DCEU Complete REBOOT?

[carlo]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...200251733.html

anyone feel bad for the rock? i don't

i never liked him coming on board since it was rumored he would. well, now he will be gone

[He-Metayer]

James Gunn confirmed today that he is directing Superman: Legacy and it will be released July 11th 2025. Personally I am happy about this and am looking forward to it!

[Mikey]

James Gunn confirmed today that he is directing Superman: Legacy and it will be released July 11th 2025. Personally I am happy about this and am looking forward to it!

This is absolutely fabulous, I love the DC movies.

[Durendal]

James Gunn confirmed today that he is directing Superman: Legacy and it will be released July 11th 2025. Personally I am happy about this and am looking forward to it!

No Cavill, no Superman.

[Benedict Judas Hel]

Well, proponents of a complete reboot of the DC films have a bit more ammunition to use:

https://deadline.com/2023/03/shazam-...mb-1235303827/

"‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ Doesn’t Fly With Moviegoers At $30M+ Opening: Here’s Why – Sunday Box Office

When New Line/DC’s Shazam: Fury of the Gods hit tracking four weeks ago with a low $35M projection, it was shocking and not shocking to rival distributors. Shocking, because in a spring full of franchise tentpoles, many of which are seeing record opening domestic highs, how can a DC property like Shazam! not keep up with the pack? Not shocking in that — well, it’s a goofy, old Shazam!

Now while it’s possible for a movie to start low in its projections on tracking and swell as the studio spends the bulk of a pic’s P&A in the final lap before its opening, the outlook on Shazam! Fury of the Gods didn’t budge, and now the David F. Sandberg-directed sequel, produced by Warner Bros. newly installed DC cohead Peter Safran, is looking at a $30.5M start in US/Canada as of Sunday AM, off 43% from the first 2019 movie’s $53.5M opening. The sequel also missed its $85M global opening projections with $65.5M

Shazam 2‘s Friday (and previews) at $11.7M is 42% off the first pic’s $20.3M Friday+previews. Even if Shazam 2 benefitted from family matinees and built up to a $35M-$40M opening, it would still be off from the first pic’s stateside start. Realize we live in a marketplace where we are used to seeing superhero sequels outperform the openings of their predecessors.

Audience diagnostics are off for Shazam: Fury of the Gods. The DC Captain Marvel received a B+ CinemaScore to the first title’s A, and pulled in less of the 18-34 demographic than chapter one, 56% to 64%. Audience exits on the first Shazam! were harder than CinemaScore results at 79% positive, 59% definite recommend– the sequel saw similar results at 78% positive, and a 64% recommend. Men over 25 were the biggest quad for Shazam! back in 2019 at 35% and and an 82% grade; part two saw a 40% share of guys over 25, with a lower grade of 77%. Rivals believe that the scores on the first Shazam! weren’t good enough to demand a sequel. Why did New Line make one? Because Shazam! netted a profit of $75M after all ancillaries off a $100M production cost and $105M global marketing spend.

Warners didn’t really drop the ball in marketing Shazam! Fury of the Gods, trotting out the first trailer and the cast at the return-to-in-person San Diego Comic-Con last July. In fact, of those who saw Shazam 2, 18% said the in-theater trailer, and 16% cited the YouTube trailer as the most influential means of marketing. Some sources snipe to me that the materials for Shazam! Fury of the Gods were giddy, and that the conceit of “Everybody is a Shazam” deflates from him being the almighty superhero.

However, that was always the spirit of this B-tier DC superhero, going back to the first film. Also, you can’t fault Warner distribution here for doing their jobs: They protected Shazam 2, getting it away from Avatar: The Way of Water at Christmas so it could have access to Imax and PLF ticket formats this weekend. Those premium tickets repped 36% of the pic’s business this weekend. Imax ticket sales were $2.6M at 401 auditoriums.

