Warner Bros. and its Struggle with DC Universe
For a long time, Warner Bros. has been aiming to make its DC Comics films as iconic as Marvel’s powerhouses, but it just hasn’t worked out. Success feels like a far-off dream, as creative mishaps have consistently plagued their best efforts.
Starting Over with Superman
Now, they’ve got their sights set on a reboot. The new Superman film debuts this week and forms the heart of their ambitious revival plan. Warner Bros. is hoping this movie can rake in over $500 million worldwide. While it’s a lower target compared to Marvel’s blockbusters, it would be a commendable success for DC.
DC’s Big Comeback
This film’s release is just the beginning. Following Superman, there’s talk of a Supergirl spin-off, a Green Lantern TV series, and even more Batman adventures in the pipeline.
A Vital Turn for DC and Warner Bros.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for DC and its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. CEO David Zaslav has been vocal about wanting to set things right with DC films—especially after their stocks took a hit post-merger with Discovery. He views DC as a golden opportunity for significant growth, stating that it could become a game-changer.
The Rock’s Vision for DC
Before Zaslav took the reins, there were numerous attempts to fix DC’s movie roster, but they often got tangled in various interests revealing resistance from multiple parties eager to control too many aspects of DC projects. Dan DiDio, a veteran at DC, noted the constant struggle: “There was always friction pulling DC together because there were a lot of individual ideas, rather than one overarching vision.”
Then, Zaslav reached out to talent with insights on revitalizing DC, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who starred in Black Adam. Sadly, dialogues stalled when Black Adam didn’t perform well in theaters, dashing hopes of a widespread transformation.
Shifting Control in DC
Word has it that The Rock was keen to seize control over DC roles. Reports surfaced that Johnson, along with Henry Cavill’s manager Dany Garcia, eyed the chance to replace Walter Hamada, head of DC Studios, with their own production house, Seven Bucks. However, plans fell through when James Gunn and Peter Safran were appointed to steer DC Studios.
In 2022, Johnson and Garcia even met with Zaslav to discuss enhancing Black Adam with a Superman cameo, along with ways Seven Bucks could revamp the DC universe. But insiders refuted any notions they were pitching Garcia as a successor to Hamada.
The Fallout
Ultimately, Garcia wasn’t brought onboard, and both The Rock and Seven Bucks found themselves on the outs once Gunn and Safran took charge. Concurrently, Henry Cavill ended ties with Dany Garcia as his manager.
What came next is pretty famous: Black Adam stumbled at the box office, the DC universe received a major reboot, and unfortunately, Cavill was dropped as Superman. Initially told he’d be back, he announced shortly after that he wouldn’t be continuing in the role because the studio wanted a younger version of the hero moving forward.
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