DCU Movies

[Gaastra]

Vin can't say anything with all the behind the scenes crap he pulled. He can't say a thing.

Also don't think shazam in a black adam post scene or jsa in a post shazam 2 scene would have changed anything for the films box office.

[Frontier]

Dwayne Johnsons complete aversion to anything to do with Shazam both amuses and saddens me.

What is bothersome to me is that people still have this irrational hatred toward Zack Snyder to the point where they vilify him and blame him and associate any faltering of DC films to him. To be clear, I'm not a Snyder-stan. I can take or leave a lot of his films. But the guy has not been a part of the DCEU since 2016, only coming back in 2021 to release his version of Justice League, a version which actually got much better critical reception than the version we did get in theaters. Even without Gunn, he wouldn't have a hand in the DCU's future, so like chill.

Also, regardless of whether you like Snyder's films or not; regardless of whether you thought some of the movies fumbled both under him and after he left; that's not really reflective of the actors in those roles. Actually, if Snyder did anything right, it would be most of his casting choices. Almost all of his choices to play the JL have been lauded over how much they fit their characters. It would be different if everyone hated those actors in their roles, but newsflash: they don't. People still do love Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Momoa as Aquaman and Levi as Shazam and Robbie as Harley Quinn (though, its notable that Snyder wasn't the one who cast those latter two). Like, so many people loved Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman to such an extent that there were industry rumblings of her getting a Best Actress nomination for the first movie when it came out. So, you can't really blame Gunn for seeing that and potentially wanting to tap into it. That's part of why he's opting for only a soft reboot, not a full one.

I mean, I don't think Miller is that great a choice for Barry, personally, and Momoa's just playing his own kind of Aquaman at this point. But that's just me.

I think it's going to be a bit more hard a reboot than a soft one once the dust settles.

[bat39]

Dwayne Johnsons complete aversion to anything to do with Shazam both amuses and saddens me.

I mean, I don't think Miller is that great a choice for Barry, personally, and Momoa's just playing his own kind of Aquaman at this point. But that's just me.

I think it's going to be a bit more hard a reboot than a soft one once the dust settles.

Honestly? I think Gunn hasn't committed to either a hard or a soft reboot at this point, but rather, is adopting a bit of a wait-and-watch strategy.

The only thing we know for sure is that Affleck and Cavill are out, and Viola Davis is returning (probably with a lot of the other Suicide Squad/Peacemaker actors/characters). Nothing else is set in stone.

I think if The Flash really blows people's minds and Ezra Miller is sorted out, Aquaman 2 does reasonably well (or, at any rate, people still want Momoa as Aquaman and Momoa is willing to stick around), Gal Gadot agrees to stay on as Wonder Woman, coupled with the likely return/retention of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and maybe a few others, then we'll end up with a situation where its pretty much a soft-reboot with a good 75% or so of the universe staying mostly the same.

But if virtually every major character is recast/rebooted, except Waller and a few of the Suicide Squad/Peacemaker characters, then it'll tend towards being a hard-reboot.

Gunn pretty much has a get-out-of-jail free card with Flashpoint. My guess is the film ends with establishing a new timeline, without really explaining what that new timeline entails. Then he'll see how things work out over the next few years in terms of actors staying or leaving and the public reception towards them (and their recent films and appearances) before making a final decision.

[Maestro 216]

Honestly? I think Gunn hasn't committed to either a hard or a soft reboot at this point, but rather, is adopting a bit of a wait-and-watch strategy.

The only thing we know for sure is that Affleck and Cavill are out, and Viola Davis is returning (probably with a lot of the other Suicide Squad/Peacemaker actors/characters). Nothing else is set in stone.

I think if The Flash really blows people's minds and Ezra Miller is sorted out, Aquaman 2 does reasonably well (or, at any rate, people still want Momoa as Aquaman and Momoa is willing to stick around), Gal Gadot agrees to stay on as Wonder Woman, coupled with the likely return/retention of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and maybe a few others, then we'll end up with a situation where its pretty much a soft-reboot with a good 75% or so of the universe staying mostly the same.

But if virtually every major character is recast/rebooted, except Waller and a few of the Suicide Squad/Peacemaker characters, then it'll tend towards being a hard-reboot.

