DC Studios Is Expanding Its World… Without Actually Building Its World: Will the DCU Succeed where the DCEU Failed?

by

As a die-hard fan who has been following the ups and downs of the DC Universe since its inception, I must say that the current state of affairs is nothing short of frustrating. Three years into James Gunn’s reign, and we’re still waiting for the first official movie from his Gods and Monsters phase. It’s like being a kid on Christmas Eve, eagerly anticipating Santa Claus, only to find out that he’s stuck in traffic.

Warner Bros., the firm that owns the characters from DC Comics, sought to create their own equivalent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) after noticing Disney’s franchise success. This led to the establishment of the initial DCEU. However, despite its promising start, strong cast, and exceptional movies, the DCEU was doomed to underperform prematurely due to a multitude of poor decisions and misjudged moves in its development process.

Initially, Zack Snyder, who had been leading the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), was let go and James Gunn, with his extensive background from Marvel, stepped in as his replacement. Upon assuming control over the DCEU, Gunn found himself inheriting a chaotic situation. As a result, he chose to scrap what was there and build an entirely new fictional universe called Gods and Monsters. The inaugural installment of this fresh series is set to debut soon.

This project started back in 2022. Now, fast-forwarding nearly three years, let’s discuss where we currently stand regarding the DCU (DC Universe). In this analysis, we will reflect on the initiatives taken by Gunn and DC Studios, as well as examine the potential that lies within the evolving DC Universe.

During their tenure at DC, many films have been produced, yet none of them are technically part of the upcoming official DC Universe (DCU), set to debut this year. Movies such as “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and “Blue Beetle”, previously belonging to the DCEU, differ from recent productions like Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” or Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Folie à Deux”, which were never intended for the main universe. However, Gunn’s “Suicide Squad” film and the TV series “Peacemaker” are exceptions, with the latter being part of the DCU but not officially considered a DCU movie.

To clarify, you’re aware that Gunn has revealed the initial phase of his DC Universe will be called “Gods and Monsters” and it serves as an entry point to the lore of this universe. However, so far, none of the films from this phase have been unveiled, even though Gunn has been constructing this world for close to three years now. The first movie we’ll be watching from this phase is “Superman,” scheduled for release on July 11, 2025. Following that, we have “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” set for a June 26, 2026 launch, with five additional films currently in the planning stages and no confirmed release dates yet.

Additionally, we’re working on multiple TV series, though they’re not our current focus because they won’t be central to the DC Universe. Instead, they serve as supporting narratives for the primary storyline.

It’s been three years of world-building for a DCU project, yet there’s no tangible outcome to show for it, isn’t that peculiar? Although some casting choices have been made, it’s concerning that Gunn has yet to deliver any tangible results. With more than half a year left until the first significant DCU project debuts, this is indeed an issue. It’s not a problem for us, as we’re accustomed to waiting, but for Gunn, it’s a challenge because Superman will need to live up to high expectations and be the film that justifies the wait.

If the movie fails, it implies that the past three years have essentially been wasted effort, as Gunn and Safran were not able to create a product that the audience will cherish, despite having ample time. Consequently, this could spell significant difficulties for the DC Universe.

There’s uncertainty about whether this strategy will be successful for Gunn, as there are several points of contention. To begin with, a multitude of announcements have been made – some significant ones, but also unexpected ones like the sudden announcement of a Bane/Deathstroke solo movie, which seems questionable given that the DCU doesn’t even have its Batman yet. A similar challenge Marvel faced in the past was their ambition to create as much content as quickly as possible. Although we don’t know Gunn’s timeline, it’s unlikely that fans will wait a decade for seven movies, especially when only two of them seem potentially significant; it just doesn’t add up.

In the second point, Gunn is constructing his DC Universe by centering on secondary characters rather than focusing primarily on the main ones initially. Now, we’re not implying that Peacemaker or Creature Commandos are unworthy characters; they just don’t hold the same prominence as some others. Picture a Marvel Cinatic Universe where Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, and Ant-Man were introduced before Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. It’s safe to say that the outcome wouldn’t have been as successful as it was, right?

In our upcoming series, we’ll be introducing Supergirl, Teen Titans, Green Lanterns, and Swamp Thing. However, you might notice that Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Aquaman are missing. While Gunn has the challenge of these characters being already familiar to fans (as Marvel had the advantage of starting from scratch), it’s still a concern that the main heroes with the most compelling stories are absent. Although Batman is scheduled for The Brave and the Bold, the other three are nowhere to be found, which is disappointing, particularly for Wonder Woman and The Flash fans.

After laying it all out, Gunn needs to step up his game, speeding things up and consistently delivering high-quality work – a challenge, I must say. So far, there seem to be more obstacles for his plan than advantages, but we’re optimistic that the launch of Superman might turn everything around and bring a fresh, radiant phase for DC’s superheroes.

Read More

2024-10-03 17:14