James Gunn’s version of Superman is facing an unprecedented amount of pressure to excel, a burden that Warner Bros. Discovery may have unwittingly placed upon it. The film, set to debut in theaters on July 11th, will kick off the DC Universe, following the animated series Creature Commandos on Max. Gunn’s DCU is intended as a gentle reboot of the previous DCEU, with certain characters and storylines from the latter being retained.
Given the sudden termination of the DCEU and lingering resentment among a significant number of fans (especially concerning Henry Cavill’s tenure as Superman being prematurely concluded), Gunn’s Superman was already facing an uphill struggle. However, recent developments suggest that it is carrying a much heavier load than initially anticipated.
According to a recent article from Puck News, insiders at DC Studios and the DC Universe view Superman as having nearly immeasurable significance for not just their future, but also for Warner Bros. Discovery as a whole. The report also suggests that there’s growing anxiety about Warner Bros. undergoing another sale or merger. This news should worry fans of DC and general viewers alike, as it seems Warner Bros. is once again finding itself in the same predicament with regards to DC movies – repeating past struggles.
Warner Bros. Keeps Putting Far Too Much Pressure On Individual Movies To “Save” Or “Fix” DC
Initially, the analysis in the report underscores the significant impact that the character Superman has on Warner Bros. Discovery, suggesting they’ve barely learned from their past mishandling of DC films. In essence, Warner Bros. often placed DC movies under pressure to salvage the DC film universe or rectify perceived issues from previous releases. This trend was evident in the disaster that was 2017’s Justice League, a hasty reworking of Zack Snyder’s original vision with Joss Whedon’s extensive reshoots and modifications.
Warner Bros.’ last-minute abandonment of Snyder’s DCEU plans and the subsequent reworking of Justice League was prompted by the divisive response to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but given the poor box office performance of Justice League, tales of cast and crew mistreatment by Whedon, and the more favorable reception for Zack Snyder’s Justice League (the Snyder Cut), this decision appears to have been a regrettable one.
The release of “Justice League” in 2017 had an unexpected impact on the direction of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The extensive studio edits resulted in a lack of clear direction, with many key cast members either departing or only loosely tied to the franchise. With Warner Bros. choosing to improvise the DCEU post-“Justice League”, individual DCEU films found themselves under immense pressure to revitalize the franchise singlehandedly. The tagline for “Black Adam”, “the balance of power in the DC Universe is about to shift”, turned out to be more accurate than it initially appeared. This was not just a reference to Dwayne Johnson’s ambition to arrange a clash between Black Adam and Superman, or the behind-the-scenes efforts to bring Henry Cavill back as Superman, but also to “Black Adam” itself – a film focusing on less popular DC heroes such as Black Adam and the Justice Society of America. This movie had to overcome decades of baggage, mismanagement, and was expected to achieve blockbuster success on par with “The Dark Knight”.
As a devoted fan, I’ve observed that movies like “Shazam!”, “Wonder Woman 1984”, “Birds of Prey”, and “The Suicide Squad” were not just telling their unique stories but also seemed to be attempting to revitalize the DCEU. However, the emergence of James Gunn’s DCU plans marked a significant shift, essentially signaling the end of the DCEU with only exceptions like “The Flash”. This film, marketed as a cornerstone of DC’s cinematic future, found itself in an awkward position – launched amidst the dissolution of its own franchise. It’s challenging to expect a blockbuster superhero movie to thrive under such circumstances, and it could be argued that “The Flash”, along with DC’s other 2023 films, was set up for failure by being released in such unfavorable conditions. Interestingly enough, the determination of Dark Flash to “fix” his timeline leading to the near destruction of the multiverse serves as a thought-provoking parallel to Warner Bros.’ repeated attempts to “fix” the DCEU, which, ironically, have caused more damage than intended.
It’s clear that the history of Warner Bros. and its handling of the DCEU movies has been marked by a focus on fixing past mistakes instead of allowing the franchise to grow organically. One might expect that after learning this lesson, they would handle a growing franchise more thoughtfully, considering both financial and audience feedback carefully before taking drastic measures. However, it appears that Warner Bros.’ mishandling of DC properties has only worsened under David Zaslav’s leadership. The upcoming Superman movie is now expected to save not just the DC Universe or its cinematic IP, but Warner Bros. Discovery itself – a huge studio in Hollywood. This level of pressure on Superman is unrealistic, short-sighted, and reckless, and it sadly aligns with Warner Bros.’ history as the owners of DC properties.
Warner Bros. Has A Bad History Of Being Very Reactionary With DC Movies (To Their Detriment)
It’s not hard to assume that Zack Snyder’s tenure is solely responsible for the alleged micromanagement of DC films by WB, but this practice has unfortunately been a persistent issue with DC movies, dating back to the production of Richard Donner’s Superman. In fact, during the filming of Superman and its sequel, Superman II, internal disputes between Donner and producers, the Salkind brothers, resulted in Donner’s dismissal from the sequel despite the original movie’s success in 1978. The Salkinds then replaced Donner with Richard Lester for Superman II, who reshot a significant portion of the film and went on to direct the poorly received Superman III. By this time, the Salkinds had largely lost faith in the Superman franchise, leading to Cannon Films optioning Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, which was given a meager budget, flopped at the box office, and effectively halted the Superman series for almost 20 years.
