Summary
DC Studiosis seeking to start from scratch after the failed DC Extended Universe spearheaded by the previous Warner Bros. regime. Now, with James Gunn and Peter Sarafan runningDC Studiosfor Warner Bros., the duo are looking to focus on characters that might not be as well known among general audiences, such asCreature Commandos. However, it’s a risky move for DC Studios to try and follow the same model as Marvel Studios, which kickstarted the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the then lesser-known Iron Man.
In the case of DC Studios, the studio should have started out with some of its bigger characters. WhileSupermanis set to take to the theaters next year, the studio’s plans for Wonder Woman, and even Batman, look to still be a ways off. With the trio having shown their box office potential previously, DC Studios would’ve been smart to introduce some of the bigger heroes before focusing on projects featuring lesser-known characters introduced inCreature Commandos. Especially as general audiences might not be as interested in projects that stray from the characters they already know and love.
DC Studios Doesn’t Need to Focus on Smaller Characters
While DC Studios and Marvel Studios are two different entities, the former seems to be taking cues from Marvel Studios. Rather than trying to kickstart its new shared universe with the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, DC Studios is taking inspiration from Marvel Studios. Of course, in the case of Marvel Studios, the studio had no option but to focus on its smaller characters, with Spider-Man, X-Men, and the Fantastic Four having been owned by other studios at the time. This isn’t the case with DC Studios. In fact, DC Studios had the potential to use any of DC Comics' iconic heroes in order to begin its shared universe, but it opted to kick things off with theanimatedCreature Commandos. For comic book fans, it’s an exciting decision. Unfortunately, though, the studio should be more focused on pulling in general audiences. While Batman and Supermanhave received countless films, both characters have shown they are typically box office guarantees. In fact, the most recent Batman movie,The Batman, earned over $772 million worldwide. Gunn and Sarafan seem eager to make something special with DC Studios, but the studio is facing multiple obstacles going into a new universe.
The DC Extended Universeleft a bad taste in many fans' mouths. The firstWonder Womanmovie was a critical success, earning over $822.96 million worldwide, but its sequel was a misfire. While many felt the DC Extended Universe failed to portray an accurate Superman, resulting in the decision not to give the hero a sequel to TheMan of Steel. Still, despite this, the trinity fared better than other DC heroes, withShazam!’s second movie failing to ignite at the box office, andBlue Beetle,The Flash, andBlack Adamcontinuing the franchise’s downward spiral at the box office. Starting with something likeCreature Commandosis a choice that could ultimately backfire.
The Impact of DC Studios' Decisions on its Future
While DC Studios won’t release its first theatrical film until next year’sSuperman, the film is set to come after DC continues tofind itself struggling at the box office. The latest DC movie,Joker: Folie à Deux,bombed at the box office, having only earned $165.31 million worldwide thus far. This, of course, is after the first film earned $96.2 million in its opening weekend five years ago, before going on to cross a billion at the worldwide box office. While there will be some able to differentiate between the past DC films and DC Studios' future, most general audiences won’t be able to tell the difference. DC Studios has the potential to truly rival Marvel Studios, but it currently has everything working against it. The decision not to make a third Wonder Woman movie was a frustrating one for fans of Patty Jenkins' proposed trilogy. However, DC Studios could’ve righted its wrong by choosing to start over with a new Wonder Woman franchise, using the popular character to headline the new shared universe. It could’ve benefited the studio greatly, especially with a brand-new Superman already on the way. Focusing on Wonder Woman and Superman would’ve allowed the studio enough time to ready its new caped crusader, as it waits for Matt Reeves torelease the next two installmentsin hisBatmantrilogy beforethe role is eventually recastfor the new shared universe.
Of course, with DC Studios yet to release its first official film, it’s possible the studio could surprise, and its choices could very much work in its favor. Audiences could be intrigued by James Gunn both writing and directing the project, and the idea of a Superman whomore closely resembles the herothey’ve come to know from the comic books. For now, fans will have to wait and see how DC Studios' decision to begin its new universe with a project likeCreature Commandosultimately pays off.
