Almost 2 Years After Announcing Its Slate, DC Studios Is Still A Mess

by

Almost 2 Years After Announcing Its Slate, DC Studios Is Still A Mess

Key Takeaways

  • DC Studios‘ official slate for the DC Universe has yet to materialize after nearly two years.
  • Fans may grow impatient as DC Studios continues to add new titles to its ever-changing slate.
  • The slow release approach could harm the DC Universe’s audience interest, especially with the delayed debut of Creature Commandos on Max in December.

As a seasoned gamer and DC Universe enthusiast with a decade of comic book fandom under my belt, I find myself growing increasingly impatient as I wait for DC Studios to bring their promised slate of projects to fruition. It’s been nearly two years since James Gunn unveiled the initial slate, and aside from Creature Commandos, there’s nary a peep about any other project.

Approximately two years ago, DC Studios presented their planned lineup for the DC Universe. However, despite this lengthy wait, nothing has been produced from the original list that DC Studios announced earlier. Intriguingly, the slate appears to undergo frequent alterations, with an influx of new projects consistently being moved into production. Given the elapsed time, one would expect something to have been released by now; however, it’s not until December that we’ll finally witness the debut of Creature Commandos, which will be premiered on Max.

Although fans may be thrilled about the prospect of Creature Commandos, the studio’s choice to wait a considerable amount of time between the project announcement and its initial work could potentially raise concerns. Given that fans are not typically known for their patience, maintaining audience excitement can become challenging when there’s such an extended gap between the announcement and the final product. Considering this, we explore the current status of the DC Universe’s lineup and suggest ways to regain momentum before it’s too late.

Overview of DC Studios’ Initial Slate

Almost 2 Years After Announcing Its Slate, DC Studios Is Still A Mess

Last year on January 31st, James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, revealed the initial lineup for the DC Universe. This lineup included “Superman”, “The Authority”, “The Brave and the Bold”, “Supergirl: World of Tomorrow”, and “Swamp Thing” for films, while “Creature Commandos”, “Waller”, “Booster Gold”, “Lanterns”, and “Paradise Lost” were planned for streaming on Max. Currently, “Superman” has completed filming and is gearing up for a summer release next year, while “Supergirl: World of Tomorrow” has already cast its lead actress Milly Alcock and director Craig Gillespie. As for the shows intended for DC Universe, the animated “Creature Commandos” will debut on Max in December, and “Lanterns” has recently cast Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. The remaining projects are still under development, with the studio prioritizing the second season of “Peacemaker” starring John Cena over them. Although DC Studios hasn’t cancelled any previously announced projects, it appears they are already looking forward, despite not having released any project yet.

Most recently, it was revealed that the studio was developing a movie featuring Bane and Deathstroke, with Matthew Orton on hand to pen the screenplay. While earlier this month, it was revealed that the studio was working on an animated film, titled Dynamic Duo, that would focus on Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, highlighting their Robin personas and their origins. The ever-changing slate shows that the studio is still trying to figure out its overarching universe, and that perhaps it is re-evaluating which stories are worthy enough to be told.

Why DC Studios’ Slow Approach Could Ultimately Harm the DC Universe

It seems that having James Gunn on board to guide DC Studios at Warner Bros. gives them an edge, considering his acclaimed work on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise for Marvel Studios. However, it appears that DC Studios is still in the process of figuring out their strategy. While this isn’t necessarily a negative situation, some concerns arise due to Gunn’s previous comments about having a more organized plan for the DC Universe compared to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

During COVID-19, the gap between Marvel Studios’ releases didn’t seem to benefit the studio as much as expected. Shows like “WandaVision” and “Loki” initially sparked a lot of interest, but that enthusiasm waned despite the studio putting out more content. It appears DC Studios might experience a similar fate given their challenging task of re-attracting audiences following a series of box office disappointments by Warner Bros. and DC. Let’s hope that when “Superman” arrives in theaters next summer, it will achieve success where DC’s recent productions have fallen short. Additionally, it would be wise for DC Studios to accelerate their release schedule, considering that James Gunn has hinted at writers who have been developing their slate since early on. For now, fans can only anticipate whether the projects DC Studios has been working on for the past couple of years will live up to the delayed hype.

DC Studios’ first project, Creature Commandos, will debut on Max on December 4, 2024.

Read More

2024-10-16 03:04