There’s a lot of uncertainty related to Warner Bros. Discovery this week, especially regarding their DCmovies. Withthe shocking announcementthatBatgirl, which was once set to premiere on HBO Max, will not be released in any capacity, many superhero fans found themselves wondering what would happen to their promising slate of comic book properties.
While there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the company’s plans under new CEODavid Zaslav, he came forward to announce that this year’sBlack AdamandShazam! Fury of the Gods, as well as next year’sThe Flash, were not on the chopping block. Rather, Zaslav was quick to compliment all three of these upcoming blockbusters, and he claimed that he’s only looking to make them better in the weeks and months ahead.
During the company’s recent investor call, Zaslav had the following to say about the DC adaptations:
“We have seenThe Flash,Black AdamandShazam 2.We are very excited about them. We’ve seen them. We think they are terrific, and we think we can make them even better.”
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The reasoning behindBatgirl’s surprise cancellation, which wasreportedlydone to collect a tax write-off for a film that didn’t fit in the company’s theatrical-focused plans moving forward, hasn’t been completely confirmed by Zaslav. It’s been unclear if the unfinished film’s quality had anything to do with its erasure from the company’s schedule. Reports have beenmixedas far as whether the movie’s test screenings werepositiveor negative, but Zaslav has claimed that the movie’s quality had nothing to do with this call.
Rather, the CEO notes thatBatgirldidn’t match their intentions moving forward. It was made to be seen on HBO Max, with a scope that’s too small for theaters but too big for the small screen. While someclaimthat there were plans to spend more money to make the movie more of a blockbuster, WB decided it ultimately wasn’t worth the hassle —much to the disappointmentof fans and its creators.
With that said, in addition to Zaslav’s praise, it should also be noted that Collider has also spoken with people who have seen test screenings ofShazamandThe Flash.Similar to the CEO, they’re all quite positive about the films. One person, in particular, praisedMichael Keatonreprising his role as Batman inThe Flash, andthey wanted even more of the veteran actor.
We’ll have a better idea of WB’s plans moving forward in the months and years ahead, particularly when it comes to their DC properties, which appear to be their high priority — in spite ofBatgirl’s sorry fate. We will continue to keep you posted on the latest developments as they arise.