Shazam’s inability to fly at the box office has largely to do with the fact that there’s no want-to-see among core DC fans in regards to this sequel. It’s not part of a connective tissue in the DC universe, nor was it ever, and that’s a problem that DC Bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran are looking to fix. They’ve been very public about laying out their new multiverse, and it was never made certain that Shazam would be a definite part of their “Chapter One, Gods and Monsters,”

The exclusion of Shazam has taken away the sheen from what should be a standalone, crowd-pleasing movie. Again, not a must-see for DC fans. In fact, one of the reasons why Shazam was developed over at New Line was because it was a lighter comedy project, and an outlier to the gravitas of Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Aquaman. While Gunn and Safran don’t want to simply toss away the character played by Zachary Levi, the actor made it clear to Deadline’s Natalie Sitek at the sequel’s world premiere that if there’s a threequel, “It all comes down to what the people want.”

In wrangling the entire DC universe under one newly revised umbrella, something which Gunn and Safran are confident the previously Walter Hamada-designed The Flash can do on June 16, Gunn exclaimed on the DC press day back in January that “As everyone here probably knows, the history of DC is pretty messed up. It was f***ed up.”

Gunn expounded that day, “There’s the Arrowverse, there was the DC EU, which split and became the Joss Whedon Justice League at one point, became the Snyderverse at the other point, there was Superman and Lois, three is the Reeves verse, there is all these different things. Even us, we came in and did Suicide Squad and that became Peacemaker, and all of sudden Bat Mite is a real guy. No one was minding the mint, they were just giving away IP like they were party favors to any creators that smiled at them. What we’re going to do, from our first project forward is we’re going to be unified.”

Yes, Shazam is a family property, much like Marvel’s Ant-Man. However, Marvel Studios has grown that franchise’s openings to an all-time high of $106.1M with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, because they’ve made the deeper universe character important in the context of a larger universe, thus making it a must-see for fans.

A key driver for that threequel was the feature debut of new MCU baddie Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors, who was introduced in the Disney+ series Loki. In sum, there’s no reason for the audience of The Batman and Spider-Man: No Way Home to go out of their way and spend time with Shazam in part two. He’s just not serious enough for them in regards to the larger canon.

While all of the above might be logical in regards to Shazam! Fury of the Gods‘ lackluster opening, there was another inherent element which didn’t work, and that is in the aging up of the pic’s protagonist Billy Batson from a 12-year-old in the 2019 film to a teenager in part two. The first Shazam! charmed in being like a superhero version of the Tom Hanks classic Big, and well, aging up Shazam to teenagedom isn’t as cute. No one was looking for a sequel to superhero Big.

Also, something that needs to be considered, even in this back-to-back tentpole spring market, is the fact that not all moviegoers are back after Covid. While all movies grossed an estimated $94.5M this weekend, +13% from a year ago, we’re still far off from pre-pandemic numbers, -29% from 2018 ($132.8M) and -32% off from 2019 ($139.8M). No, family films aren’t struggling. Puss in Boots 2, Sing 2, and Spider-Man: No Way Home proved that. It’s just that the avid moviegoers have returned, just not at the same frequency. It took two years to break the box office, and it’s going to take two years to build it back.

Since Shazam! Fury of the Gods missed its $85M global start off a $125M production cost, does it still profit? Marketing costs for the sequel are on par to the first, if not less, as the new Warner Bros Discovery is about promoting their IPs through their owned and operated TV and streaming tentacles at an efficient spend. I’m told by those in the know that it will be pretty tough to get Shazam! Fury of the Gods in the black."

[Bear]

I'm just sad that if DCEU reboots we might never get a movie with Mr Mind as the villain.

He's far from my favorite but come on, he's a super evil worm. This is the kind of stuff why I love comics.

Why waste the entire Shazam movie on brand-new villains?

[Cameron Samurai]

No Cavill, no Superman.

Cavill doesn't define the role.

As a matter of fact, he's a pretty mid actor.

Snyder's movies weren't successes, which is why we are in this predicament.

[Megalodon]

I'm just sad that if DCEU reboots we might never get a movie with Mr Mind as the villain.

He's far from my favorite but come on, he's a super evil worm. This is the kind of stuff why I love comics.

