Warner Bros Responding To Fans & Critics With DC Films Shakeup
Deadline has confirmed a major reorganization at Warner Bros with the approach to the still-building film series based on its DC Comics properties. Warner Bros declined comment, but sources with knowledge of the reorganization have confirmed that DC Chief Content Officer Geoff Johns, who helped establish the brands presence on television, and WB EVP Jon Berg will now co-run DC Films. While DC Films has long been a production banner within Warner Bros, it will now exist as a formal division as the studio seeks a course correction after the mixed response to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice earlier this year.
DC Films is not being created as a clone of Marvel Studios nor does WB intend to copy the Marvel method of making films which is to say, Johns and Berg wont be occupying a role identical to Kevin Feige at Marvel. Weve been told that the so-called director-driven approach Warner Bros has touted since first announcing the DC Extended Universe is very much still in effect. Johns and Berg, who will still report to their respective superiors within Warner Bros as they attend to their other duties, will be providing guidance and structure to the task of building out the DCEU. Individual directors will therefore retain control over key decisions including casting, aesthetics, and certain story elements.
It's a little unclear to me what to expect from this, as a potential viewer (I emphasize "potential" here because I haven't seen most of the recent, poorly-received DC Comics movies -
Green Lantern,
Jonah Hex and
Batman v Superman - and if they continue to suck I have plenty to watch already). At the outset, I'm happy they're not following the Marvel model because, frankly, I wouldn't want the people screwing up the films to get their mitts anywhere near the television shows. As things stand, I'm glad the DC properties are so scattered and disconnected, without any overall vision in evidence. Greg Berlanti shouldn't even be in the same room with Zack Snyder.
That said, I've heard good things about Affleck as a director (I'm ashamed to say that I haven't seen any of his films yet, but I hear good things about them) and Seth Grahame-Smith exiting
The Flash may not be a bad thing, depending on who they replace him with. I think Zack Snyder is locked into
Justice League, so that may be a lost cause, but oh well.
The DC Comics crew have an opportunity to leapfrog Marvel in its promotion of women in feature films. Princess Diana is already on her way to beating any of the Marvel women to theaters, and Margo Robbie may get a solo Harley Quinn movie too. Anyway...