DCU Movies

[Robotman]

Gunn was put in charge at a very bad time. The DCEU was in its death throes and needed a mercy killing/reboot, but there were also a full years worth of movies coming out and hundreds of millions of dollars on the line. Gunn had to announce a reboot and try not to inadvertently tank these very expensive projects. It clearly didn’t work out, though I’m not sure if any of these flicks would have done well even without the change of leadership and the reboot announcement.

Not sure what he said to Gal that made he think a third Wonder Woman movie was in the works. I’m thinking he was vague and said something along the lines of wanting her to be a part of the inevitable Wonder Woman project in his DC Universe. This could be anything from producing to pitching a story.

[Refrax5]

I would love to know the behind the scenes stuff here. I'm always hesitant to criticize Gunn because people always assume you're a Snyder person or have some other axe to grind, but he just always comes across as being a huge bullshitter to me. Maybe Gal made it up or misunderstood something, but Gunn has not handled this transition well and made a lot of misleading statements.

I just hope the movies are good, but I think Slither is the only thing he ever made that I actually really liked.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Variety debunked Gal claims in behalf of WBD, WW3 isn't planned to be developed under Gunn/Safran and there wasn't any definitive discussion of Gadot’s Wonder Woman continuing with the new DCU: https://variety.com/2023/film/news/g...nt-1235693545/

Also, back in November, both Gadot and Cavill were cut from The Flash's ending because Gunn has no plan to continue with them:

"Knowing they were resetting the DC universe under their own vision, Gunn and Safran saw that having Cavill and Gadot in the new ending was potentially promising something their plans were not going to deliver. One of the first actions the duo took was to scrap the Cavill Superman film, and they also parted ways with Jenkins, effectively killing the third Wonder Woman installment."
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/mo...an-1235517975/

Dude. I saw that “article.” It just makes vague reference to some “sources” that say that what Gal said wasn’t true. But doesn’t name these sources or even detail anything that was said between Gadot and Gunn. Then it just recaps a bunch of stuff that we already knew. Meanwhile, this is a direct quote from Gadot about what Gunn said to her:

”You’re in the best hands. We’re going to develop Wonder Woman 3 with you. [We] love you as Wonder Woman— you’ve got nothing to worry about.’ So time will tell,”

https://flaunt.com/post/gal-gadot-th...al-flame-issue

So, I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna take Gadot at her word given that she probably has more credibility on the issue given she was the one in the meeting.

So again, like I said, either she is actually staying or she was blatantly lied to. If it’s the latter, then again, not a good look at a time when the abuses and manipulations done to actors has been a topic at the forefront of peoples’ minds in recent weeks.

But it’s really weird seeing people on this forum lose their minds over the very possibility that Gunn said this to Gadot.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Gunn was put in charge at a very bad time. The DCEU was in its death throes and needed a mercy killing/reboot, but there were also a full years worth of movies coming out and hundreds of millions of dollars on the line. Gunn had to announce a reboot and try not to inadvertently tank these very expensive projects. It clearly didn’t work out, though I’m not sure if any of these flicks would have done well even without the change of leadership and the reboot announcement.

Not sure what he said to Gal that made he think a third Wonder Woman movie was in the works. I’m thinking he was vague and said something along the lines of wanting her to be a part of the inevitable Wonder Woman project in his DC Universe. This could be anything from producing to pitching a story.

Gee, yeah, I mean gosh, I don’t know what Gal could have heard in Gunn allegedly saying to her “we love you as Wonder Woman. You have nothing to worry about” that would make her think they wanted to keep her as Wonder Woman.

[Confuzzled]

Gunn was put in charge at a very bad time. The DCEU was in its death throes and needed a mercy killing/reboot, but there were also a full years worth of movies coming out and hundreds of millions of dollars on the line. Gunn had to announce a reboot and try not to inadvertently tank these very expensive projects. It clearly didn’t work out, though I’m not sure if any of these flicks would have done well even without the change of leadership and the reboot announcement.

Honestly think the announcement hurt Black Adam as well. The timing seemed particularly nasty and targeted towards 'humbling' The Rock. BA had a decent opening, much better than any of the DC films this year, and then the announcement was made, killing all interest in it.

Gee, yeah, I mean gosh, I don’t know what Gal could have heard in Gunn allegedly saying to her “we love you as Wonder Woman. You have nothing to worry about” that would make her think they wanted to keep her as Wonder Woman.

Now he'll claim he meant he was talking about "honoring her legacy" and Gal misunderstood. It will be terrible if they try to blame it on her English comprehension skills like Whedon's reps tried to do in defense of their JL shitstorm. Sounds real sketchy and skeevy. Don't know why Gunn and Safran didn't just admit they are moving on with a new actress.

[Frontier]

It would be nice to have concrete WW plans one way or another.

[Pinsir]

I was wrong about superhero fatigue fams, looks like Blue Beetle is gonna make #BlueBillion dollars!!

[Robotman]

Honestly think the announcement hurt Black Adam as well. The timing seemed particularly nasty and targeted towards 'humbling' The Rock. BA had a decent opening, much better than any of the DC films this year, and then the announcement was made, killing all interest in it.