Why waste the entire Shazam movie on brand-new villains?

Thanks "Dwayne" for ruining Shazam 2 because he had to have Black Adam fight Superman....

If anyone wants I can link the article(s)

"Dwayne" was such a detriment to DC

[Mikey]

I still love the DCEU and can't wait for more.

[Rikki Roxx]

WB is a joke of a company and has been for decades. Their DC mismanagement is probably their most high-profile problem but they've never been any good at anything. They only ever succeed by accident, their best movies always having been saved in the editing room after months (or years!) of production hell. In fact, if anyone ever wrote a book or made a movie about Warner Bros., Production Hell would be an incredibly apt title.

Someone on FB made a very cogent point earlier today. WB's pattern of scapegoating people when their DC movies under-perform has become a meme, by this point. First, they blamed Goyer. Then, they blamed Snyder. They've since blamed Snyder's fans, the pandemic, their own streaming service, and now, Dwayne Johnson - as if either Levy cameoing in Black Adam or Dwayne showing up in Shazam 2 was going to suddenly get another $500 million worth of tickets sold to either of those movies. That was never going to happen! Those movies under-performed because they looked very, very "meh", and by most accounts are in fact "meh".

So the point is this: WB has blamed anyone and everyone they can think of for the fact that their DC movies continue to bleed money. And When - NOT If - Gunn's "10 Year Plan" hits a roadblock when something like Swamp Thing tanks, they WILL blame James Gunn. You can put money down on that right now.

At what point, if ever, does Warner Bros. blame Warner Bros.? Because they are, were, and continue to be the problem.

New Regime after New Regime, course-correction after course-correction, none of it has made any difference. Every single thing they've done to "fix Snyder's mess" has lost them more and more money, which only lends more and more credence to the idea that Snyder was never actually the problem. "Make the movies lighter, funnier, and more all-ages" has not only NOT worked, it's by this point proven to be a losing strategy. But that's what WB wants to do, because "That's what Marvel does!" Except it isn't even working for Marvel, anymore! But they've been hearing fanboys online whine about how "They need to just copy Marvel!" for SO long now they're convinced it WILL work, when it isn't working. But they don't know what else to do, because as a company WB is creatively bankrupt. They cannot create, only mimic and recreate. It's in their DNA; Bugs Bunny, after all, is ultimately just Dollar Store Mickey Mouse. A fitting mascot for a company like WB, the "We Have McDonalds At Home" of big-budget movie studios.

I love DC Comics. As in comics, which WB has mostly been content to not mess with too much over the years. But the movies and TV shows? Eh, nah, I'm done. It's a shame, but it's clear at this point that the problems are endemic within the parent company itself, and that they lack the self-awareness to ever correct them. I have no doubt at all that they will continue to meander and flail desperately while ultimately blaming the talents that they hire - or any other convenient scapegoat they can come up with - whenever things go awry. It's all they've ever done; to expect that Gunn will get by unscathed just because he made Disney a billion dollars with a racoon is absolutely foolish and naive.

Same as it ever was.

[Mikey]

A; Bugs Bunny, after all, is ultimately just Dollar Store Mickey Mouse. A fitting mascot for a company like WB, the "We Have McDonalds At Home" of big-budget movie studios.

I love DC Comics. As in comics, which WB has mostly been content to not mess with too much over the years. But the movies and TV shows? Eh, nah, I'm done. It's a shame, but it's clear at this point that the problems are endemic within the parent company itself, and that they lack the self-awareness to ever correct them.

I could never divorce myself from the movies and TV shows, I've invested too much into them, especially from the heart and soul and I couldn't give all that up.

[Rikki Roxx]

Ah, the old "sunk cost fallacy" in action.

It's a way to go, I guess. I'm fine, I have MoS, BvS, and ZSJL. With that, the first Reeve Superman flick, Batman '89, Watchmen and the first two Nolan Batman movies, I'm set. Those are probably the only super-hero movies I'm ever going to watch again more than like, once. It's a very vapid genre, altogether, and I'm only really interested in movies that try and elevate it. If I want cartoons, I'll watch cartoons. So for me, it's an easy genre of movies to walk away from, despite being a fan of comic books. Some of those do actually come close to being Actual Art, whether by design or by accident, whereas in movies you are not allowed to aim high with the subject matter or else everyone makes fun of you for trying to take "kids toys" seriously.

