Warner Bros. Discovery's future after a week of speculation and apocalyptic speculation, the business finally revealed some of its plans for the future during an investor call on Thursday. While much of what CEO David Zaslav said was far from the predictions of many, the executives' statements on the Batgirlmovie and what the DC Universe will look like in the future have raised more questions.
Warner Bros. Discovery is aiming for a quality-over-quantity approach to content, which includes the DC Universe. I said we would not go into a film to make a quarter, and we would not release a film until we believe in it. And that's it. Particularly with DC, where we think we want to shift, we want to elevate, and we want to focus.
Zaslav explained that the company has taken a thorough look at the numbers for its direct-to-streaming titles, as well as the entire direct-to-streaming video model in general, and that it is unable to find any economic case for it. Instead, the studio will focus on theatrical releases for blockbusters, and on a new and improved DC Universe.
The CEO also laid forth the company's intention to revive its superhero brands, pointing specifically to Disney, and its bold, unprecedentedly successful approach to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Zaslav told investors that they have done a complete overhaul. Where will there be a team with a 10-year strategy focusing only on DC? It's very similar to the structure that Alan Horn and Bob Iger put together very effectively with Kevin Feige at Disney.
While a 10-year plan may sound feasible in theory, none of Zaslav's comments revealed what this might be like in practice. Part of the appeal of Marvels films was their endless interconnectivity. Each story, sometimes to its own detriment, was dependent on the larger story, giving the world the building blocks for its next big team-up or villain.
DC is currently juggling several disconnected universes. Theres Flash, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, all part of the universe Zack Snyder started with Man of Steel, which seem to have little connection to the Shazam and Black Adamstories, which may or may not be connected to anything else or each other.
Despite the fact that there are at least two Batman universes, one is led by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, and is doing at least two spinoff shows and a sequel for the time being. The other is Todd Phillips' Joker universe, which is dominated by actors Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and seems disconnected from everything else.
The current scattershot, director-driven strategy between DC and Warner Bros. was not always the intention. Under Snyder, DC planned to bring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman together to form the Justice League, then give heroes like Aquaman, Flash, Cyborg, and Green Lantern stand-alone films of their own.
The DC lineup is now seemingly pivoting once more, and it's unclear how the Warner Bros. multiple universes will continue, or even if theyll all join at some point.
Warner Bros. has also announced several other sequels that were meant to be released direct to streaming, a Ta-Nehisi Coates and J.J. Abrams' Superman story, and a Supergirl movie that all remain in doubt right now.
The Flash is a film that has been postponed several times, but Zaslav claims it's still part of Warner Bros. Discovery's future plans, and it's a film that a lot of people inside the studio are raving about. In recent months, Ezra Miller has been implicated in numerous negative incidents, including arrests for assault and disorderly conduct and allegations of child endangerment.
Despite all the attention Warners DC lineup received during and before the investor call, it isn't clear that much is changing. Warner made it clear that it's still committed to DC's hero lineup, and that major theatrical blockbusters will always be the focus. Other than that, and the reorganization of Batgirl, DC's future remains a mystery.