Wow, so James Gunn had a nefarious plan to humble The Rock? Huh.

I think the reviews did most of the work of killing all interest.

[Confuzzled]

Wow, so James Gunn had a nefarious plan to humble The Rock? Huh.

No the execs. You know, the same ones who put a hit piece against him in The Wrap:

https://www.thewrap.com/dwayne-johns...m-dc-universe/

Though now that you mentioned him, maybe dial down caping for Gunn a little. He's a studio guy ready to push others under the bus. Heck the entire Directors Guild let the WGA and SAG out to dry.

[bat39]

I think all of this just shows that Gunn doesn't really have a specific plan in place beyond the fact that he wants to reboot Superman and Batman, and keep Peacemaker and Amanda Waller (and a few related characters). Literally everything else is up in the air and will probably be made up as things proceed.

I think Ezra's Flash would have been folded into Gunn's DCU had the film been the success they predicted it would be. Since it wasn't, he's almost certainly out (he might have survived had it not been for his recent history). If Aquaman 2 does well, or at least doesn't tank, then Jason Momoa will stay as Aquman. If not, he might be out (but Gunn is friends with Momoa apparently, and fans in general love Momoa so his chances for survival stay bright). Zachary Levi probably had a reasonable expectation of staying had Shazam 2 done well, but now he's almost certainly out (again, we don't know anything for certain). Xolo Mariduena? I actually think his chances of staying are pretty bright, since his movie is independent of the DCEU. As long as the public and critics love his performance, I think he'll stay even if the movie doesn't do too well at the box office.

When it comes to Gal, I'm sure at some point Gunn seriously considered retaining here. Maybe that's still on the cards. But I get the feeling that he hasn't decided either way. Though if we end up with a situation where no other DCEU actors (other than the ones already confirmed) are making it to the DCU, then I wouldn't be surprised if she's no exception.

Its worth noting that with the exception of Superman and Batman, there isn't a single project in Gunn's slate, or a single casting decision, that precludes the return of any DCEU actor. The only Wonder Woman project announced is a prequel that could easily apply to Gadot's Wonder Woman as to any hypothetical recast/rebooted version. No new project has been announced or actor cast for the likes of Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman, Shazam, Black Adam, Blue Beetle, Hawkman, Harley Quinn or any DCEU character, really. Guy Gardner, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho have been cast and these are characters who didn't show up in the DCEU.

So really, Gunn has been playing this pretty carefully so far. And theoretically, he can continue to maintain this ambiguity for several more years.

[Ascended]

I was wrong about superhero fatigue fams, looks like Blue Beetle is gonna make #BlueBillion dollars!!

I dunno about a billion, but I think Beetle will do decently, by current standards (theater struggles in general, DC brand damage, Hollywood strikes, etc). Just shows that superhero fatigue isn't a thing, people just want something new and different (and good), and not the same two formulas we've (mostly) been getting for the last fifteen years.

I think all of this just shows that Gunn doesn't really have a specific plan in place beyond the fact that he wants to reboot Superman and Batman, and keep Peacemaker and Amanda Waller (and a few related characters). Literally everything else is up in the air and will probably be made up as things proceed.

I think there's value in not having plans too solidified. Marvel's been doing that since phase 3, and it's proven to be a double edged sword. When the movies are doing well, those carefully crafted plans are great. But when a movie misses the mark, those detailed plans make it harder to make adjustments and changes too. Consider Eternals; some pretty big plot points were established there, but the odds of a sequel don't seem great so who knows where, when, or if Marvel will ever tie up those loose threads?

But who knows how detailed Gunn/Safran's plans are? The earliest stuff is still two years away, just barely in 'casting' range. There's no reason we'd be hearing about casting for other stuff that's even further out. For all we know Gunn has serious breakdowns for the next decade, or maybe just a list with a few bullet points he wants to hit and he'll work out the details as the movies are moving through production.

Its worth noting that with the exception of Superman and Batman, there isn't a single project in Gunn's slate, or a single casting decision, that precludes the return of any DCEU actor.

Since Gunn is keeping a few DCEU actors anyway I believe he might've kept others if their films had done well. But whatever his plans are, he still has to do his part for the marketing. Wouldn't be very smart for him to say "Yeah I'm definitely getting rid of Miller no matter what, he's out! But make sure you go see him in Flash, everyone!" Until the final DCEU movie has run its course through cinemas and streaming, I don't think we can take what he says here too seriously. Even if he knew stuff like Flash would bomb and/or he wanted to replace Miller regardless, he can't say it.

So really, Gunn has been playing this pretty carefully so far. And theoretically, he can continue to maintain this ambiguity for several more years.

The situation is aggravating and there's only so much Gunn can say publicly while we're in the transition, but I agree, he's (generally) been careful and smart about things so far, and it takes so long to make these movies that he's got time to see how things play out with audiences before he has to say too much about the League. And the lack of JLA heroes in his plans doesn't seem like a flaw to me. If things with the DCEU continue to sink, then he can focus on these other IP and give the League a little time for the stink to wear off. If things go well then he has time to figure out how to fold that success into his plans.

