The news Warner Bros. Discovery was launching DC Studios with James Gunn and Peter Safran at the helm was received extremely positively.
The sad fact is, the DCEU has been running on fumes for a while now, and while plans for a Crisis on Infinite Earths movie had potential, it's been clear for several years that a fresh start is needed. And one which, like it or not, should in no way set out to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse.
Like many of you, we're incredibly excited about Superman: Legacy but beyond that, it's clear DC Studios has already hit a few stumbling blocks. Since that big slate reveal at the end of January, confusion, conflicting reports, and some head-scratching decisions have turned what should have been a thrilling line-wide reboot into what feels like more of the same, albeit with a few new faces and a zanier tone.
Time will tell whether the DCU proves to be a success (we really hope so after the damage the DCEU has done to this genre), but these are some of our current causes for concern...
5. Everything About 2023
What a disaster this year has been. 2023 kicked off with DC Studios deciding to announce its "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate (which consists of an undeniably exciting selection of movies and TV shows) before any of the year's DCEU titles were released.
A confusing Q&A with Gunn and Safran about the brand's future left fans scratching their heads, but the general consensus was that this year's offerings no longer had any sort of relevancy or importance to the new DCU. That goes a long way in explaining why both the Shazam! sequel and The Flash bombed; unfortunately, Blue Beetle is likely next based on early tracking data.
Gunn's decision to describe The Flash as "the greatest superhero movie ever" saw fans question how capable he is of running this franchise, a valid concern if those were his legitimate thoughts after watching the messy, underwhelming blockbuster.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 filmmaker has tried his best to put an end to the Marvel vs. DC rhetoric but inadvertently alienated many MCU fans by suggesting the DCU will do everything Marvel Studios has, only better. Then, there was the controversial ousting of Henry Cavill and Dwayne Johnson which, while understandable, has deeply upset the SnyderVerse crowd...
4. Andy Muschietti Will Direct The Brave and the Bold
When it comes to film and television, one person's masterpiece is another's disaster and vice versa. Opinions in this realm are extremely subjective, hence why there's so often such a noteworthy divide between critics and fans.
There may well be something about The Flash which resonated with Gunn, hence why he decided to enlist Andy Muschietti to helm The Brave and the Bold. However, as the immensely talented director behind the critically acclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and The Suicide Squad (which is widely regarded to be among the DCEU's best releases), the fact he feels Muschietti is a safe bet for this Batman reboot has left many people perplexed.
Yes, the director nailed the nostalgia factor with Michael Keaton's Caped Crusader, but like his IT sequel, The Flash was largely unremarkable with Muschietti's only real hit as a filmmaker still the first IT movie.
The Flash didn't resonate with fans or moviegoers because it's an average, forgettable, and largely poorly executed piece of work. Maybe DC Studios added those awful cameos and that goofy final scene; that frees Muschietti of blame but poses worrying questions about the DCU's future.
3. Gal Gadot vs. DC Studios
During the aforementioned Q&A, Gunn and Safran played frustratingly coy when asked about which actors would and would not be returning. While they wasted no time in sending Cavill and Johnson packing, a future for Ezra Miller was teased as was one for Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman.
That seemed strange after DC Studios pulled the plug on Wonder Woman 3 as a result of Petty Jenkins' vision not fitting into what the company has planned for the new DCU. Still, it was easy enough to imagine a reboot following, though having Gadot's Amazon warrior stand tall alongside a new Batman and Superman seemed like a strange choice.
Earlier this month, Gadot reflected on meeting with the co-CEOs and confidently declared plans were in place for her to reprise the role...only for the Hollywood trades to run stories all but branding the actress a liar in the midst of a strike which means she can't respond.
It's obvious DC Studios fed those sites the denial as Gadot was either stretching the truth as a power play or speaking out of turn. Either way, Gunn - who frequently chimes in on rumours across his social media platforms - has been oddly quiet, and this is another example of confusion reigning during this studio's earliest days.
2. A Mix Of New And Returning Faces
Nepotism feels like the incorrect word to throw around here, but it's strange that the DCEU actors currently set to appear in the DCU are primarily those who Gunn worked with on The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker.
Waller is an example of that, as are plans for Peacemaker season 2; even Sean Gunn will reprise his role as Weasel in Creature Commandos despite the fact his co-star from The Suicide Squad, Nathan Fillion, will go from playing T.D.K. to Green Lantern. What should have surely been a line-wide reboot is now a weird mashup of the old DCEU and the new DCU.
At this stage, we're happy to bid farewell to all the DCEU actors (yes, including Cavill and even Ben Affleck) because that feels like the right move for the brand. Instead, we'll have a new Superman and Lois Lane, but the same Harley Quinn and Peacemaker. It's really no wonder some fans are upset about Cavill being fired, for example, when those who were every bit as culpable for this franchise never really taking off are receiving a second chance.
Saying goodbye to talented actors who made these characters their own wouldn't be easy, but if the Spider-Man franchise can survive two reboots, so could the DCEU.
1. Too Much Uncertainty
This is by far the biggest problem right now. As we've mentioned, the DCU slate is incredibly exciting. Between a new Superman movie, a Green Lantern TV series, and the fact characters Booster Gold, Swamp-Thing, and Robin are about to get their due, how could you not be excited as a comic book fan?
The issue is a lack of transparency on DC Studios' part. Heading into The Flash, Gunn said the movie would "reset" the DCEU despite the fact it comes out before Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The former won't be set in the DCU but features a DCU character; the latter, on the other hand, is expected to be Jason Momoa's final appearance as Arthur Curry before he becomes Lobo.
None of this makes any logical sense. We're not asking for DC Studios' future plans to be laid out on a plate for us, but it doesn't actually feel like they have a plan. Instead, 2024 is being used as a palette cleanser before 2025 kicks off by introducing a new DCU with some of the same actors and a lot of different ones because a Multiverse exists and this is just another DC Universe. It's "just 'cause" storytelling at its worst.
That's one thing for fans to wrap their heads around, but is your mom, uncle, or best pal who has never read a comic book really going to know the difference? Sure, Superman has a new face, but they'll also remember all those bad DCEU movies and will be seeing many of those same actors from a time DC Studios should be hoping we all forget!
We hope this reboot isn't doomed to fail, but it's not looking good, is it?