Gunn pretty much has a get-out-of-jail free card with Flashpoint. My guess is the film ends with establishing a new timeline, without really explaining what that new timeline entails. Then he'll see how things work out over the next few years in terms of actors staying or leaving and the public reception towards them (and their recent films and appearances) before making a final decision.

I thought Gunn wanted Mamoa as Lobo?

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

I mean, I don't think Miller is that great a choice for Barry, personally, and Momoa's just playing his own kind of Aquaman at this point. But that's just me.

I think it's going to be a bit more hard a reboot than a soft one once the dust settles.

I'll say this about Ezra: they're obviously a very troubled individual and they need help, but The Flash trailer proved that they're an incredible actor. It takes a lot for someone to communicate pain in an effortless manner through a mask. Ezra did that. They're very talented.

I thought Gunn wanted Mamoa as Lobo?

At this point, that's just a rumor. It essentially started when James Gunn posted a picture of Lobo on some Internet forum, and then some fans on Twitter were basically like "You know who looks like Lobo? Jason Momoa."

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Honestly? I think Gunn hasn't committed to either a hard or a soft reboot at this point, but rather, is adopting a bit of a wait-and-watch strategy.

The only thing we know for sure is that Affleck and Cavill are out, and Viola Davis is returning (probably with a lot of the other Suicide Squad/Peacemaker actors/characters). Nothing else is set in stone.

I think if The Flash really blows people's minds and Ezra Miller is sorted out, Aquaman 2 does reasonably well (or, at any rate, people still want Momoa as Aquaman and Momoa is willing to stick around), Gal Gadot agrees to stay on as Wonder Woman, coupled with the likely return/retention of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and maybe a few others, then we'll end up with a situation where its pretty much a soft-reboot with a good 75% or so of the universe staying mostly the same.

But if virtually every major character is recast/rebooted, except Waller and a few of the Suicide Squad/Peacemaker characters, then it'll tend towards being a hard-reboot.

Gunn pretty much has a get-out-of-jail free card with Flashpoint. My guess is the film ends with establishing a new timeline, without really explaining what that new timeline entails. Then he'll see how things work out over the next few years in terms of actors staying or leaving and the public reception towards them (and their recent films and appearances) before making a final decision.

I think Gunn confirmed not too long ago that he both will work with Margot Robbie again in the DCU and that Harley Quinn will be returning.

https://people.com/movies/james-gunn...n-dc-universe/

I also literally saw an article a day ago where James Gunn said Harley Quinn would be returning.

[ayanestar]

I used to be a fan of Dwayne Johnson, but the more I hear about him, the less I like him. He seems to have a huge ego.

[Johnny]

I think it's just another "Hollywood thing". Noone that makes that kind of money can't develop at least some sort of ego. Though to his credit he came from humble beginnings and he never forgot the industry he came from that catapulted him to Hollywood in the first place. So it seems like just another example of someone in the movie business using some underhanded tactics to try to protect their investment.

[bardkeep]

It would be different if everyone hated those actors in their roles, but newsflash: they don't. People still do love Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Momoa as Aquaman and Levi as Shazam and Robbie as Harley Quinn (though, its notable that Snyder wasn't the one who cast those latter two). Like, so many people loved Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman to such an extent that there were industry rumblings of her getting a Best Actress nomination for the first movie when it came out. So, you can't really blame Gunn for seeing that and potentially wanting to tap into it. That's part of why he's opting for only a soft reboot, not a full one.

Between WW84, the Imagine fiasco, and her terrible performances in Justice League and Death on the Nile, Gal Gadot has LONG since burned the good will people had for her after the first solo film - the "Gal Gadot school of acting" is literally a Twitter meme about terrible actresses. Patty Jenkins was also on top of the world in 2017 but after WW84 she lost literally every project she had greenlit. I'll be shocked if they don't recast WW.

I also really don't think Zachary Levi is popular as Shazam considering the box office performance of Fury of the Gods and the overwhelming sentiment that he was the worst part of the movie. The general public doesn't care about Shazam so I doubt they'll even bother recasting, the character is probably just never gonna appear onscreen again.

Momoa as Aquaman and Robbie as Harley Quinn are really the only ones who are still pretty universally liked, but Momoa's too old to play Aquaman for another decade (plus there are rumors of him playing Lobo that he's been very coy about) and TSS and Peacemaker seem to be the only things safe post-reboot, which includes Margot Robbie.

