DC gets an overhaul

[Chewy]

BREAKING NEWS: I've learned that the announcement may be made as soon as later today. The restructuring of the stand-alone DC Comics business is being described to me as Warner Bros Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov's first priority since having his contract re-upped by Time Warner. I know what everybody is thinking: that this move is in response to the announcement August 31st that Disney is buying Marvel. You can think that, but you would be wrong. This change has been in the works quietly for two years ever since Robinov moved into the top slot. "It was Jeff's idea to have DC Comics reporting to him, and DC will be his direct responsibility with Diane Nelson," an insider confided to me. I've also learned that Robinov for months has quietly gone to producers like Chuck Roven and Joel Silver and Akiva Goldman "call back" all their existing high profile DC titles in development like The Flash and Wonder Woman. Not only was that shocking to the producers, but even more so when they found out this was part of Robinov's strategy to severely limit the number of gross players on the projects. Producers were told that they may get the titles back to develop, but with far less rich deals. "Jeff always wanted some kind of oversight of DC, and now he wants Warner's to hold onto ownership," my insider explains. (My understanding is that Joel Silver, who is buddies with Robinov, was told he can continue to bring low profile The Losers to the big screen under his Dark Castle banner. But Silver's 10 years of developing Wonder Woman is history now.)

I'm told that Robinov went to management as soon as he took over as president of Warner Bros Pictures Group in January 2007 with a proposal to take over DC Comics. It's taken this long to get it done. Paul Levitz, DC Comics president and publisher, will stay with the company. But in charge and reporting directly to Robinov will be Nelson, the brilliant marketer who beginning in 2000 oversaw the management of the Harry Potter franchise across all platforms and represented the studio's interests with author JK Rowling. The plan is to have her do the same with DC Comics biz.(Kudos to the website BleedingCool.com, which on August 25th first tipped that Nelson might "take on more new projects at the media empire -- including DC Comics".)

Nelson has served as President of Warner Premiere the studio-based production company which develops and produces direct-to-consumer DVD and short-form digital programming content since its founding in August 2006. She's already well familiar with DC Comics since it has titles already in development and production and release with Warner Premiere. Prior to that, Nelson served as EVP of Global Brand Management at Warner Bros Entertainment since May 2004, with the primary responsibility of working cross-divisionally and throughout Time Warner to maximize and optimize all the various windows and outlets available to the Studio’s signature franchises, brands and event properties on a global basis. And, before that, Nelson was EVP of Domestic Marketing for Warner Bros Pictures.

Previous to this, DC Comics' Levitz reported directly to Warner Bros Chairman Alan Horn. But then Horn's film division was embarrassed by not nailing down the legal rights to Watchmen adequately, with mogul after mogul shaking their heads in disbelief how Warner Bros could even have started filming the graphic novel with 20th Century Fox still laying claim to the pic. Cutting Fox in at the last minute with paramount already an overseas played wrought havoc with Warner Bros' economics on the movie. But Horn's biggest failure has been to leave the most valuable DC Comics characters in movie development limbo. Of Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League, only Batman has an ongoing live action franchise. And now that director Chris Nolan is working on back-to-back pics, who knows when the threequel will get a start date. True, Jonah Hex has wrapped, and Green Lantern starts shooting in the spring. That's the same time period that Human Target debuts on Fox. There's been some very successful development by DC Comics SVP of Creative Affairs Gregory Noveck. But Horn's studio has been chaotically starting and stopping work on scripts for the high profile live action pics. Meanwhile, Marvel is exploiting the hell out of its characters with an ultra-ambitious and self-financed (except for Spider-Man at Sony) film slate.

SOURCE

 

[FlawlessVictory]

^You're fast Chewy! Was just about to post this. t:

But Horn's biggest failure has been to leave the most valuable DC Comics characters in movie development limbo. Of Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League, only Batman has an ongoing live action franchise.

Sounds like they really want to get the ball rolling with their high profile DC characters. Hopefully these projects finally come to fruition!

 

[terry78]

It is about Disney. Marvel already had a leg up production wise, Disney will make SURE every single of their properties sees some airtime in some form. The fact that Pixar wants to work on Ant-Man, one of the most obscure characters, shows that.

 

[FlawlessVictory]

^Nikki's report clearly states this deal has been in the works for 2 years. This sort of stuff doesn't happen overnight.

 

[Chewy]

I don't really think Ant-Man is anywhere near being one of Marvel's more obscure characters. The character has shown up in several video games, animated shows, and DTV animated films

 

[batman44]

Interesting. Well see if this move brings forth more DC comic properties to the big screen.

 

[Casius--J]

Well its about time Warner stepped their game up, I mean of all the characters they have in their books only batman is getting some success.

 

[terry78]

Maybe not the deal itself, but them mentioning it to the media during this timeframe is.

