{"id":19836,"date":"2022-08-05T14:40:13","date_gmt":"2022-08-05T12:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1690848"},"modified":"2022-08-05T15:02:10","modified_gmt":"2022-08-05T13:02:10","slug":"what-does-the-batgirl-axe-mean-for-the-future-of-dc-movies","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/what-does-the-batgirl-axe-mean-for-the-future-of-dc-movies\/","title":{"rendered":"What does the Batgirl axe mean for the future of DC movies?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By David Craig\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 05 August 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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At a time when Marvel Studios is producing so much content that viewers are at risk of becoming fatigued, DC Comics is making complete movies only to cancel them at the eleventh hour. It\u2019s a shocking situation that sent comic book fans into furore earlier this week, as Leslie Grace\u2019s Batgirl film was abruptly shelved<\/a>\u00a0after gathering some hype with an early still and behind-the-scenes images. It raises serious questions about the future of the DC Extended Universe, which has fallen into a state of disarray in recent years as its fandom remains bitterly divided.<\/p>\n

Most vocal are the Zack Snyder fans, who successfully lobbied Warner Bros to release a major re-edit of 2017\u2019s failed Justice League<\/a>\u00a0last year, on which the stylised director had complete creative control. While this version of the film fared better with critics and was adored by diehard fans, it didn\u2019t cut through to the mainstream in the way that execs would have hoped, with estimated first week HBO Max<\/a> viewership coming in lower than Wonder Woman 1984<\/a>, The Suicide Squad<\/a> and The Batman<\/a>. Nevertheless, calls to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse persist across social media.<\/p>\n

For that group, the demise of Batgirl has been considered something of a victory, as many felt that the film\u2019s planned re-introduction of Michael Keaton\u2019s Batman<\/a> was a direct violation of Snyder\u2019s vision (where Ben Affleck was established in the role). However, at Warner Bros\u2019 earnings call on Thursday, the studio made no indication that it would re-enlist the filmmaker for its DC output, with cryptic comments on the matter hinting more towards a soft reboot \u2013 or \u201creset\u201d as Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav described it.<\/p>

\u201cWe think that we could build a long-term, much stronger, sustainable growth business out of DC,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd as part of that, we\u2019re going to focus on quality. We\u2019re not going to release any film before it\u2019s ready. We\u2019re not going to release a film to make the quarter.\u201d Zaslav went on to namecheck Black Adam<\/a>, Shazam! Fury of the Gods<\/a> and The Flash<\/a> as titles that are still headed to cinemas, the last of which being somewhat surprising to fans given the current controversy surrounding its star Ezra Miller. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen \u2018em, we think they\u2019re terrific, and we think we can make them even better,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

This renewed commitment to quality was one reason for Batgirl\u2019s cancellation, as Leslie Grace\u2019s superhero debut was reportedly panned by select audiences in test screenings (via New York Post<\/a>). At the earnings call, the prioritisation of theatrical projects was confirmed as another factor, in stark contrast to the streaming exclusives that have become ever more prominent at rival studios. That\u2019s good news for the live-action Blue Beetle film, which switched from HBO Max to theatrical exclusive late last year, but could potentially pose an issue to Peacemaker<\/a> and other planned DC spin-off shows.<\/p>\n