Yesterday, James Gunn announced the plan for the first phase of the new DCU in film and television. Part of the plan is to bring all the TV and movies into continuity with each other in the same way that the MCU does now. Any project outside of that like the sequels to The Batman and Joker are going to be part of what will be called "Elseworlds" and not tied into the DCU.
This sounds like the new plan will effectively kill most other DC movies and shows. SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle, The Flash, and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, will all go forward, but then the slate is being wiped clean (except for Elseworld projects). The Flash TV show is ending and I think this will mean that Superman and Lois is also going away.
Below is the plan along with my thoughts.
Creature Commandos:
Gunn wrote this seven-episode animated series. It is about classic monsters who were used by the Allies to fight the Nazis.
This is an interesting, out-of-the-box idea to get the new universe warmed up. One of the interesting principles behind the new DCU is that there will continuity between the animation and live-action projects. That means that whoever they cast to voice Frankenstein in this show will also play the part if he appears in a movie. I am moderately interested in this.
Waller:
This is a spinoff of Peacemaker. My major problem with this is that it smacks of favoritism. Gunn is scrapping much of the Snyderverse, but cherry-picking projects he worked on. Davis is a fantastic Waller, but I don't know that her character can carry an entire series.
Superman: Legacy:
The thing that has me the most excited for this Superman was described as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks that kindness is old-fashioned.” This tells me that there is a strong sense of traditional decency and goodness that they see in the character. What has me worried is that Gunn is writing and may also direct. If Warner Bros. keeps him in line the way Marvel did for Guardians of the Galaxy, then this could be a fantastic movie. But if they give him free reign like with The Suicide Squad, it could be a disaster. How big? Well have you seen his version of the Superman story in Brightburn?
Lanterns:
This will be an HBO Max series starring Hal Jordan and John Stewart. I am excited to see more of the Green Lantern Corps get involved. It sounds like this is mostly going to be a detective show set on earth, which feels like a cost-cutting measure. When I think of Green Lantern, I think of epic, cosmic adventure, which this isn't. But I am open to seeing how it plays out.
The Authority:
No.
No.
No no no no no no no.
This is a HUGE mistake.
The Authority are an R-Rated, violent and vulgar team that go on R-Rated, violent and vulgar adventures. This is absolutely NOT something you want in your first chapter of the new DCU nor something to pull in audiences. I'm not saying that an Authority movie can't be good. But this is dark stuff with dark characters. This is a story that families will not want to bring their kids to see. They should put this one on the WAY backburner until they establish their brand again.
Paradise Lost:
This has been described as "Game of Thrones-style drama set on the all-female island that is Wonder Woman’s birthplace, Themyscira, filled with political intrigue and scheming between power players." Again, I don't know that this is good for the brand. If DC wants to pull in a lot of family-friendly dollars, I don't think this it . Also, I've never found the non-Wonder Woman aspects of Paradise Island all that interesting.
The Brave and the Bold:
This one has real potential. This movie will recast Batman and will be about him and his son Damian as Robin. In addition, it sounds like they will be bringing in other members of the Bat family. If they do this right, it could be a truly fun Batman adventure
Booster Gold:
Booster Gold is an underrated DC character. He is a con man from the future who uses that future tech to become a superhero celebrity. One of the great things they've done with him over the years is turn him slowly into a true hero. If they do this right, this could be both hilarious and thrilling.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow:
There are two words that make me dread this project: Tom King.
Once one of the greatest modern writers, King has devolved into a pretentious hack. His Supergirl comic famously had the scene of exploding her super-zit in a bathroom, covering it in super-puss. Let's not forget that King is the writer who ruined Wally West, Adam Strange, and Martian Manhunter. To be fair to King, I did not read his Supergirl comic, but I've heard nothing that makes me think that out of all the Supergirl stories written that this is the one that should be chosen for a movie.
Swamp Thing:
This is supposed to be a straight-up horror film. There is a lot of pressure on the superhero genre to widen its style. I'm not someone who thinks that this is a good idea. I thought taking a fun concept like The New Mutants and essentially turning it into a horror movie was a big turn off to audiences. Swamp Thing has a moderate following, but I'm not sure he should be a foundational addition.
Overall, I am open to the potential. I think that perhaps they are biting off more than they can chew. DC is always trying to run and catch up to Marvel, but they forget that Marvel took a long time. It was four years and only 5 movies until they had their first Avengers movie. And they didn't introduce television properties until afterwards.
I'm also a bit baffled by some of their off-beat choices like The Authority and Swamp Thing. The MCU did a lot of experimenting in Phase 4 and overall it appears to be a drag on the franchise. Gunn's tastes tend to go for the over-the-top-disgustingly violent. Perhaps these properties are meant to be an outlet for him and his vision so he can deliver a much more straightforward film like Superman Legacy.
If I were Gunn, I would focus on the "big guns:" Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and The Martian Manhunter. You can have some experimentation with side characters like Supergirl, Elongated Man, Nightwing, Green Arrow, Hawkman, and the like. But you should build your brand on the most popular characters you can while elevating the B-team (although I will grant that most casual viewers do not know who the Martian Manhunter is).
I am hopeful, but cautious.
Thoughts?
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