“Wonder Woman 3” is on hold and will not be further developed by Warner and DC. This is a huge blow to all fans of DC, Gal Gadot and Wonder Woman, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Because apparently DC could be in for a bigger upheaval than most previously thought possible – and that may even mean a complete end to the so-called Synderverseie all the movie series and characters introduced under “Justice League” director Zack Snyder.
The plans are not yet final, the American trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter emphasizes in its extensive DC article, and the new DC Studios bosses Peter Safran and James Gunn would actually present them to the new Warner boss David Zaslav next week. Yet What the well-connected and highly reliable industry magazine has discovered sounds very much like a major upheaval…
No More Aquaman: New Role for Jason Momoa?
Aquaman grossed nearly $1.15 billion at the worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing DC film of all time. Set to hit theaters on December 21, 2023, Aquaman 2: Lost Kingdom should also be a hit – and yet Jason Momoa’s role as an underwater superhero could end after that.
In a sense, that would even make sense, because “Aquaman 2” is the last DC movie with a theatrical release made under the auspices of the old DC leadership. So it doesn’t seem impossible for Gunn and Safran to draw a line and then start again – and that with (!) Jason Momoa.
Because it has been circulating since shortly after the change of management at DC Rumors and speculation that Momoa could play a new DC character: the crass intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo. The character would suit “Guardians Of The Galaxy” and “The Suicide Squad” creator James Gunn as well as Momoa – and the Aquaman ending would prevent a star from playing two different DC characters at the same time.
But no “Man Of Steel 2”?
Slightly less shocking, but still surprising, is the possible exit (again) of Henry Cavill as Superman and “Man Of Steel 2”. Surprising because Cavill just got into “Black Adamwhen Superman returnedafter much uncertainty about his future at DC.
And again writes, Warner and DC worked on a sequel to Man Of Steel for a while. Apparently, the then leadership even wanted another “Justice League” movie starring the Snyderverse team. Yet under Gunn and Safran, those plans are now a thing of the past.
“The Flash” as a key film?
In addition, Warner is also currently debating or the planned cameos of Aquaman and Superman in the upcoming DC movie”the flash“be a good idea. After all, it is possible that you promise something that you then never (or at least not for the time being) keep.
In principle, however, “The Flash” would be a way to substantively explain the turmoil at DC or the departure from the Snyderverse. “The Flash” is about traveling through several parallel worlds and dimensions and is at least loosely based on the “Flashpoint” comic template, which shows an alternate version of the DC Comics universe.
So maybe you can use The Flash to close that era of the DC Movie Universe and tell new stories in a new world of the DC Multiverse from now on. This would at least keep alive the possibility of bringing back or continuing individual characters or film series at some point.
“Black Adam 2” on the rim
But back to “Black Adam”: In recent days, a bitter battle has been fought in Hollywood for the sovereignty of interpretation, mainly about whether the film is a flop or whether it makes a (small) profit. for Warner. Lead actor Dwayne Johnson has also become involved and there is disagreement between the trade journals. Of the but now writes that a sequel to “Black Adam” is unlikely.
Because even if the movie ended up making a profit, by all Hollywood industry standards, a sequel would definitely be more expensive, without guaranteeing higher sales in the cinema and home theater at the same time. Added to that is loud that Johnson may have gambled by pushing for a Henry Cavill comeback.
That also fits in the magazine in an article about the fact that “Black Adam” should very well make a profit has already been rowed back a bit and changed a paragraph. It originally stated that Johnson was working on Black Adam 2 and a Hawkman spin-off, and that Safran and Gunn were on the verge of really getting the franchise off the ground. However, this part is notably missing from the updated version of the article.
What about “Blue Beetle” & “Shazam 2”? And “peacemakers”?
Despite everything, countless questions remain unanswered, should Warner really go down this road and bury the Snyderverse in whole or at least in large parts. What about the “Shazam” series that only started after Snyder’s departure (“Shazam 2” hits theaters March 16, 2023)? and Is James Gunn really ending the series he wrote and directed?Peacekeeper‘, a spin-off of his ‘The suicide squad“?
And what about “Blue Beetle,” which is set to launch on August 17, 2023, and it’s likely without major links to Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Co. as well. will set? Will there be a sequel when the movie hits theaters?
Nothing is set in stone for sure yet and until we really know exactly what’s going on, we’ll have to wait at least until next week, but possibly until next year, when the plans are made public. It probably doesn’t hurt if DC fans are gearing up for some big changes now…