[Jokerz79]

I don't believe Snyder was always "vilified" I mean look when his daughter died no one here even us who weren't fans of his films had anything but sympathy for the man and what position that put him in with Justice League. The issue has been the "Snyder Bros/Snyder Cult" they are some of the most Toxic fanbase ever they wish destruction on anything not Snyder even other DC projects and then Snyder fanning the flames with them is what soured many on him.

As for the Rock I don't think any cameos would have saved Black Adam or Shazam, but the ego on that man to think DC films should be centered around him is astounding.

[Gaius]

Levi vs. Johnson is a better Shazam vs. Black Adam fight than we'd have gotten in the movies.

[Ascended]

Levi vs. Johnson is a better Shazam vs. Black Adam fight than we'd have gotten in the movies.

The drama at WB has always been more entertaining than the movies themselves.

Honestly? I think Gunn hasn't committed to either a hard or a soft reboot at this point, but rather, is adopting a bit of a wait-and-watch strategy.

It's honestly hard to tell. There's still old canon DCEU movies coming out, it'd be bad business to be too negative about it or tell folks straight up that none of it matters anymore because it'll be rebooted soon. Look at how WB/DC have responded to Miller's bullshit; they're so diplomatic about it you'd think they were running for political office. So I don't necessarily trust anything they say. They're not gonna come straight out and say "Miller is out after Flash!" before Flash has even come out, nor would they say "We're keeping Miller!" when public opinion is so stacked against them. Everything is gonna be "We had a great time on set and are proud of the movie we made, and we're super excited about Gunn's plans, but whether this stuff here ties into it, well we're mostly just focused on right now but exciting announcements are coming!"

But if Gunn really is intent on keeping "what works" and that wasn't just code for "I'm keeping my toys and throwing the rest out" (which is what I expect) then it'd make sense to see how some of the films perform before deciding what to do with the IP. If nothing else, if they do well you can just set them off to the side as an Elseworld like The Batman and let the actors finish their trilogies. Hell for all we know that's what Gunn is doing with Davis' Waller.

But I think whatever the real intentions are, we won't get a clear picture of it until the final DCEU movies are out and WB's pulled whatever revenue they can from them. We'll just have to keep reading between the lines and making assumptions based on the handful of clear-cut announcements we get.

And I wonder what WB is expecting from these final DCEU movies? Even Marvel is struggling with the box office and things are different post-pandemic (insofar as we're actually past it). Not to mention the DC brand damage, which I think even the most casual observer must be seeing by now. Where have they set the bar in this landscape? I know I'm a cynical bastard, but I feel like if I were WB I'd be happy right now if any of these things turn even a small profit.

[dswynne]

Zachary Levi Weighs In on Dwayne Johnson’s Nixing of ‘Black Adam’ Post-Credit Scene: ‘The Truth Shall Set You Free

So the Rock wouldn’t allow the JSA themselves to show up in Shazam to recruit Billy. Maybe Gunn tried to help them out by allowing them to use Harcourt and Economos as last minute replacements?

The Rock not wanting Black Adam to have anything to do with Shazam really screwed both franchises. In the words of the Joker “you get what you $&%ing deserve.”

Black Adam as the villain for the Shazam sequel could have been big (or at least much bigger than what we got). Then spin it off into a solo flick about his redemption. Instead he wanted to get the immediate spotlight and become the focal point of the DCU.

That's the thing: throughout DJ's wrestling career, DJ has played the role of the villain to great effect. Also, I don't understand why some actors refuse to play villains. Some of the best and most sympathetic characters have been villains. And, like you've stated, a BLACK ADAM spin-off would be about Adam seeking redemption, by becoming a champion of his homeland, but on his OWN terms, thanks to his rather ancient mindset.

Then again, considering how long it took BLACK ADAM to be produced, producing the film may have been too little, too late. I mean, ten to fifteen YEARS? Jeez.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Between WW84, the Imagine fiasco, and her terrible performances in Justice League and Death on the Nile, Gal Gadot has LONG since burned the good will people had for her after the first solo film - the "Gal Gadot school of acting" is literally a Twitter meme about terrible actresses. Patty Jenkins was also on top of the world in 2017 but after WW84 she lost literally every project she had greenlit. I'll be shocked if they don't recast WW.