I'm very passionate about certain things, but I'm not a mark or a fanboy. If my needs aren't being met, I simply move on and look elsewhere. That's served me well in finding new things to enjoy once the things I once enjoyed start ticking me off. It's a cycle which ensures that while I will inevitably and occasionally be disappointed, and "forced" to walk away from something I'd rather not have to, I will most certainly find something else to enjoy as much, or more, and will never, ever be bored. So it all evens out.

- - - Updated - - -

Cavill doesn't define the role.

Your lies make Baby Jesus cry. Does that make you feel good about yourself?

[Cameron Samurai]

I still love the DCEU and can't wait for more.

There's a good chance there ain't gonna be more. Realistically most audiences have tuned out, the cultists won't see anything that isn't brimming with edge (not like they ever supported these movies legally anyway), and the appetite for superhero films is diminishing, in time they will be catering only to kids and the modern men in caves again. I can see Superman Legacy and Brave and the Bold being made based on the fact the World's Finest will always make some bank, but Gunn's slate has come too late

Your lies make Baby Jesus cry.

Jesus died a grown ass adult and not once did he snap, figuratively or literally.

I love DC Comics. As in comics, which WB has mostly been content to not mess with too much over the years.

Erm...what? The comics are probably in the worst state they've ever been in, mostly because of all the meddling going on. Jeremy Adams just got booted off The Flash because they wanted to turn it from a feel good family title to a horror show.

[Rikki Roxx]

I was mostly speaking in the past-tense. I have almost 30 longboxes of comics accumulated between 1985 and 2011, some of which I'm still going through and seeing for the first time ("If I ain't seen it, it's new to me!" ). That stuff brings me sublime joy. I'm aware modern comics are terrible, but it stings less since I have about 20,000 other books to read. The way I look at it, they're doing me a favor by putting out crap nowadays. I don't have another spare room in this place.

If the New 52 wasn't enough to get me to quit, the jump to $3 and then $4 an issue was 100% the final nail. It is paper and staples. For four bucks, I better see nipples. My comic book budget should not be larger than my car insurance payment. It already kinda was, because I am totally irresponsible, and I like having comics and toys a lot more than I like having money, but that is not the point. Even $3 was excessive. $4? Your ass hurts, bite me.

Anyways, I'm fine. I have 15 boxes of JUST Superman. I don't even need television, my life is already complete.

[Cameron Samurai]

If the New 52 wasn't enough to get me to quit, the jump to $3 and then $4 an issue was 100% the final nail. It is paper and staples. For four bucks, I better see nipples. My comic book budget should not be larger than my car insurance payment. It already kinda was, because I am totally irresponsible, and I like having comics and toys a lot more than I like having money, but that is not the point. Even $3 was excessive. $4? Your ass hurts, bite me.

Yeah, none of that has changed unfortunately.

[Mikey]

My only indulgences are comics/books, DVD's and music (CD's/DVD's). I don't have room for action figures sadly, and I am unable to play video games because of arthritic hands.

[Rikki Roxx]

I pretty much don't have room for action figures either, but I still buy 'em. Life's too short to indulge in silliness like "responsibility" and "common sense". I'd rather have a loose/complete run of the Kenner Super Powers Collection. I'll make room for all this stuff "one day", is what I figure.

[Mikey]

I pretty much don't have room for action figures either, but I still buy 'em. Life's too short to indulge in silliness like "responsibility" and "common sense". I'd rather have a loose/complete run of the Kenner Super Powers Collection. I'll make room for all this stuff "one day", is what I figure.

I love the Kenner Super Powers Collection too, especially Aquaman and Hawkman.

[Mark M]

Those McFarlane Kenner style Super Power figures are really nice. A classic or modern Super Powers Shazam would would be cool.

