I feel like DC still doesn't know what they're doing

[Milk Tray Guy]

But maybe that's because it hasn't happened yet.

Hardcore fans, if it's done well I don't think it would be a problem (although obviously you'll still get division). But honestly I can't see it flying with GAs.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Yea Though Flash was developed for tv before the movie was thought of and SG is only allowed to use Supes so many times a year and can't have his own tv show per AK.

Oh, I agree it seems to be tentative.

 

[FunkMiller]

What WB should do is be more clear about where they're heading. Stop exclusively leaking this stuff to trades, just come out and say "these movies are in pre-production and are definitely happening, these movies are in development and may or may not happen depending on the script and scheduling and budgetary concerns".

This, above anything else, is what feeds into the idea that WB don't know what they're doing.

The practise of leaking stuff to the trades to see what sticks is not the M.O of a company that has a grip on its franchise. It just isn't. Yes, films can be in development that never see the light of day, but when the studio is leaking info about them to see what the reaction is, it smacks of a company that just doesn't know what will be popular and what won't. The lack of confidence on display is breathtaking.

Literally: "we have no clue what you might like, so we'll throw a load of **** out there, and see what looks like it might be received well."

This is a horrible way of doing things. A company in charge of its own IP should have a decent idea of the way forward, without feeling the need to leak details.

 

[Flint Marko]

Also, isn't "seeing what sticks" kind of key to Hollywood? Trends and whatnot.

If you are flat out admitting that they're just throwing **** at the wall to see what sticks then you have no business arguing against people saying that they have no plan, unless your idea of a plan is simply "make random movies based on DC properties".

This, above anything else, is what feeds into the idea that WB don't know what they're doing.

The practise of leaking stuff to the trades to see what sticks is not the M.O of a company that has a grip on its franchise. It just isn't. Yes, films can be in development that never see the light of day, but when the studio is leaking info about them to see what the reaction is, it smacks of a company that just doesn't know what will be popular and what won't. The lack of confidence on display is breathtaking.

Literally: "we have no clue what you might like, so we'll throw a load of **** out there, and see what looks like it might be received well."

This is a horrible way of doing things. A company in charge of its own IP should have a decent idea of the way forward, without feeling the need to leak details.

Wait... is this real? I wasn't aware that WB/DC were intentionally leaking these things to see what response they got. Is that confirmed?

If that's real then what are we even debating? It's an open and shut case. They 100% undeniably have no plan.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

"How the movie business works" (and again, is kicking twenty scripts into development for one franchise how the movie business works?) isn't relevant to the larger point that I've been making. They're almost exclusively kicking things into various stages of production (again, nearly twenty upcoming movies at this point), while also re-jiggering what movies were supposedly in the pipeline. Things are constantly shifting with their slate and it's constantly been in a state of uncertainty. Interesting how that point kept being ignored in this discussion. Ergo.... they have no plan.

This is pretty much it. Now if WB is truly abandoning the DCEU and going with an each film is its own unrelated thing approach, then that's fine. But it won't work if they are still going for a larger connected universe. You need a firm plan for that to be successful.

You mentioned Harry Potter before. That's the sort of specific, long-term planning that the DCEU needs.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Now if WB is truly abandoning the DCEU and going with an each film is its own unrelated thing approach, then that's fine. But it won't work if they are still going for a larger connected universe. You need a firm plan for that to be successful.

^ Absolutely this.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

You mean have two cinematic versions of Batman running concurrently? Because I can't see that working at all.

It won't. We've seen it happen before, both with specific characters (ex. James Bond) and with general concepts (such as two asteroid movies coming out the same year). What always happens is that it splits the audience, with a lot of people choosing one version over the other.

I can guarantee if there are two different Batmen on-screen at the same time we can all look forward to numerous polls and lots of arguing back and forth on this forum as to which one is the "real" Batman.

 

[Greens]

Wait... is this real? I wasn't aware that WB/DC were intentionally leaking these things to see what response they got. Is that confirmed?

