The new heads of DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran, clearly want to start anew, and clear the Warner Bros. slate of the previous Zack Snyder-designed DC franchises. In the first big move made by the indie-filmmakers-turned-studio-executives, a big sequel to a successful series has been axed.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Gunn and Safran are in the final stages of preparing their multi-year plan ahead of next week’s presentation to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. The cleaning of the slate is a common occurrence when a new executive team is announced to run a studio or division. Gunn’s and Safran’s new plan supposedly reaches out over the next half-decade and beyond. While we don’t know what stories are to come from the DC Universe, we do know one film that has been cut from the line-up.
Multiple sources told the Hollywood Reporter that Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3 has been axed.
'Wonder Woman 1984'Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Jenkins recently submitted her treatment, co-written with Geoff Johns. Gunn and Safran, along with co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, told Jenkins that her current project did not meet the standards or the new plans.
This news clarifies a strangely-timed tweet from Gal Gadot thanking fans on Tuesday, saying that she was grateful to play the heroine and role model, writing, “Can’t wait to share her next chapter with you.”
Jenkins directed and co-wrote the previous Wonder Woman films that starred Gadot in the titular role. While the first film received positive responses from critics and fans, stating that the woman-led superhero film was the DCEU’s best film, Wonder Woman 84 felt lukewarm to audiences and failed to make back its budget with its day-and-date release during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rest of the DC slate remains unknown until next week’s meeting.
Gunn and Safran are expected to meet next week with Zaslav, who is responsible for radically reshaping the media company by shelving multiple projects like Batgirl. Insiders have not reported to the Hollywood Reporter any in-depth details of their plan, but multiple paths are laid out for the once-indie filmmakers to follow.
With the death of Wonder Woman 3 and the Snyderverse, it is unclear what the future of the DCEU is. Aquaman may no longer be fronted by Jason Momoa after Lost City debuts in Dec. 2023, and it will be shocking if Ezra Miller continues to play the Flash in the DCEU. While Henry Cavill did return as Superman in Black Adam, we don’t know if Man of Steel 2 is happening.
'The Flash'Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Matt Reeves' Batman universe will seem to remain untouched by Gunn and Safran. While Robert Pattinson dons the Batsuit for Reeves, it is unlikely that Pattinson’s portrayal of the character will cross into Gunn’s and Safran’s universe.
DC Studios have struggled to maintain a coherent, interconnected story universe, which Marvel masterfully accomplished through its solo and ensemble movies. But Gunn and Safran are not finished trying to accomplish this with their upcoming agenda. It’s unclear if certain roles will be recast or if existing stories will come to a conclusion that has proven to be box office hits, but one thing is certain—the new DC Studio executives will find a way to embed their quirky and crowd-pleasing styles that are desperately needed in the DCEU.
What DC stories would you like to see Gunn and Safran take on? Let us know in the comments.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
