The Downfall of The DCEU | A DC Documentary

Our Movie News・2 minutes read

The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) faced challenges with inconsistent box office performances and studio interference, leading to mixed critical receptions for films like "Batman v Superman" and "Justice League." Despite fan demand, Warner Brothers initially denied the existence of the Snyder Cut, but eventually released it on HBO Max in 2021, causing significant impact and calls for the restoration of the Snyderverse.

Insights

  • The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) struggled with inconsistent box office performance due to studio interference, leading to criticism and mixed reviews for films like "Batman v Superman" and "Justice League."
  • The release of the Snyder Cut in 2021, driven by fan demand and support from the Justice League cast, had a significant impact on the DCEU, sparking calls for the restoration of the Snyderverse and highlighting the power of fan movements in shaping the entertainment industry.

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Recent questions

  • What is the DC Extended Universe?

    A cinematic universe with DC Comics characters.

  • How did the Snyder Cut of Justice League come to be?

    Fans campaigned for its release, leading to an official announcement.

  • Who is Walter Hamada?

    A key figure in the DCEU leadership.

  • What impact did the release of the Snyder Cut have?

    It sparked fan demands for the restoration of the Snyderverse.

  • What is the current status of the DC Universe?

    Undergoing changes with separate storylines and declining box office performance.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

DC Extended Universe: Rise, Fall, and Interference

  • The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was once seen as a rival to the Marvel Cinematic Universe but is now being abandoned after 16 movies and one show over a 10-year span.
  • Movies generally need to earn two and a half times their budgets to break even, and the DCEU's box office performance has been inconsistent.
  • Zack Snyder directed "Man of Steel" in 2013, which earned $667 million with a $225 million budget, leading Warner Brothers to greenlight a sequel.
  • The sequel, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," was inspired by "The Dark Knight Returns" Batman and was part of Snyder's original plan for a Justice League trilogy.
  • Warner Brothers accelerated Snyder's plan to compete with the MCU, expanding the original four-movie plan to five.
  • During pre-production of "Batman v Superman," Warner Brothers brought in writer Chris Terrio to rewrite the script and later instructed Snyder to cut 30 minutes from the film.
  • Despite earning $872 million at the box office, "Batman v Superman" faced criticism for studio interference that undermined the film's coherence.
  • "Suicide Squad" faced similar studio interference, with re-shoots ordered to change the tone to mimic the success of "Deadpool," leading to disappointing reviews.
  • "Wonder Woman" faced studio-mandated re-shoots for the final act, altering the original vision of the film, but still managed to earn $817 million with a 93% critic score.
  • Warner Brothers' interference continued with "Justice League," leading to significant re-shoots under Joss Whedon, resulting in a noticeable departure from Snyder's original vision and a mixed critical reception.

17:09

"Warner Brothers' Snyder Cut Controversy Unveiled"

  • In June 2018, AT&T merged with Warner Media, giving AT&T control over Warner Brothers.
  • In March 2019, Warner Brothers CEO Kevin Tsujihara resigned due to a troubling case involving a female actress, leading to Ann Sarnoff replacing him.
  • Shortly after, Warner Brothers denied the existence of the Snyder Cut of Justice League, despite fan demands.
  • In April 2019, the movie "Shazam!" was released worldwide, earning $363 million with an $85 million budget and receiving high critic and audience scores.
  • Fans were confused by the appearance of a faceless Superman at the end of "Shazam!" instead of Henry Cavill, with various speculations arising.
  • Warner Brothers showed disinterest in bringing back Superman to the DC Extended Universe, as confirmed by Christopher McQuarrie in July 2019.
  • Fans continued to push for the release of the Snyder Cut, with Zack Snyder teasing its existence through social media posts and Jason Momoa confirming its existence.
  • In November 2019, the cast of Justice League supported the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement, leading to the official announcement of the Snyder Cut's release on HBO Max in 2021.
  • Ray Fisher spoke out against abuse during the Justice League reshoots, leading to investigations and changes within Warner Brothers.
  • The release of the Snyder Cut in March 2021 caused a significant impact, with fans demanding the restoration of the Snyderverse and some calling for a boycott of Warner Brothers.

33:16

DCU Reboot Sparks Confusion and Disappointment

  • Over 8 months, significant changes occurred in the business, starting with the removal of key figures like An Sanov and Toby Emerick.
  • Walter Hamada's contract was extended until October 2022 to avoid termination costs, and he focused on multiple DCEU movies without a clear overarching plan.
  • Hamada aimed to use "The Flash" movie to reset the DCEU, erasing Henry Cavill's Superman and Ben Affleck's Batman in favor of new characters like Supergirl and Batgirl.
  • Plans for a "Crisis on Infinite Earths" adaptation were rumored, involving multiple versions of characters across realities, but no clear long-term strategy was evident in Hamada's movies.
  • Hamada had six films lined up for 2022 and 2023, including "Black Adam," "Batgirl," and "The Flash," with a secret Superman reboot script by James Gunn.
  • "Black Adam" was the first release under Hamada's leadership, but faced mixed reviews and disappointing box office results, despite being the best since "Aquaman" in 2018.
  • The new regime, led by Amala Abdi and Mike Duca, took over, leading to changes in the DCEU and the return of Henry Cavill as Superman.
  • The announcement of James Gunn and Peter Safran as co-heads of DC Studios hinted at a reboot, causing confusion and speculation among fans.
  • Henry Cavill's return as Superman was initially confirmed but later retracted, leading to fan outrage and disappointment, ultimately resulting in his departure from the role.
  • James Gunn officially announced the reboot of the DC Universe as the DCU, with separate storylines and no connection to the DCEU, leading to mixed reactions and declining box office performance for subsequent movies.

49:46

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