It's a known practice, but there is no way to judge any individual case. We can only make an informed guess, and the Elseworlds banner story is something that reeks of a purposeful leak to me.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

It won't. We've seen it happen before, both with specific characters (ex. James Bond) and with general concepts (such as two asteroid movies coming out the same year). What always happens is that it splits the audience, with a lot of people choosing one version over the other.

I can guarantee if there are two different Batmen on-screen at the same time we can all look forward to numerous polls and lots of arguing back and forth on this forum as to which one is the "real" Batman.

The MCU and the XCU each having their own version of Quicksilver was another. Not so much of a problem there; neither of those was front and centre carrying the franchise, and I think I'm right in saying only one was referred to as 'Quicksilver', the other was referred to simply as 'Peter'. As far as GAs were concerned it was just two different speedsters - no confusion or need to connect them at all.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

With recent announcement that Black Adam won't even be in Shazam even though they've lined up the friggin Rock to play him

Recent? I'm pretty sure they announced this near the end of last year.

 

[Venom 1988]

Recent? I'm pretty sure they announced this near the end of last year.

Are you sure? The only things I can find about is just about a month or so old. Cant find anything about it from last year.

 

[Fincher]

I can guarantee if there are two different Batmen on-screen at the same time we can all look forward to numerous polls and lots of arguing back and forth on this forum as to which one is the "real" Batman.

In all fairness, I already don't think Batfleck is the real Batman.

 

[Osiris-Rex]

Okay then tell me the last good movie from DC? Batman vs superman lacked story. Suicide squad was saved because of Will smith's popularity.

Wonder Woman.

Joker's quality lies in his mysterious personality. Nobody knows why he does what he does. Apart from a few a things Joker's past is a mystery.

Baloney. Joker is popular because of all of his zany antics. Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze. Clayface, Harley Quinn have all been given origins and it hasn't hurt their
popularity because their origins aren't what they are about. It's what they do that make them interesting.

 

[Wildcard]

Wonder Woman.



Baloney. Joker is popular because of all of his zany antics. Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze. Clayface, Harley Quinn have all been given origins and it hasn't hurt their
popularity because their origins aren't what they are about. It's what they do that make them interesting.

While I can agree with the sentiment that it's their overall actions that make them interesting, it's undeniable that some of the mystery surrounding the Joker is part of what intrigues people about him.

Don't believe me? Take a nice, good look at Heath Ledger's Joker.

 

[Osiris-Rex]

Yea Though Flash was developed for tv before the movie was thought of and SG is only allowed to use Supes so many times a year and can't have his own tv show per AK.

I think it's more a case of no one is interested in doing a TV version of Superman. Supergirl is a more interesting character because there aren't very many TV shows with a female superhero as the lead character, so they preferred doing her story on TV. So with Supergirl on TV already it becomes redundant to have a Superman TV show because anything Superman could do on a Superman TV show, Supergirl can do on a Supergirl TV show. And there is no stated limit on how many times Superman can be on the Supergirl TV show. They just use him when the story calls for it.

While I can agree with the sentiment that it's their overall actions that make them interesting, it's undeniable that some of the mystery surrounding the Joker is part of what intrigues people about him.

Don't believe me? Take a nice, good look at Heath Ledger's Joker.

We didn't get an origin story for Jared Leto's version of the Joker either. So not having an origin is no guarantee for success.
And for me Jack Nicholson's Joker was more fun because we got to see how a petty gangster ended up being a supervillain.
There really wasn't all the much funny about Heath Ledger's Joker. He just came off too one note, just a murderous psychopath.

 

[Fincher]

Looking more closely at the two at the same time issue, Never Say Never Again and Deep Impact were actually profitable, just not as much as their counterparts. You could argue that they were siphoning potential ticket sales from each other, and that may be true, but in Armageddon/Deep Impact's case some of those audience members might never have watched the other one, regardless. Those movies didn't take the same approach to the premise.

If the Joker origin movie is a gritty Scorsese-style drama, and if the Harley Quinn and Joker movie were more about romance and comedy, then they could potentially appeal to different people to a large extent. And since neither really has to be made on a blockbuster budget, then I could see how both could make money, especially if they come out in different years.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Are you sure? The only things I can find about is just about a month or so old. Cant find anything about it from last year.

