As a DC Comics fan it can be mightily befuddling when the publishing arm can reboot the entire 52 book lineup, the television division has hit shows with more on the horizon but the feature film side slowly transitions from one franchise at a time to another while getting boat raced by rival Marvel Studios. Granted Warner Bros. Pictures is in the movie business while Marvel Studios is in Marvel movie business. You won't see Marvel producing a romantic comedy or urban dance-off film unless they feature Avengers. WB needs the occasional tent pole film from DC Entertainment but it also has to make dramas, comedies, thrillers, etc. Marvel is producing their properties for themselves and their corporate parent, Disney. It's no wonder that WB isn't sold on bridging DC television products with their feature film counterparts.
Warner Bros. point-man, David S. Goyer, the superscribe behind the studio's billion dollar Batman trilogy and Man of Steel, told IGN that there have been some vague conversations with execs about making a more cohesive cinematic universe similar to Marvel but he feels it's "too early" despite the studio's openness to the idea. The blueprint set forth by Marvel may not be the way to go either and that their storytelling structure has had great success as well. He's cognizant of what Marvel has accomplished and admires their approach but as of now WB seems content with "more of the same." It's entirely possible Goyer is playing coy and keeping whatever WB has planned under wraps. Multiple reports has DC Comics making a major "film series" announcement at this year's San Diego Comic Con that reportedly will involve a 'Justice League' movie. The Man of Steel sequel, tentatively titled 'Batman vs Superman', is already slated for a May 2016 release against Marvel's third installment of the Captain America franchise. Nothing else DC Comics superhero related has been officially confirmed to hit theaters but the television side is humming with a Flash spin-off from current CW hit, Arrow, a Batman prequel drama revolving around a young Jim Gordon, Gotham, on Fox and NBC is banking on supernatural detective series, Constantine.
A cohesive universe - TV and film - isn't necessarily a must considering products have to succeed or fail on their own merits. Goyer pointed out that Smallville and Bryan Singer's Superman Returns existed in separate universes with little or no backlash from fans. Although I do recall some fans calling for TV's Clark Kent, Tom Welling, to don the tights for Returns. Marvel's Agents of SHIELD has been a mixed bag for Disney-owned ABC. Ratings have fluctuated since its stellar premier and has become heavily dependent on its movie tie-ins to create compelling storylines in its rookie season. After stalling creatively for most of the first half of the season the consequences of the Captain America: The Winter Soldier movie has helped to inject some energy and synergy in the show and reviews have been more kind. Early ratings from last night's post-TWS episode however shows it may not have been enough as numbers dipped. I expect they'll get renewed for a second season anyway but no announcement has been made yet.
It would make sense for the movies to share a continuity especially if WB plans to put the various DC heroes together in a Justice League movie. Marvel was successful in introducing their heroes individually before they came together in the blockbuster The Avengers. They may not follow the same pattern but signs are that WB will eventually have solo films for their heroes. Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot signed multiple film contracts so besides Batman vs Superman and a Justice League movie they could film a new Batman movie and the first solo big screen adaptation of the woefully underused Wonder Woman. Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara has already stated that not using other DC properties besides Batman and Superman has been a "lost opportunity". We've been saying that for years.
We will see how serious Warner Bros. is about exploiting their wealth of material from the DC universe. Certainly Marvel has done a fantastic job making their C-list comic book properties into A-list blockbusters on film. Warner Bros. love franchises and now that their Harry Potter and Batman cash cows have ceased perhaps they'll alter their tunnel vision approach and put things in motion to broaden their superhero offerings for years to come. If there ever was a year to make it known this is the year to do it. But we won't hold our breath.
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