Walter Hamada to clean DC Extended Universe per insider

[Comic-Reader Lad]

A new article in the Hollywood Reporter today talks about how, in the wake of the departures of Diane Nelson and Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, the new president of DC Entertainment film production, is trying to sort things out.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...-moves-1119489

An insider claims, "He walked into a shitshow, and he's trying to clean it up"

"According to insiders, Hamada has spent months going over the projects in development, culling certain ones, elevating others, keeping an eye on the big marquee heroes while also developing lesser-known characters that could pop big."


Among items stated in the article:

- There are two potential Joker features — one to star Jared Leto, who played the character in 2016's Suicide Squad, and another, starring Joaquin Phoenix, that Todd Phillips will direct. Phillips' movie, expected to begin shooting in the fall, is budgeted at about $55 million, a fraction of most superhero pics, and may be launched under a new label that could be branded with a name like "DC Dark" or "DC Black."

- The Flash, which will finally begin production in early 2019 with Ezra Miller starring, has abandoned the somber themes it had been expected to tackle. The film now has the Game Night team of John Francis Daly and Jonathan Goldstein on board, and it's looking to Back to the Future as a touchstone.

- Margot Robbie, who brought a manic energy to Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, figures in the female-centric Birds of Prey, a Quinn spinoff film that is moving along with Sundance filmmaker Cathy Yan attached to direct.

- a Batgirl movie, which had been in development with Joss Whedon before losing the director in February, is currently on track with Bumblebee screenwriter Christina Hodson penning a script.

- The big question mark going forward is the future of Batman. Writer-director Matt Reeves turned in the first act of a new screenplay during the Memorial Day weekend. It's said to focus on a young caped crusader, and while the studio would not comment, it's unlikely that Ben Affleck, who has played Batman in three features, will again don the cowl.

- One thing the exec will not be doing is convening a writers room, say insiders. Certain studios have taken that tack, such as Paramount and Hasbro with their toy-based properties, Universal with its monster universe, and Legendary with its creature features. “Walter is philosophically opposed to that approach," says one insider.

- Hamada and his boss Toby Emmerich, sources say, also are not looking to date upcoming titles in advance, something they're convinced has bedeviled the DC movies since 2013's Man of Steel. "Walter has a specific design for the universe," says one insider familiar with his thinking. "He has a plan."


Well, it seems this latest development gives more credence that Matt Reeves' Batman will indeed NOT feature Ben Affleck.

I just wish there were more news as to whether DC Films will be a connected universe or if that has been abandoned. It may depend on how well Aquaman and Shazam do, but even though DC does need course correcting in its film division, it would be a shame to lose the things that work like the casting. I don't see any update about a new Superman movie, and I would hate to lose Cavill. I also don't think that the audience wants yet another reboot of Superman.

I do hope that Hamada's "plans" include keeping what works and just making subtle tweaks to it to make it more palatable to the mass audience rather than throwing the past 5 movies away and starting from scratch. That would be too confusing for the general public. I think the best solution would be to keep the continuity that's been established in the 5 DCEU movies, but just change the tone.

So, what do you think of the latest news? Are you confident in Walter Hamada to steer the ship? I'm thinking that Diane Nelson's and Geoff Johns' departures were more "getting fired" than "left voluntarily." Johns has basically been put back in the role of comics writer, but with the consolation prize of being an independent Hollywood producer with a first-look deal at Warners. Even though he's set to write/produce a Green Lantern Corps movie, it seems his new status doesn't ensure that it will actually get made.

[AJBopp]

It sounds like he has a comprehensible plan, and that's a step in the right direction. Not all of the details sound like they add value to a strong plan, like DC Dark.

I also hope they don't lose the things that work, but so far that only includes Wonder Woman. Cavill I don't get the love for. While he has a physical resemblance to Superman, his acting style is so wooden as to make Dolph Lundgren look like Robin Williams. Affleck was never going to work as Batman, in part because Affleck is wrong for the role, but mostly because they characterized Batman as someone at the end of his career rather than the beginning. Where do you possibly go with that?

Does sound like he has great ideas for Flash, though, and that's the only thing in this list that gives me a hint of excitement. The rest of it sounds, for the most part, like completely the wrong track.

And where oh where is Green Lantern in these much vaunted plans? Surely he's worth more than two Joker movies and a Harley movie combined?

[batnbreakfast]

New Gods and Green Lantern Corps as counterbalance to a tired StarWars, please!

[Cyke]

- The Flash, which will finally begin production in early 2019 with Ezra Miller starring, has abandoned the somber themes it had been expected to tackle. The film now has the Game Night team of John Francis Daly and Jonathan Goldstein on board, and it's looking to Back to the Future as a touchstone.

Goddamn, they were going to make a dark and moody Flash pic just like Man of Steel and BvS. Despite the manic but amiable portrayal in Justice League. Good for them for abandoning that plan.

Though, something tells me that Flash is going to lose his powers, only to regain them in time for the climax.

[Midvillian1322]

Wasnt John's suppose to come in and be the DC Kevin Feigie. Iono I'm optimistic but we'll see. Heard nothin but good things about Aquaman Teaser so patiently waiting for them to drop that to the public. Today would be nice

[XPac]

Just the fact that they are still doing 2 separate Joker films still leads me to believe DC is just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Wasnt John's suppose to come in and be the DC Kevin Feigie. Iono I'm optimistic but we'll see. Heard nothin but good things about Aquaman Teaser so patiently waiting for them to drop that to the public. Today would be nice

I have to say that I'm GLAD Johns is gone from the decision-making process of DC Films. I like him as a comic book writer a lot, but the fact is that he's NOT a movie guy. Johns left Hollywood to do comics 20 years ago, so he doesn't have the same level of experience in the industry that Feige has even though they started as gophers together.

It seems all Johns wants to do with the movies is adapt his own stories. That's good for his ego, but not so good for the characters. I didn't understand why we needed to see Flashpoint adapted THREE DIFFERENT TIMES -- the animated movie, Flash Season 3, and the Ezra Miller movie. ENOUGH! I just hope that the new "Back to the Future" take does not include the dead mommy angle, but I guess I don't see how it won't, unfortunately.