The character of the Dark Knight faced a comparable and possibly more damaging course as he made his way onto movie screens. Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989 was a blockbuster hit during the summer that year, but the controversial response to Batman Returns in 1992 led Warner Bros. to move the franchise towards less risky territory with Joel Schumacher’s lighter Batman Forever in 1995. Regrettably, the success of this movie taught Warner Bros. a misguided lesson, causing them to transform Batman & Robin in 1997 into an even more exaggerated toy advertisement. The failure of this film led to Batman taking a break until Christopher Nolan’s reboot, Batman Begins, was released in 2005.
In a parallel scenario, Superman Returns found itself in a similar predicament as it was hyped as Kal-El’s grand comeback to the silver screen. However, the movie’s poor performance and tepid response essentially marked the end of the Christopher Reeve Superman series (with Brandon Routh’s Superman being the same character as Christopher Reeve’s). Unlike Christopher Nolan who managed to finish the Dark Knight trilogy despite Warner Bros.’ attempts at intervention, this has generally been an unfortunate pattern for WB. They tend to generate enthusiasm for a promising future of DC on the big screen, only to either drastically change direction or cancel projects altogether at the first hint of trouble. Even rumors of Matt Reeves’ Batman franchise being reworked into James Gunn’s DCU (which has been denied by both parties) illustrate how movies can be fundamentally altered in ways they were never meant to, causing harm.
This history has also contributed significantly to the ongoing challenge that Warner Bros. continues to grapple with regarding DC films.
Wonder Why Fans Keep Pining For The Snyderverse’s Revival? Here’s Your Answer
Despite the launch of the DC Universe (DCU), the desire among many fans for Zack Snyder’s original five-part Justice League storyline to be completed hasn’t faded away as some might assume. Instead, the #RestoreTheSnyderVerse movement remains a persistent topic in discussions about DC films. James Gunn and Zack Snyder themselves seem aware of this, hinted by their recent friendly social media photo together. This picture undeniably fueled further support for and speculation regarding the return of the Snyderverse. Although some may see the continuous demand for a Snyderverse comeback as futile given the DCU’s progress, understanding its origins and the challenges it faces makes it quite clear why fans are still advocating for it.
The tumultuous reworking of WB’s Justice League, Zack Snyder’s departure from the film, the way cast and crew were handled during reshoots, the studio hiding the Snyder Cut for years, and their downplaying of it upon release have led to a significant amount of resentment towards Warner Bros. among Snyder’s fans. This animosity is further fueled by the positive reception of the Snyder Cut (causing a 1.5 million #RestoreTheSnyderVerse trend on March 25, 2021), Warner Bros.’ unclear direction with DC, and Henry Cavill’s brief Superman return in Black Adam. Considering all these factors, it’s not difficult to understand why fans of the DC Universe launched during Zack Snyder’s tenure have good reason to feel frustrated, which provides some insight into the ongoing Snyderverse movement as the DCU begins.
Given the latest developments, where James Gunn’s Superman project is critical for Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios, it seems they might inadvertently be preserving the Snyderverse as much as previous WB regimes did. After all, considering WB’s past record of abruptly ending one DC franchise after another, coupled with the recent news of Superman being tasked with saving Warner Bros. Discovery, which is rumored to undergo another sale or merger, the DC Universe appears to be facing similar PR challenges and studio meddling as the DCEU did. The revelation of Zack Snyder’s plans for Justice League 2 and 3 during the Snyder Cut release explains why many fans prefer a return to Snyder’s straightforward approach, rather than the continuous instability caused by WB’s repeated attempts to adjust DC. If even the supposedly safer reboot option by WBD is at risk, it’s reasonable for fans to question whether such a route was worth pursuing, given that completing Snyder’s plans requires only a few more movies.
Should DC Become Another Studio’s Property To Manage? It Might Be The Best Outcome
In relation to the ongoing speculation about Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) heavily investing in Superman within DC Universe, there’s also a related concern that WBD could experience a fate similar to 20th Century Fox and be acquired by another studio. This would mark the third such merger for WB in less than a decade, following its ownership by AT&T and Discovery. Given this history of instability at Warner Bros., it’s not surprising that many DC fans are urging for the sale or transfer of the studio, or even just handing off DC to another party. The hashtag #SellSnyderVerseToNetflix is one such example. With recent developments at WB Discovery and DC Studios, it’s hard not to ponder if these fan suggestions might be on the money.
In less than four months, the release of Superman is imminent, and it appears that the DC Universe (DCU) is standing at a critical juncture where the fate of more than just one movie’s success hangs in the balance. This crucial moment could potentially eclipse the significance of a single film launching a franchise. Given that most of the projects in DCU’s announced lineup have been moved to the sidelines, as confirmed in a recent interview with Gunn and Safran, one might reasonably wonder why Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios abandoned the DCEU for the DCU if they are unsure about their commitment to the latter. This uncertainty also raises questions about whether a future studio merger or strategic partnerships with other studios and streaming platforms to produce DC films and television shows could be the most promising path for the future of DC in cinema and television.
The history shows that Warner Bros. often interferes and makes changes to DC films, which has led to a pattern of “reboot-anxiety-correction-reboot” lasting for decades. This pattern has left fans disappointed and hindered the growth of popular DC franchises. Given that the DC Universe seems poised to follow this path before it even starts, there may be stronger arguments than ever for DC to have a new management team. In the end, either curbing Warner Bros.’ micro-management of their DC properties by a more patient parent company or licensing them out to other studios might be the best way for fans, including those of Snyder and Gunn, to enjoy a DC Cinematic Universe without the constant worry that it could be abruptly ended.
James Gunn’s Superman will be released in theaters on July 11th.
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2025-03-19 07:41