAEU (Black Adam Extended Universe).

When the movie flopped, everything that followed was an embarrassment for those involved and, yet again, fans found themselves on conflicting sides. 
 

2. Everything About The Past Year

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Black Adam was a disaster only made worse by Johnson leaking financial data and plans for a Hawkman movie, and it's all been downhill since then. 

The long-delayed Shazam! Fury of the Gods bombed, while The Flash - hailed as the "greatest superhero movie ever made" - was another disappointment ruined by reshoots inserted by yet another new regime. Blue Beetle at least stands a chance of being a moderate hit but isn't even close to being a true success.

The past year has sealed the DCEU's fate and flop after flop both put the final nail in the franchise's coffin and hurt the superhero genre as a whole. Some will be tempted to blame Black Adam, but no, it's largely due to a major misfire back in January. 
 

1. The DCU Slate Reveal

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Warner Bros. Discovery ended the first month of 2023 by revealing James Gunn and Peter Safran would take charge of DC Studios to relaunch the DCU with a new slate of movies and TV shows. On the one hand, it was tremendous news and a step in the right direction. On the other, it was the dumbest possible move.

Revealing "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" effectively confirmed that 2023's DCEU offerings meant nothing. That's a big part of why they've flopped and a lack of transparency from DC Studios hasn't helped matters. 

We're getting a new Superman and Batman but what about Wonder Woman? Why go see Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom when Jason Momoa is expected to play Lobo in the DCU? Fans conditioned to think about what's next by Marvel Studios simply concluded that the DCEU no longer mattered. 

And, sadly, they were right. 
 

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Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2023, 11:22 AM
Promoting Man Of Steel Like The Dark Knight Trilogy

This is plain wrong!!!!

Not only should Man of Steel have followed the Dark Knight model but it should have been paired with it for the shared universe.

Every criticism of the film has been debunked or shown to be no different than the numerous CBMs that do the same or worse yet every fake fanboy falls over themselves to praise.
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 9/5/2023, 11:23 AM
@Forthas - lmao was coming here to say number 10 will trigger you!
Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2023, 11:26 AM
@TheClunges - This blasphemy will not go unchallenged!
Slotherin
Slotherin - 9/5/2023, 2:31 PM
@Forthas - my understanding was it was intended to go with it hence the world not knowing about metahumans and such but they couldn't get Bale to return come Batman v Superman and so everything from there was restructured.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2023, 3:27 PM
@Slotherin - No! Zack Snyder discussed having Bale appear as that iteration of Batman...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/man-of-steel-dark-knight-zack-snyder-christopher-nolan-1234959081/amp/

...but later invented a lame excuse not to utilize him.

https://time.com/4253882/batman-v-superman-ben-affleck-christian-bale/

I think it shows a degree of arrogance and an insistence on moving away from the tone of the Dark Knight and Man of Steel. The single greatest blunder perhaps in Cinema history.
KelvTwelve
KelvTwelve - 9/6/2023, 12:09 AM
@Forthas - idk Man of Steel is still frustrating to me 10 years later but also it's just not the type of Superman movie I want to see on screen. Yet I still say it's a character with over 80 years of history, and therefore there is no inherent dignity or "set canon" for the character.

But I just don't like Man of Steel and I think I should be perfectly justified for doing so.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/6/2023, 12:40 AM
@KelvTwelve -

It is perfectly fine not to like Man of Steel. The only thing is that when I ask numerous people why they did not like it, they provide responses that are objectively wrong! As if they are reaching for excuses not to like it. It is one thing to provide concrete reasons which could be as simple as it did not click with you, but you get people praising Richard Donner's Superman which when you look closely has the same supposed flaws that these same people claim MOS has. I think there is something else going on. It may or may not pertain to you, but I think peple go into Man of Steel with an inherent bias. It is not just me who thinks this. This article makes the same case...

James Gunn, The DC Universe has a Christopher Reeve Problem
https://thegeekbuzz.com/news/the-dc-universe-has-a-christopher-reeve-problem/

Everytime I engage people I get some of the most insane responses which are factually wrong such as:

- it was a financial failure (It wasn't! Far from it)
- Superman does not save people the way the Donner Superman did (He actually makes the exact number of "saves" as the first Superman film)
- He never kills in the comics (He kills Doomsday in his most popular comic book)
- It was a divisive film for audiences (Actually it has identical audience scores from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes and a better score from Cinema Score than does The Suicide Squad yet no one calls that film divisive
...ect etc.