Very sure I read about it back then, I don't remember where, but it was no speculation.

 

[Wildcard]

I think it's more a case of no one is interested in doing a TV version of Superman. Supergirl is a more interesting character because there aren't very many TV shows with a female superhero as the lead character, so they preferred doing her story on TV. So with Supergirl on TV already it becomes redundant to have a Superman TV show because anything Superman could do on a Superman TV show, Supergirl can do on a Supergirl TV show. And there is no stated limit on how many times Superman can be on the Supergirl TV show. They just use him when the story calls for it.



We didn't get an origin story for Jared Leto's version of the Joker either. So not having an origin is no guarantee for success.
And for me Jack Nicholson's Joker was more fun because we got to see how a petty gangster ended up being a supervillain.
There really wasn't all the much funny about Heath Ledger's Joker. He just came off too one note, just a murderous psychopath.

I didn't say it was a guaranteed recipe for success, just that it's what interests a lot of people. Also, Heath Ledger's Joker is a lot of things but one note certainly isn't one of them.

 

[BlueLightning]

I feel like DC still doesn't know what they're doing

Well that could run for best understatement of the year.

Spoiler

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Spoiler

I may be a die-hard and loyal DC fan to the core - but that made me laugh! t:

 

[Mandon Knight]

I think underlying any perceived 'progress' is a propensity to release rumours or 'allow' non official material or news out like a children's playground arena or for the seemingly unwanted need to shoot themselves in the foot any time positive momentum is achieved. Or that is the perception I'm getting.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a strong supporter of the DCEU and and am loving the content of films received thus far and what is coming in near future but the seem to me, not to be able to 'settle' on a route, once one is mapped out, a re-course is announced and things seem to be shelved as quick as they are constructed as a concept, that appears to be the way sometimes.

That the fact they are 'perceived' to be playing catch up (rubbish in my book, take your time, get it right) they seem in a rush to get everything on the plate. If they just stopped to reflect at some point, they'd do a lot better in their long term focus, IMO.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

That the fact they are 'perceived' to be playing catch up (rubbish in my book, take your time, get it right) they seem in a rush to get everything on the plate. If they just stopped to reflect at some point, they'd do a lot better in their long term focus, IMO.

A sentiment many have shared. With luck, following the recent shake-ups at WB and the critical and financial success of Wonder Woman that's finally the case.

 

[jmc]

Looking more closely at the two at the same time issue, Never Say Never Again and Deep Impact were actually profitable, just not as much as their counterparts. You could argue that they were siphoning potential ticket sales from each other, and that may be true, but in Armageddon/Deep Impact's case some of those audience members might never have watched the other one, regardless. Those movies didn't take the same approach to the premise.

If the Joker origin movie is a gritty Scorsese-style drama, and if the Harley Quinn and Joker movie were more about romance and comedy, then they could potentially appeal to different people to a large extent. And since neither really has to be made on a blockbuster budget, then I could see how both could make money, especially if they come out in different years.

I just gotta say, the idea of a Harley/Joker film being some type of dark romantic comedy disturbs me to no end. I'm sickened by the level of celebration given to their relationship.

 

[I Am The Knight]

I wonder how much unused footage of SS they will use for that?

 

[Batmannerism]

It seems a little early to have this conversation before Justice League comes out. I mean while I loved Man of Steel, and hated B v S and Suicide Squad, Justice League is the film where they should be able to fix the mistakes of the past and really build on the goodwill that WW has generated.

If they screw up JL, or make it mediocre......well that will be proof that really they don't know what they're doing.

Well, okay, maybe having said all of the above, I must admit all the crap we keep getting and all the rumours about the Batman solo project...Affleck yes, Affleck no ? Joker origin story? All that has me concerned. Batman is the one character (until B v S) that DC has managed to make decent films about (okay, well decent films this century,....yes I remember Batman and Robin) . Now that there seems to be some doubt about the next solo Bat-film, well that's cause for some consternation, for me at least, about the DCEU in general.