As for Gadot....we'll see what we see. There's been some confusion over Diana since the start; did Gunn get rid of Jenkins or was that all before he took the reins? Gadot's popular in the role, but outside of her first solo none of the movies she's been in have done that well, so what incentive is there, really, for keeping 'or' replacing her? You'd think it'd be pretty straightforward; with no WW3 on the horizon Gunn should be free to say whether he's keeping her or not, but Gadot is popular enough that saying he's cutting her loose might negatively impact other DC stuff. And maybe Gunn himself is still working out the details on Diana and how to use her, where she'd be brought in, etc.

I do hope Gadot is used as a producer or something. I don't need her back in the role (burn all things DCEU to ash!) but she seems to understand Diana's character and I feel like her voice should be in the room while Gunn and Safran are plotting. I'd feel better knowing Gadot was around to ensure Diana's character stays accurate.

[Vordan]

See I think Gunn wanted a full reset with the JL from the start. One of the first rumors to come out from the trades after Gunn/Safran got the job was that Momoa was going to be playing Lobo, and Safran teased that too. If Gunn was feeling indecisive, they would’ve let Jenkins WW3 go forward so they could wrap Gadot WW up and then reboot. Instead they cancelled it, and Cavill MoS2. From the start their signaled intent was “it’s time to move on”. They paid lip service to the idea of the DCEU actors sticking around to try and maintain interest in the upcoming films, but I believe that was always just a smokescreen for their true intent to reboot. Of course I don’t know why Gunn doesn’t just come out and say that at this point, maybe Aquaman 2 or the strikes, but once we’re in 2024 we need a firm clear statement on whether any of the old actors are actually continuing.

[Last Son of Krypton]

It's always like that. For example, Reeves claimed Affleck was going to star in his The Batman: https://batman-news.com/2017/06/26/m...ck-the-batman/

And made it sounds the film was set in the DCEU: https://batman-news.com/2017/08/24/m...nded-universe/

The confirmation of Affleck being never involved with the project only arrived 2 years later (2019) when Pattinson got the role.

And I think it was Hamada in 2020/21 who cleared the confusion about the film's continuity revealing it's set on a different earth from the main DCEU.

Dude. I saw that “article.” It just makes vague reference to some “sources” that say that what Gal said wasn’t true. But doesn’t name these sources or even detail anything that was said between Gadot and Gunn. Then it just recaps a bunch of stuff that we already knew. Meanwhile, this is a direct quote from Gadot about what Gunn said to her:

https://flaunt.com/post/gal-gadot-th...al-flame-issue

So, I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna take Gadot at her word given that she probably has more credibility on the issue given she was the one in the meeting.

So again, like I said, either she is actually staying or she was blatantly lied to. If it’s the latter, then again, not a good look at a time when the abuses and manipulations done to actors has been a topic at the forefront of peoples’ minds in recent weeks.

But it’s really weird seeing people on this forum lose their minds over the very possibility that Gunn said this to Gadot.

The source is WBD. Like when Corenswet was announced by trades to be cast as Superman. Variety's article about Gadot is an "official" debunking.

[mace11]

Xolo Mariduena? I actually think his chances of staying are pretty bright, since his movie is independent of the DCEU.

Blue Beetle (film)

Blue Beetle is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle, produced by DC Studios and The Safran Company. The film was directed by Angel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. It is intended to be the fourteenth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

It's always like that. For example, Reeves claimed Affleck was going to star in his The Batman: https://batman-news.com/2017/06/26/m...ck-the-batman/

And made it sounds the film was set in the DCEU: https://batman-news.com/2017/08/24/m...nded-universe/

The confirmation of Affleck being never involved with the project only arrived 2 years later (2019) when Pattinson got the role.

And I think it was Hamada in 2020/21 who cleared the confusion about the film's continuity revealing it's set on a different earth from the main DCEU.



The source is WBD. Like when Corenswet was announced by trades to be cast as Superman. Variety's article about Gadot is an "official" debunking.

Even if it’s “official,” it’s not a debunking. This is the actor herself saying something. Not someone else trying to speak for the actor. And also, Gadot brought quotes. They brought a boilerplate studio response. Because the more that comes out about the situation, the clearer it becomes that Gunn definitely said this to her. If Gunn never said it, he would have just taken to Twitter (or X or whatever) immediately to say he never said that: something he’s never shied away from doing in the past. His silence on the issue is pretty much confirmation that he did make her this promise. You’re being willfully naive if you believe otherwise.

The only thing that remains unclear is whether he meant it or if he was lying.

Which is why Gadot is proving with this move that she’s no dummy. She’s basically put him in a position where he has two options:

Option A: he honors his word and moves forward with Wonder Woman 3 with her in the role. OR

Option B: he doesn’t and his reputation takes a massive hit. I’ve said this before but show business is built on relationships and people only work with you if they believe they can trust you. And especially now (when the mistreatment of actors by studio execs is so front and center in peoples’ minds), something like this coming out would give pretty much any talent second thoughts about working with him. That would make it hard then for him to attract any top-tier talent (actors, writers, or directors) to the DCU.