There are no glaring plot holes, the CGI looks pretty good to me, the actors are top notch, the score was excellent and it was action packed. Not sure what else one would want. Try reading that article and see if you might have that bias and if you think you do then it is not the fault of the film and therefore it is wrong to say it is a "bad" film.
KelvTwelve
KelvTwelve - 9/6/2023, 1:46 AM
@Forthas - See this is why for me it comes down to me just not liking this particular adaptation of Superman. My whole perspective of the Snyderverse really changed once I came to terms with the character's long history and vast amounts of adaptation, so I felt like I lost the right to view Superman in any definitive way aside from the fact that it's how I like Superman, but it doesn't have to be how everyone else likes Superman.

I definitely don't look at anyone less for enjoying Man of Steel, and I do think there's a lot to be enjoyed. I've been very fortunate to have Superman content that feels more tailored to what I've been looking for in his character, like Superman and Lois (which visually borrows a lot from MoS, but also combines traits from every adaptation), and My Adventures with Superman (which like Man of Steel, is a different, divisive take on the character's origins, but portrays Superman in a way I like - the only optimist in a cynical world).

Honestly, if you wanted me to go into my issues with Man of Steel, I wouldn't have mentioned any of the complaints you mentioned, especially pertaining to critical and financial response. I wouldn't even look at either when it comes to complaints over BvS, as everyone universally agrees Snyder's film was hacked to pieces for the theatrical cut. Plus, talking about things I loved in the film, the theme is one of my favorite superhero themes of all time, the suit design is gorgeous, the casting are all top notch choices (even Jesse Eisenberg as Lex), but it just didn't fit how I would personally do all the characters.

Honestly my guilty admission is that my ideal take on Superman doesn't even come from Christopher Reeve... It came from the man who shall not be named who wrote American Alien...
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 9/5/2023, 11:29 AM
For me, top three reasons are like this...

3) Rehiring Snyder for BVS after MOS

2) Rehiring Snyder for JL after BVS

1) Rehiring Snyder for ZSJL after JL
VictorAlonzo
VictorAlonzo - 9/5/2023, 11:30 AM
10 years later:

#1 Hiring James Gunn
Moriakum
Moriakum - 9/5/2023, 11:33 AM
The biggest mistake was entrusting the reins of the DCEU to a mediocre director and awful storyteller, who has the mentality of a teenager.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2023, 11:35 AM
"Ultimately, it was just a bad way to kick things off."

NOTE: This is a MINORITY opinion even among the barely relevant critic class. This is only the case for people who can't get past Christopher Reeves Superman who are responsible for Warner Brothers being mired in antiquated versions of Superman.
WakandanQueen
WakandanQueen - 9/5/2023, 11:41 AM
#1 should be BvS itself
AnEye
AnEye - 9/5/2023, 11:43 AM
"The Dawn Of Justice Came Too Soon"

That's what she said.
SATW42
SATW42 - 9/5/2023, 11:46 AM
Snyder. That's all this list has to be.
ShellHead
ShellHead - 9/5/2023, 11:47 AM
I think the fatal flaw at the center of all of it, is that Zack Snyder was simply not suited to the material. I think he has made some interesting and good work before, Rebel Moon looks cool, but I think the DC heroes needed a more thoughtful hand on the wheel, and Zack, in my opinion, has a juvenile worldview.

He's a permanent 17 year old, overly indulging in violence, cultural vandalism, and libertarian politics. He's the guy that thinks Rorschach is the hero of Watchmen, the guy that had Superman die for nothing.
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 9/5/2023, 11:53 AM
It’s really sad that this old fan made trailer is more exciting than what WB has done… 🤷‍♂️
?si=kba0LSxIFCRHbSpV
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 9/5/2023, 11:55 AM
SnyderCut at least gave us a JL movie that didn't border on SNL parody like the OG cut.
Razorface1
Razorface1 - 9/5/2023, 2:29 PM
@ModHaterSLADE - Is that any worse than bordering on edgy teen fanfic?
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 9/5/2023, 4:48 PM
@Razorface1 - Not as bad as your edgelord comment at least...
Razorface1
Razorface1 - 9/5/2023, 8:54 PM
@ModHaterSLADE - lol what edgelord comment?
WakandaTech
WakandaTech - 9/5/2023, 11:56 AM
Biggest mistake


Rushing to be the MCU while at the same trying not to be the MCU
BuzzKillington
BuzzKillington - 9/5/2023, 11:56 AM
#1

Hiring Zack Snyder.
n1ghtw1ng2832
n1ghtw1ng2832 - 9/5/2023, 11:56 AM
This guy really just needs to stop posting these pointless articles and keep his opinions to himself.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2023, 11:58 AM

Man of Steel made $668 million on a $225 million budget returning 2.97 x its budget.