I also really don't think Zachary Levi is popular as Shazam considering the box office performance of Fury of the Gods and the overwhelming sentiment that he was the worst part of the movie. The general public doesn't care about Shazam so I doubt they'll even bother recasting, the character is probably just never gonna appear onscreen again.

Momoa as Aquaman and Robbie as Harley Quinn are really the only ones who are still pretty universally liked, but Momoa's too old to play Aquaman for another decade (plus there are rumors of him playing Lobo that he's been very coy about) and TSS and Peacemaker seem to be the only things safe post-reboot, which includes Margot Robbie.

We'll see I guess

https://insidethemagic.net/2023/03/w...animation-jb1/

But 1) I really have not seen anything suggesting that Gal is not still very much loved by the fans. There was a reason why the studio chose last minute to spoil her cameo to drum up excitement and why fans on the internet actually did eat up the spoiler. The fans still do love her. Unfortunately, that's pretty much all they did to drum up support for the movie cuz the marketing budget was essentially nothing.

2) I've seen FOTG. Twice already. And then I rewatched the original Shazam. I can assure you, Zachary Levi is NOT the problem. In fact, he's one of the best parts of FOTG and he does just as amazing a job in this film just as he did in the last. There are some flaws in that film, but it's not Levi. Levi is perfect for that character. And the lack of box office probably has more to do with the barely existent marketing due to the fact that WBD is in massive debt.

Also, the general public knows about Shazam now. Which is how we get comments like this:

Screen Shot 2023-03-22 at 2.12.21 PM.jpg

3) Lolz. Robert Downey Jr. played Iron Man well into his 50s. Tom Cruise is still filming Mission Impossible movies at age 60. Jason Momoa will be fine. Let's stop with the blatant ageism please. Plus, if he were too old to play Aquaman, then how would he then be young enough to play Lobo? Like, pick an argument dude.

[Vordan]

The drama at WB has always been more entertaining than the movies themselves.



It's honestly hard to tell. There's still old canon DCEU movies coming out, it'd be bad business to be too negative about it or tell folks straight up that none of it matters anymore because it'll be rebooted soon. Look at how WB/DC have responded to Miller's bullshit; they're so diplomatic about it you'd think they were running for political office. So I don't necessarily trust anything they say. They're not gonna come straight out and say "Miller is out after Flash!" before Flash has even come out, nor would they say "We're keeping Miller!" when public opinion is so stacked against them. Everything is gonna be "We had a great time on set and are proud of the movie we made, and we're super excited about Gunn's plans, but whether this stuff here ties into it, well we're mostly just focused on right now but exciting announcements are coming!"

But if Gunn really is intent on keeping "what works" and that wasn't just code for "I'm keeping my toys and throwing the rest out" (which is what I expect) then it'd make sense to see how some of the films perform before deciding what to do with the IP. If nothing else, if they do well you can just set them off to the side as an Elseworld like The Batman and let the actors finish their trilogies. Hell for all we know that's what Gunn is doing with Davis' Waller.

But I think whatever the real intentions are, we won't get a clear picture of it until the final DCEU movies are out and WB's pulled whatever revenue they can from them. We'll just have to keep reading between the lines and making assumptions based on the handful of clear-cut announcements we get.

And I wonder what WB is expecting from these final DCEU movies? Even Marvel is struggling with the box office and things are different post-pandemic (insofar as we're actually past it). Not to mention the DC brand damage, which I think even the most casual observer must be seeing by now. Where have they set the bar in this landscape? I know I'm a cynical bastard, but I feel like if I were WB I'd be happy right now if any of these things turn even a small profit.

They are expecting The Flash to make a billion. It’s why they keep hyping it up. The rest? I don’t think they have high expectations for, but that doesn’t mean recent films haven’t disappointed. Shazam 2 flopping means that cast is done, the franchise will go on the shelf for a good while until it’s time to be rebooted (if it ever is). If they’ve already talked to Momoa about Lobo then I think they’ve made their call there. I fully expect all of the main JL will be recast.

Edit: Also just look at what most of the directors for the DCEU are doing. Wan is already gone, Sandburg just said he’s done, Jenkins is gone, Affleck flat out said he has no desire to work with Gunn. Only guy who might stick around is Andy Muschietti. When most of the old directors are exiting that’s a clear sign where things are headed.