 

[FlawlessVictory]

Some highlights:

I've also learned that Robinov for months has quietly gone to producers like Chuck Roven and Joel Silver and Akiva Goldman and "called back" all their high profile DC titles in development like The Flash and Wonder Woman. Not only was that shocking to the producers, but even more so when they found out this was part of Robinov's strategy to severely limit the number of gross participants on the projects.

But Silver's 10 years of developing Wonder Woman is history now.

But in charge and reporting directly to Robinov will be Nelson, the brilliant marketer who beginning in 2000 oversaw the management of the Harry Potter franchise across all platforms and represented the studio's interests with author JK Rowling. The plan is to have her do the same with DC Comics biz.

 

[batman44]

I am glad that the restructuring of the stand-alone DC Comics business will be first priority to Robinov.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Thank you freaking god, Joel Silver is off Wonder Woman.

 

[deathshead2]

Was this that big news that WB and DC said they were going to tell us about months ago, but never did?

Also I bet nothing will happen from this news at all. It'll just be business as usual.

 

[Philly Phanboy]

Thank you freaking god, Joel Silver is off Wonder Woman.

...and Akiva Goldsman is off Teen Titans.

 

[ChickenScratch]

Here we go! This is where it gets interesting. I wonder how much this overhaul is gonna affect the paper comic we buy each week, will titles be trimmed down, less quantity more quality. I like that he's going straight to the banner characters and get them moving ... as a DC nerd I'm happy for anything they get out there.

 

[FlawlessVictory]

Was this that big news that WB and DC said they were going to tell us about months ago, but never did?

Also I bet nothing will happen from this news at all. It'll just be business as usual.

Can't say I blame you for thinking like that. At this point for WB, actions speak louder than words. Part of me wants to get excited that *gasp* WB is serious about developing their slate of high profile DC characters for the big screen. But then part of me realizes, this could be just more hot air from WB.

 

[GreenKToo]

I'm kinda of ying and yang on this. Part of me wants to believe it, and part of me says ''no way, this is wb afterall''.
Nothing would make me happier than to see some more films made, especially a Superman reboot.

 

[GL's Light]

Very interesting news. I don't think this will affect the publishing side of things at all. Warners has always been very hands-off with that and I don't expect that to change. It's film and TV production, as well as merchandising tie-ins, that are the real issue here.

Warners has improved in its output of DC films in recent years. Hopefully this will be a further leap forward, particularly in terms of the development and production of superhero films.

 

[Mister J]

I'm skeptical about anything actually resulting from this, but I'd love to be proven wrong in thinking that this is just more WB pointless babble.

 

[deathshead2]

They're haveing trouble just getting Green Lantern on location.

At least they got Jonah Hex, and The Losers made. Now hopefully they'll be good. Cus we all know how horrible their other comic book movies that aren't Batman or Superman are(Steel, both Swamp Thing, Catwoman).

 

[GL's Light]

Update from Deadline Hollywood:

DC Comics people are being told about the Warner Bros restructuring of their company within the hour. So expect an official announcement today. But DC Comics insiders are now telling me they expect Paul Levitz to leave after 35 years at the comic book publisher rather than accept a demotion. As I reported early this morning, Warner Bros gave him an option to stay. But he'd have to report to Diane Nelson, and that didn't sit well. (Previously, he'd reported to Alan Horn.)

At least they got Jonah Hex, and The Losers made. Now hopefully they'll be good. Cus we all know how horrible their other comic book movies that aren't Batman or Superman are(Steel, both Swamp Thing, Catwoman).

Warner Bros didn't produce either of the Swamp Thing films. Steel, Batman & Robin, and Catwoman were awful. But Warners has produced some good comic book films outside of Batman and Superman: for example, V for Vendetta, 300 (based on a Dark Horse comic book), and Watchmen.

 

[deathshead2]

WTF why didn't they get rid of Dan? Hes the real problem.

Also one more thing what does this mean for Michael Uslan?

 

[Kevin Smith]

Sweet!

 

[GreenKToo]

I know they say this isnt in response to Disney, but I think that deal might have helped them decide to go ahead with this...

 

[bunk]

Columbia Pictures buys Supermax Script

http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=28452

 

[mclay18]

^Nikki's report clearly states this deal has been in the works for 2 years. This sort of stuff doesn't happen overnight.

I would also think that with the Harry Potter film franchise ending in two years, plus the company losing the rights to Superman in 2012, also kick-started this restructuring.

And I think that Diane Nelson overseeing the DC Comics section is a good thing. If she can turn a popular book series into a highly-profitable film franchise, just imagine what she can do with DC's pantheon of superheroes.

And maybe they'll get Joss Whedon back to do Wonder Woman now that Silver is out. I mean, Whedon is only one of the few directors who "gets" the character. Or if not, get Lauren Montgomery and Michael Jelenic to do it.