DC/WB Films/Worlds (No Spoilers)

[Frontier]

I don't think WB will really do a cohesive film universe akin to Marvel, especially after the failure of JL. They seem to be going a different route with DC's properties.

I think they're definitely not focusing on the shared universe aspect right now.

Maybe once the film slate is in a stronger state will they start to make things more cohesive and interconnected.

[kingaliencracker]

I think they're definitely not focusing on the shared universe aspect right now.

Maybe once the film slate is in a stronger state will they start to make things more cohesive and interconnected.

Well, they seem to be preparing to start a Batman universe completely separate from Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam, as well as shelving a Superman film for the foreseeable future. I think it'll be hard to connect their current successful film characters without those two but we'll see. My guess is WB will be content making $1 billion with their individual properties.

[Ascended]

I don't think WB will really do a cohesive film universe akin to Marvel, especially after the failure of JL. They seem to be going a different route with DC's properties.

Didnt one of their higher ranking managers say straight up they were going to focus on individual IP's and not the shared universe now?

I swear someone said that. I remember chuckling about it because a lot of us here had been saying that from the start.

[kingaliencracker]

Didnt one of their higher ranking managers say straight up they were going to focus on individual IP's and not the shared universe now?

I swear someone said that. I remember chuckling about it because a lot of us here had been saying that from the start.

No, WB definitely said they weren't going to focus on a shared universe right now.

But I think there are fans that are holding out hope that if Shazam winds up being a major hit, that somehow WB will change their minds.

In my opinion, with the upcoming Batman franchise being set completely separate universe and Superman being shelved indefinitely, I just don't see these characters being brought together for another JL or JL-type film. If Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and (hopefully) Shazam can make nearly a billion dollars or more, then WB really doesn't have any incentive to go the shared universe route.

[Frontier]

Has there been a statement that Reeve's Batman will be completely separate from the other movies? I know there's rumors it'll be set in the 90's, and it probably won't be in-line with the Harley stuff, but I don't think it's going to be deliberately set in a completely separate world from the other DC movies.

[Holt]

If the new Batman is really well received there's no reason they can't just have him be the one showing up for team-ups if they ever decide to do a crossover again.

[Lightning Rider]

Eh, not necessarily.

Ignoring MOS, BvS & JL and focusing on Aquaman, Wonderwoman & Shazam! (Plus the other upcoming DC movies) fixes that problem.

Not if you want to include a league beyond those 3.

[Lightning Rider]

No, WB definitely said they weren't going to focus on a shared universe right now.

But I think there are fans that are holding out hope that if Shazam winds up being a major hit, that somehow WB will change their minds.

In my opinion, with the upcoming Batman franchise being set completely separate universe and Superman being shelved indefinitely, I just don't see these characters being brought together for another JL or JL-type film. If Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and (hopefully) Shazam can make nearly a billion dollars or more, then WB really doesn't have any incentive to go the shared universe route.

Probably true.

[Frontier]

If the new Batman is really well received there's no reason they can't just have him be the one showing up for team-ups if they ever decide to do a crossover again.

Exactly.

If we ever get another Justice League film it'll probably have the new Batman and whatever other successful heroes that they've introduced in the interim.

[Badou]

Oh, Harley is definitely a criminal of guilty of plenty of crimes. She's committed them on her own, via her own planning, and she's been a willing accomplice to Ivy and Joker and whoever else. She's definitely a deranged, damaged, dangerous person who should pay for the lives she's taken and ruined. Bitch is stone cold crazy.

But the fact that Harley is also an insane criminal doesn't mean the abuse, manipulation, and damage done by the Joker is okay.

I didn't say the abuse by the Joker was okay, but I don't feel much sympathy for her because of her actions. It isn't a great comparison but it is sort of like trying to feel bad for someone that went and joined ISIS and did terrible things because they believed in their actions, but while there ISIS treated them badly and you are supposed to feel bad for them for that reason.

If the new Batman is really well received there's no reason they can't just have him be the one showing up for team-ups if they ever decide to do a crossover again.

I guess it would depend if the new Batman is set in modern times though. If it is clearly more of a period piece then teamups might be a bit challenging but not impossible still.

[Arsenal]

Not if you want to include a league beyond those 3.

Any new league will be built around those 3 with either new characters or new actors to fill out the rest. Ignoring MOS, BvS & JL will give you the cohesive cinematic universe you want since it’ll wipe away the inconsistent actors problem.

