Do Any DCEU Movies Matter Moving Forward?
The Flash was highly anticipated by fans, but it turned out to be a major disappointment at the box office. Despite being a long-awaited film, it performed well below expectations and opened with less box office revenue than lesser-known Marvel films like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals, which also opened during the pandemic. This, combined with the lackluster performance of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, suggests that audiences are not invested in the DCEU. James Gunn’s reboot of the DCU might be what the franchise needs to revive itself.
Although The Flash was meant to be the end of the DCEU, it has ended with a whimper. The focus is now on Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, two of the last films that were greenlit before the new DC plans. It remains unclear what the future holds for these films, as Gunn has hinted that Blue Beetle is part of the DCU, while Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has a connection to the DCEU. There is a chance that the announcement of new plans may have killed the buzz for these remaining films.
The DCEU has been struggling since it launched in 2013 with Man of Steel. Although 2016’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were box office hits, they were hated by critics, and audiences also turned on them quickly after opening weekend. While 2017’s Wonder Woman was both a critical and box office hit, by the time 2017’s Justice League hit theaters, audiences were already skeptical of the brand, and the movie drastically underperformed. Justice League was also plagued with behind-the-scenes production issues, much of it resulting from the backlash to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Warner Bros. becoming reactionary.
All of this has culminated in The Flash, a movie so beleaguered by issues that its auxiliary stars had to carry the press tour. It seems that Warner Bros. wanted to generate excitement for the film without putting in the work. The Flash was meant to give the DCEU a send-off, but it is unclear if it is really over. The movie and the filmmakers themselves have been unclear about the future of the DCEU and the various characters that are going into the new DCU.
Now that the DCEU is gone, James Gunn’s DCU can live. He has already thrown down his gauntlet of new projects, and they look like a return to form. The characters will no longer follow the gritty/grey formula but will have life and light. The big, blue boy scout of Superman will be back in the air for truth and justice. Batman will be brooding, but he will have the entire Bat family to contend with, and characters like Green Lantern, Swamp Thing, and Booster Gold will get their moment. Gunn has said that his DCU will have none of the Marvel everything-in-New-York mentality. Instead, he is offering a brand-new world.
Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are still set for release in 2023. Although audiences might write these movies off as they do not think they will matter in the larger story, they can still have value on their own terms. Superhero movies are not just chapters for the next piece. If any film in the DCEU is successful, elements will likely be brought over into the DCU. So what matters is what connects with the audience.
After ten years, the DCEU is finally at a close. It certainly has its fans, and if the recent array of legacy sequels has shown, it is never too late for these characters and concepts to return. In five to ten years, there is a chance Affleck and Cavill could return in some multiverse crossover with the new Batman and Superman. Yet it is apparent after so many box office bombs, DC needs to rethink its strategy. A clean slate might be what gets everyone back on board. Same toys, different sandbox. The DCU is here to stay.
The Flash has been a big disappointment at the box office. The long-awaited film finally arrived in theaters and performed well below expectations and opened less in its opening weekend than lesser-known films based on competitors Marvel like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternalswhich both also opened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combine that with the box office bomb that was Shazam! Fury of the Godsit seems like audiences just are not invested in the DCEU and that the reboot of the DCU announced by James Gunn might be what the franchise needs.
The Flash was meant to be the end of the DCEU, a fitting farewell, but it has now gone off with a whimper. All eyes are now on Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdomtwo of the last films that were greenlit before the new DC plans. It is unclear the status of those films, as Gunn has hinted Blue Beetle is part of the DCU, while Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom have a connection to the DCEU. There is a chance the new plans being announced killed any buzz for the remaining films. Will audiences turn out for these movies? Will they even care if they know that new plans are in place?
Did the DCEU Movies Matter?
The DCEU has been on a rough footing since it launched in 2013 with Man of Steel. Under the vision of Zack Snyder, the director gave a dark and gritty version of the DC heroes. 2016’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were box office hits but were hated by critics, and audiences also turned on them quickly after opening weekend. While 2017’s Wonder Woman was both a critical and box office hit, by the time 2017’s Justice League hit theaters, audiences were already skeptical of the brand, and the movie drastically underperformed.