[Ornclown]

Those McFarlane Kenner style Super Power figures are really nice. A classic or modern Super Powers Shazam would would be cool.

Yes... the McFarlane Super Powers are pretty cool, and they seem to be getting better.

I would love a vintage-inspired Captain 'Shazam' Marvel from McFarlane - mostly because I'm missing the cape for my Super Powers version!




As for Warner Bros.? I personally feel that their failures are overblown and they are unfairly criticized. Marvel has the majority of pop-culture in its iron grip, and anyone who defies them are considered heretics.

Shows like Batman TAS, Batman Beyond, JLU, Static Shock, LosH, Smallville, (most of) Flash and Green Arrow are great. And, their Animated Movie division has way more winners than stinkers.

The DCEU is still a mixed bag, but many of their recent movies have been fantastic IMO... Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Black Adam, and I really enjoy both versions of the Justice League. Heck, I'll admit that I'm looking forward to The Flash!

On the streaming front, DC / WB has been killing it with shows like Harley Quinn and Peacemaker too!


I'm not sure how well Gunn's vision will be received, but I'm glad that there is more to come.

[Mikey]

Yes... the McFarlane Super Powers are pretty cool, and they seem to be getting better.

I would love a vintage-inspired Captain 'Shazam' Marvel from McFarlane - mostly because I'm missing the cape for my Super Powers version!




As for Warner Bros.? I personally feel that their failures are overblown and they are unfairly criticized. Marvel has the majority of pop-culture in its iron grip, and anyone who defies them are considered heretics.

Shows like Batman TAS, Batman Beyond, JLU, Static Shock, LosH, Smallville, (most of) Flash and Green Arrow are great. And, their Animated Movie division has way more winners than stinkers.

The DCEU is still a mixed bag, but many of their recent movies have been fantastic IMO... Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Black Adam, and I really enjoy both versions of the Justice League. Heck, I'll admit that I'm looking forward to The Flash!

On the streaming front, DC / WB has been killing it with shows like Harley Quinn and Peacemaker too!


I'm not sure how well Gunn's vision will be received, but I'm glad that there is more to come.

I absolutely agree with you Ornclown!

[Megalodon]

Yes... the McFarlane Super Powers are pretty cool, and they seem to be getting better.

I would love a vintage-inspired Captain 'Shazam' Marvel from McFarlane - mostly because I'm missing the cape for my Super Powers version!




As for Warner Bros.? I personally feel that their failures are overblown and they are unfairly criticized. Marvel has the majority of pop-culture in its iron grip, and anyone who defies them are considered heretics.

Shows like Batman TAS, Batman Beyond, JLU, Static Shock, LosH, Smallville, (most of) Flash and Green Arrow are great. And, their Animated Movie division has way more winners than stinkers.

The DCEU is still a mixed bag, but many of their recent movies have been fantastic IMO... Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Black Adam, and I really enjoy both versions of the Justice League. Heck, I'll admit that I'm looking forward to The Flash!

On the streaming front, DC / WB has been killing it with shows like Harley Quinn and Peacemaker too!


I'm not sure how well Gunn's vision will be received, but I'm glad that there is more to come.

If you think Black Adam was GOOD this pretty much shoots that down....

[Ornclown]

If you think Black Adam was GOOD this pretty much shoots that down....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDmPjvCu-ds

Jon Bailey makes fun of.... literally everything. It's his job.

[Megalodon]

Jon Bailey makes fun of.... literally everything. It's his job.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/new...am/ar-AA18WTcB

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/new...-2/ar-AA18WEEC

And others I might share if you think giving complete control and allowing him to do as he wanted was a joke it was even in his contract (that he probably put in) to NEVER lose....

So Honest Trailers are liars??? no FACTS speak for themselves you can find it anywhere else except for Rotten Tomatoes...True hurts

[Mikey]

If you think Black Adam was GOOD this pretty much shoots that down....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDmPjvCu-ds

I couldn't care less about some reviewer I don't even know, I loved Black Adam and that's all I need to know.