Batman Begins made $374 million on a $150 million budget returning 2.49 x it's budget.

Captain America First Avenger made 371 on a $140 million budget returning 2.65 x its budget.

The Dark Knight Trilogy and Captain America Trilogy are considered among the best ever yet Man of Steel outperformed both franchises origin stories. Not just at the box office but in blu ray sales as MOS is in the top 25 all time. So if Man of Steel was a mistake then I guess Batman Begins and Captain America First Avenger were mistakes as well.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 9/5/2023, 12:27 PM
@Forthas -

I usually agree with your takes, but not on this. That is goofy logic.

The next 2 Dark Knight movies and Captain America movies were big financial & critical hits.

Mn of Steel would have hit a billion if it were a better movie. It was pretty good, but not the great we all expected. We got depressed chip on his shoulder Snyderman, not Superman.

mountainman
mountainman - 9/5/2023, 12:55 PM
@Forthas - While I am apparently not as big of a Man of Steel fan as you, I agree that people go to hard on it.

They should have followed it up with a direct sequel and then a solo Affleck Batman movie, we could have kept Wonder Woman and Aquaman as is, and eventually build to Justice League.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2023, 1:21 PM
@DocSpock - This is sound logic! You have to make relevant comparisons. Let's look at your logic! Batman Begins WAS a good movie and it do not hit a billion and struggled to even be profitable. Spiderman Homecoming which launched the most recent Spiderman trilogy did not hit a billion despite the fact that Tom Hollands version of Spiderman was ALREADY in a billion dollar film and it featured Iron Man who was a billion dollar draw. Man of Steel had no such advantages Was that a failure?

To say that it was not a good film is incorrect. It has an A- Cinema score which is the gold standard for measuring audience preference for movies. In fact their is no such audience measure that is negative toward the film. ONLY a significant number of CRITICS had an issue with it because many of them are older and still pining for an outdated Christopher Reeves sequel. This despite the fact many of the exact same criticism leveled against Man of Steel are present in the Donner films and him killing Zod is comic accurate. In Superman's most widely read and popular comic, he KILLS Doomsday for the EXACT reason he kills Zod this making his actions comic accurate.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2023, 1:29 PM
@mountainman - I would have preferred they continued with the Bale Batman which Zack "the idiot" Snyder admitted was discussed only to have him veto the idea because he thought he had to use Gordon-Levitt as Batman. This is the most ridiculous excuse ever given Batman was still alive after Rises so there was nothing to prevent him from returning to Gotham
This decision gave rise to BvS and that is the single most ignorant decision that started the embarrassing downward spiral and collapse of a entire studio.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 9/5/2023, 1:43 PM
@Forthas -

At this point, you just argue because you like to.

I did NOT say MoS was not a good film. I also did NOT say that MoS was a failure. I said it was pretty good and would have done a billion IF it were great.

I did NOT speak to the Reeves, Donner, killing Zod things you seem to assign to me to support your argument. I spoke to Snyderman's depressed distrustful of humans negative demeanor. Are you going to pi$$ on many decades of comics because like the Reeves films YOU brought up, they showed a Superman who represented hope, good will, and a love of humanity? Snyderman did not show these things. And I guess we forgot that faster than a speeding bullet Superman could have and would have saved his Dad with no one even noticing that he had moved.

I loved 3 things about the movie. Cavill cast as Supes. The GREAT villains. The epic fight scenes. But that doesn't cover up the fact that this was not Superman. It was a Snyder creation.

mountainman
mountainman - 9/5/2023, 1:49 PM
@Forthas - Bale wouldn’t have stayed on and I don’t think keeping JGL as a non-Bruce Batman would have been popular. Recasting could have been an option.
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