Justice League was also riddled with behind-the-scenes production issues, much of it resulting from the backlash to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Warner Bros. becoming reactionary. Behind the scenes, conflicts and struggles became the default narrative for DC. All of it has, in some ways, culminating in The Flasha movie so beleaguered by Ezra Miller issues that its auxiliary stars had to carry the press tour. Warner Bros. never really gave many words about why they were backing the Ezra Miller project after the various allegations, but we can be sure it started with mo- and ended with -ney. There was too much of it already spent, too much hype in the machine, and cheap cameos. They wanted to generate the same excitement a Marvel movie gets without putting in the work.
The Flash gave the DCEU a send-off, but is it really over? The movie and the filmmakers themselves have been unclear about the future of the DCEU and the various characters that are going into the new DCU. It is clear there will be a new Superman, but nobody has answered what happens to Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman or Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn.
James Gunn Prepares
Now that the E is gone, the DCU can live. James Gunn has already thrown down his gauntlet of new projects, and they look like a return to form. The characters will no longer follow the gritty/grey formula but will have life and light. The big, blue boy scout of Superman will be back in the air for truth and justice. Batman will be brooding but will have the entire Bat family to contend with (including a son), and characters like Green Lantern, Swamp Thing, and Booster Gold will get their moment.
Gunn has said that his DCU will have none of the Marvel everything-in-New-York mentality. Instead, he is offering a brand-new world. He will follow comic book storylines, tie in a variety of media, including film, TV, and even animation, and display this colorful pastiche to all the haters who say that “the formula” has led to superhero fatigue. For James Gunn and the DCU, there is no such thing as fatigue if you present things in a new and refreshing form. And Gunn is the one to present it in just that manner.
The producer, writer, and director was once hailed as the savior of the Marvel universe. He brought the Guardians of the Galaxya ragtag group of misfits, to the forefront and made them household names. His take on the humor-mixed-with-violence genre gave him carte-blanche to devote time and energy to characters that nobody had ever heard of. Then Warner Bros. came along, offered him a shot at The Suicide Squada story of a ragtag group of misfits, and he knocked it clear out of the park. If it was an audition, he wasn’t out the door before they were fitting him for his leading-man costume. Now he is standing in front of a library of comic books, tapping his index finger to his lips and wondering which characters will get top billing in his new DCU.
What Happens To The Remaining Films
Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are still set for release in 2023. Audiences might write these movies off the bat as they don’t think they will matter in the larger story. Even if neither film is part of an ongoing story, they can still have value on their own terms. Superhero movies are not just chapters for the next piece. Back in the 2000s, superhero movies could be stand-alone films, and an audience saw them because the character or concept looked cool. A movie’s value is not in if it is part of a larger franchise. Nobody would say Top Gun: Maverick does not count if they know Top Gun 3 isn’t going to happen because what matters is the movie.
If any film in the DCEU is successful, elements will likely be brought over into the DCU. So what matters is what connects with the audience. Outside of a few heroes like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, the DCEU never got general audiences invested in their franchise. They had a rough start, and by the time they recovered, audience goodwill had gone down, and the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which threw everything into disarray.
Why the DCEU Must Stay Dead
After ten years, the DCEU is finally at a close. It certainly has its fans, and if the recent array of legacy sequels has shown, it is never too late for these characters and concepts to return. In five to ten years, there is a chance Affleck and Cavill could return in some multiverse crossover with the new Batman and Superman. Yet it is apparent after so many box office bombs, DC needs to rethink its strategy. A clean slate might be what gets everyone back on board.
The Flash should be a reminder that too many universes spoil the pot. If Gunn and the DCU are going to succeed, they need to take their toys and start a brand-new game of make-believe. Same toys, different sandbox. We even have our first look at the DCU, as Blue Beetle will be the first character of the new universe. It looks fun, it looks colorful, and its small-scale action reminds viewers of how the MCU got its start with a small-scale robotic superhero.
The DCEU is dead. Long live the DCU.
