Tag: dc films

Henry Cavill’s Superman Return Was Opposed by Warner Bros., Black Adam’s Dwayne Johnson Reveals

Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson has revealed that Warner Bros. did not want Henry Cavill back as Superman. In a video celebrating the DC Comics film topping the Apple TV chart in the US, the actor praised Cavill’s return during the post-credits scene, before taking some shots at the larger figures at play at DC Films (now DC Studios). “At the end of the day, the studio was not bringing Henry Cavill back — inexplicably and inexcusably,” he said, further stressing that the idea has been years in the making. “But we weren’t gonna take no for an answer.”

Johnson then voiced his appreciation for Cavill’s take on Superman, calling him the “greatest” and noting that everything in the DC Comics universe circles back to him. “There was no way, there’s no viable, logical way that you can attempt to build out the DC Universe without the most powerful force and the greatest superhero of all time sitting on the sidelines. It’s impossible to do.” A previous report suggested that Johnson had been hatching the idea for Cavill’s return as Superman for the past four years, which was rejected by DC Films president Walter Hamada, who wanted to stray far from Zack Snyder’s foundation and continuity.

The disapproval drove Johnson to meet with Warner Bros. Pictures heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who approved Cavill’s inclusion in Black Adam. At the time, Hamada had plans to introduce a Black Superman, based on the fictional US President Calvin Ellis from Earth-23 in DC Comics. The executive has now silently exited the studio and heads the horror genre at Paramount Pictures.

Meanwhile, Cavill confirmed that he’s back to play the red-caped superhero, with reports claiming that a Man of Steel sequel is at play in the Warner Bros. Discovery offices. Charles Roven (The Dark Knight) is attached to produce, as a hunt for writers goes on.

Now that Black Adam and the Justice Society of America (JSA) have been introduced to the public, Johnson intends to start building out the DC Universe “properly, strategically, smartly.” “Again, the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe has changed,” he said, referring to the newly appointed co-heads at the brand-new DC Studios, filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran. The pair will oversee all upcoming DC Comics movies, shows, and animated projects — the former tends to the creative side, while the latter takes care of things on the business and production end.

Released on October 20, Black Adam grossed a worldwide total of $378.1 million (about Rs. 3,090 crore), as it introduced a bunch of new superheroes to the DC Universe. The film marks The Rock’s career-best opening weekend as the lead actor. Black Adam is now available on video-on-demand platforms in the US. An India OTT date is not known.

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DC Films Eyes Lego Franchise Producer Dan Lin as New Head, in the Vein of MCU’s Kevin Feige: Report

DC Films might have found its Kevin Feige in Dan Lin. The executive-turned producer is reportedly in contention to overlook all upcoming movies and TV series for the superhero arm. The decision comes in the wake of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav laying out a 10-year plan for the DC brand — kickstarting a “reset” under a new team, focused on quality over quantity. The move will see current DC Films President Walter Hamada stepping down, paving the way for Lin to take over.

New candidate Lin, known for producing the Academy Award-winning The Lego Movie, is one of the strong contenders to take on the role. As per The Hollywood Reporter, the proposed system will skip three division heads — Warner Bros. Pictures’ heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, HBO/ HBO Max chief Casey Bloys, and Warner Bros. TV chair Channing Dungey — putting control in the hands of one person.

Lin also shepherded 2017’s The Lego Batman Movie, noting in a podcast earlier this month, that in 2008, he almost got the job of “overseeing the entire DC franchise.” At the time, he was working on a now-cancelled Justice League film with Oscar-winning filmmaker George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road).

Reports claim that Hamada, the current head of DC Films, would transition out of the role. THR’s sources claim that the involved parties are discussing salary and the future of Lin’s production company Rideback. That said, the current DC chief will oversee the Dwayne Johnson-led Black Adam’s cinematic release on October 21. Earlier this month, it was revealed that Hamada was not consulted on the shocking cancellation of the live-action Batgirl movie, starring Leslie Grace in the lead.

Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that cancelling Wonder Twins, Batgirl, and Scoob! Holiday Haunt was a difficult part of this strategy, but it did not fit their vision to maximise financial returns. Other reports indicated that Batgirl underwent test screenings, with audiences calling it “irredeemable.” The movie, which was originally planned for an HBO Max release will not see the light of day, in cinemas or on the streaming platform.

CEO Zaslav stated earlier this month, that he was looking for a Kevin Feige-like figure to guide the DC Films brand over the next 10 years. Similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where all character stories are interwoven with each other, and eventually build up to a dramatic climax. At Warner Bros. Discovery’s earnings call webcast, he also confirmed that Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, alongside the problematic Ezra Miller-led The Flash, have been marked safe for release. However, the David F. Sandberg-directed Shazam! sequel has been delayed to a March 17 release date.

Even James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom got pushed to December 25, 2023, as it needs more time in post-production. Meanwhile, Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux is in the early stages of production, while Matt Reeves has begun co-writing The Batman sequel with Mattson Tomlin. Both are deemed quality products by the WBD offices.

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