Willa Holland Calls Out WB for Shutting Down "Arrow's" Plans for the Suicide Squad

[AJBopp]

Whether you agree with him or not is irrelevant to his point that TV actors are treated like second class citizens.

Only if you assume that TV is second class to movies.

[Victor Freeman]

You know what? She's actually right! Instead of DC thinking that TV somehow would dilute the power of their characters, they should see that it would actually have the opposite effect and make the movies and tv brands stronger. Embrace the multiverse! = more money which is what WB wants anyway right?

Exactly. DC already has a shared universe with the CW shows. They should just use that and build on that. That's how you catch Marvel. Those shows are popular.

[Andy E. Nystrom]

I'm of two minds on what Willa Holland says in the interview. On the one hand I don't mind that the DC movies and shows are separate continuities. However, for that very reason, Arrow should not have had to change any of their Suicide Squad plans because of the movie.

[Awsyme]

Agree although I'm not sure the studios are ready to embrace it.

Marvel isn't a great example as it's film side doesn't acknowledge the tv show exists at all. It could, say, have some level of crossover in the other direction (even minor stuff) but never does. Hell - Coulson could show up. The audience doesn't really need to know why but they're not going to. Even the excellent netflix stuff isnt really in universe.

In the case of arrow should Amell and Grant be in the justice league? Sure.... but given Warners doesn't even want to use Batman, Superman or Wonderwoman on tv - seems unlikely this will ever happen. (though I did here thats due to a rights thing from the 60s and 70s)

[ComiCop]

You here fans of AoS complain a lot about the lack of acknowledgment in the films about events in the show often.

Obviously all these TV actors want big checks and publicity starring in blockbuster feature film versions but studios don't owe them the movie role.

While the AOS actors have said they wouldn't mind appearing in one of the films if given the opportunity, none of them have actually been campaigning to appear in a film. They're just after a reference to the show like a name drop, easter egg or something for the fans. Also, a bunch of the AOS actors over the seasons are actual film actors e.g. Brett Dalton, Bill Paxton, Clark Gregg, John Hannah etc.

[tsaimelemoni]

I'm not sure I'd qualify Dalton as a film actor.

[darkseidpwns]

When we have actors like Grant Gustin we have every right to be upset and butthurt about it. He wasn't even asked if he would have time to do the movie. It was just Snyder's arrogance that Gustin didn't fit his vision of an angst filled depressed Flash. Grant is a great actor. He could play angst filled and depressed if the script called for it.

What exactly makes Gustin so special? WB didn't owe him anything period. He was contracted to play a character on tv, doesn't entitle him to a movie besides those CW guys would have tried to take advantage out of Gustin being cast as the Flash. Not so difficult to imagine Gustin using his influence to secure a place for Valdes and Cavanagh in the films. It's a non stop process, how many of these CW actors have starred as leads in tent pole franchises? this isn't some anti-Gustin agenda, it's how it always has been.

On topic, Marc Guggy recently came out and said that he didn't know what to do with Hawkman and Hawkgirl which is why they were written out of LOT season 2. His lack of ideas and initiatives also showed in the first season. This is the same guy who never loses any ideas for Olcity but cant come up with something for characters with decades of mythology, I guess this is also WB's fault right? either way Suicide Squad is Ayer's passion project, Arrow's passion project is Olcity period.

[Master X]

I couldn't care less about conecting to the movies (horrible...) but the mandates are just beyond bloody stupid. I can't imagine what it's like for Arrowverse writers constantly getting story/characters taken away at the last minute by execs basically saying "you can't use these, there are others you can't use...but we won't tell you what they are until you've already planned on using them. Mwuhahahah..." Where DC/WB got the idea that their characters appearing in multiple places dilutes/hinders rather than giving them more promotion is beyond me. They exist in a multiverse for a purpose, so we can have multiple versions of characters. This isn't the MCU where it's one universe so certain stuff can't be used for TV. DC/WB GET OUT OF YOUR OWN DAMN WAY!

[chamber-music]

When we have actors like Grant Gustin we have every right to be upset and butthurt about it. He wasn't even asked if he would have time to do the movie. It was just Snyder's arrogance that Gustin didn't fit his vision of an angst filled depressed Flash. Grant is a great actor. He could play angst filled and depressed if the script called for it.

The Flash movie is not going to be a spin off from the TV series so it makes absolutely no sense for Grant to play a different version of the same character in a movie. The movie will have a completely different group of actors playing the supporting cast and villains. The movie will have a completely different continuity. Casting Grant would only confuse people.

[SOLID MATTIC]

While a connected TV and Film universe would be great for DC, they first need to be creating shows and films worth watching in the first place.

There are just so many problems with these CW DC shows and the current DC film universe that just trying to make singular stories worth a damn seems to be hard enough for their respective creators/writers without them trying to create an MCU style wider universe.

I would agree that if they don't want the films to connect with the shows (which to be honest is a fair enough decision from the big wigs, Id never want DC films to be tied to some of the bullshit on Arrow or Flash) then having embargoes on the shows is pointless meddling, just let them do what they want. But losing characters like Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad is so far down Arrow's list of problems that its really a non-issue.

[Carabas]

When you have actors like Amell, it does not surprise me. No one should be upset and butthurt about it.

You know, you personally hating every last thing about the Arrow show is not actually relevant here if your only input in the thread is going to be variations of "Arrow sucks".

And it stands to reason the quality of the show has suffered a bit (I don't know, haven't seen season 4 yet) if they had to shelve a lot of their longterm plans because of a lot of characters suddenly becoming unavailaible because they're in te movies.

[numberthirty]

DC seems to be going for a "Multiverse".

That being the case, I can see the argument for there being separate "versions" that don't all cross paths.

[Carabas]

DC seems to be going for a "Multiverse".

A very special kind of multiverse where there is, for example, only one Floyd Lawton for the entire multiverse.

[Osiris-Rex]

The Flash movie is not going to be a spin off from the TV series so it makes absolutely no sense for Grant to play a different version of the same character in a movie. The movie will have a completely different group of actors playing the supporting cast and villains. The movie will have a completely different continuity. Casting Grant would only confuse people.

You sound like a Warner Bros. executive.

While a connected TV and Film universe would be great for DC, they first need to be creating shows and films worth watching in the first place.

There are just so many problems with these CW DC shows and the current DC film universe that just trying to make singular stories worth a damn seems to be hard enough for their respective creators/writers without them trying to create an MCU style wider universe.

Other than Arrow there is absolutely no problems with the rest of the DC TV shows.

[numberthirty]

A very special kind of multiverse where there is, for example, only one Floyd Lawton for the entire multiverse.

I think you might not be up to speed.

I've counted three, including "Film Universe" Floyd. Four if you want to count Smallville as an "Earth #..."