[Jokerz79]

I didn't say the abuse by the Joker was okay, but I don't feel much sympathy for her because of her actions. It isn't a great comparison but it is sort of like trying to feel bad for someone that went and joined ISIS and did terrible things because they believed in their actions, but while there ISIS treated them badly and you are supposed to feel bad for them for that reason.



I guess it would depend if the new Batman is set in modern times though. If it is clearly more of a period piece then teamups might be a bit challenging but not impossible still.

I agree when you compare Suicide Squad to BTAS, BTAS never shied away from showing Joker and Harley was an abusive relationship Joker didn't love her he was using her period he only had use for her when he could use her any other time she was either replaceable or disposable. Suicide Squad while showing a dysfunctional relationship tried to also frame it as some kind of twisted love story where the Joker who in his own way actually loved her. In the real world there was the case in Canada in the 90's of Karla Homolka and Paul Bernado, Paul was a rapist and murderer who abused his wife Karla and when he was caught she confessed to helping him commit crimes due to the abuse and she got a 15 years sentence and he got life. After the deal was made tapes they made revealed Karla while abused was also a enthusiastic partner in the crimes even pretending to be her little sister Tammy in a role playing fantasy in a video and they had drugged, raped, and killed Tammy just days earlier. Once the public saw this wasn't some terrified abused victim forced to help her husband but more a match made in hell it soured people on her getting that 15 year sentence. The DCEU Harley Quinn while an abuse victim isn't written as a brainwashed participant in Joker's crime but rather some extreme Syd and Nancy love story and that takes away a bit of the sympathy one would usually give Harley.

[stargazer01]

So I just heard the rumor that apparently the Wonder Woman 84 movie will be a soft reboot of the DCU and it could start a new timeline (similar to the Abrams Star Trek movies), hence ignoring or drastically changing all the events from the Zack Snyder movies... It's what Grace Randolph talked about when mentioning Flashpoint last year.

I don't know if it's true or not, but I can see WB doing it. I don't know how to feel but right now I don't like it. ugh, sounds so convoluted and if not done right could mess things up in a way I won't enjoy it anymore. I mean, what's going to happen to Aquaman, Shazam, Superman. Are they going to erase that too? geez.

[Ascended]

The DCEU Harley Quinn while an abuse victim isn't written as a brainwashed participant in Joker's crime but rather some extreme Syd and Nancy love story and that takes away a bit of the sympathy one would usually give Harley.

Oh yeah, the DCEU Harley is far less a victim than she's usually portrayed. But in general, while Harley's still a criminal in her own right, she's *at least* as much a victim of manipulation as she is a willing participant.

As for "reboot" rumors.....who knows? I'd think the best course of action would be to just quietly move on from their past failures. Recast where you have to (Cavill still deserves the role and the extra creative control but I digress) and just don't reference the failed movies. Treat them like Marvel treats the Incredible Hulk; it's canon but it's not really talked about or acknowledged any more than necessary (basically one line in Avengers about "breaking Harlem" and Thunderbolt Ross showing up again). Taking the time to actually change the fictional history, doing a movie reboot, is only going to draw attention to WB's mistakes, remind everyone how awful most of their films are, and confuse any attempt at a cohesive continuity. But DC loves to reboot so I wouldn't be surprised if they tried it in the movies.

Personally, I stopped caring. I did watch Aquaman when it hit blu-ray and it was fun. That's got me willing to take the kids to see Shazam in theaters. But I'm not getting invested in their movies or their shared universe. If a single film looks good, I'll consider seeing it. But each trailer is still going to have to prove itself on its own merits; there's still no brand trust or loyalty with me.

[Krypto's Fleas]

So I just heard the rumor that apparently the Wonder Woman 84 movie will be a soft reboot of the DCU and it could start a new timeline (similar to the Abrams Star Trek movies), hence ignoring or drastically changing all the events from the Zack Snyder movies... It's what Grace Randolph talked about when mentioning Flashpoint last year.

I don't know if it's true or not, but I can see WB doing it. I don't know how to feel but right now I don't like it. ugh, sounds so convoluted and if not done right could mess things up in a way I won't enjoy it anymore. I mean, what's going to happen to Aquaman, Shazam, Superman. Are they going to erase that too? geez.

It has to happen for this universe to move forward, like it or not. WB has to recast Batman, and likely Flash and Superman. That alone would be aided by a new timeline/new versions of the characters. However, Snyder's work is incredibly limiting to future movies, and has to be undone. You can like Snyder's work if you'd like, but undoing it opens up a lot more possibility.

My concern with doing this with WW84 is what happens with Leto's Joker? He's appearing in Birds of Prey, which comes out just before WW84. What if that movie bombs? Probably not enough time to reboot those characters as well.