The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has endured an interesting 2023 (Picture: Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection)
DC Studios boasts some of the biggest superheroes from Superman to Batman and Wonder Woman but, ironically, all the action seems to be happening behind-the-scenes at the moment.
Movie buffs are reeling from the news that Henry Cavill will not be returning as Superman after all, just weeks after the actor excitedly announced he was reprising the iconic role.
That’s not the only bombshell to rock the blockbuster movie studio in recent weeks, which has just welcomed two new co-chairs in the form of The Suicide Squad director James Gunn stepping up to head the company alongside Aquaman producer Peter Safran.
Amid the change of hands, the studio has also been forced to delay the release of its biggest upcoming titles while talk has rambled on about its big-budget productions.
This is all just months after the controversy surrounding the ill-fated and expensive Batgirl movie, which was scrapped from release despite production nearly completed.
As the sun sets on DC Films of yesteryear and a new dawn awakens in the superhero universe, here’s a look into what has been a tumultuous year for one of Hollywood’s biggest film studios…
The future of Batman and Superman is being rewritten (Picture: Warner Bros.)
Superman
Speculation had been rife for years about whether Henry, 39, would reprise his role as the beloved superhero.
The Witcher actor was first cast as Clark Kent in 2010 before making his screen debut as the character in 2013’s Man of Steel. In 2016, he starred in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice alongside Ben Affleck as his nemesis, and then again in 2017’s Justice League.
Then, Black Adam was released in October and fans were treated to an end credits scene that featured Henry in Superman’s famous red cape.
To celebrate the end of the film’s opening weekend, Henry then surprised fans by confirming he was officially reprising the role in an Instagram video.
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‘I wanted to make it official that I am back as Superman,’ he told his followers.
‘The image you see in this post and what you saw in Black Adam are just a very small taste of things to come. There’s a lot to be thankful for and I’ll get to that in time but I wanted to thank you guys most of all, thank you for your support, thank you for your patience. I promise it will be rewarded.’
However, less than two months later Henry delivered the disappointing news that he will not be cast in the next Superman movie after all.
Will we ever see Henry Cavill in Superman’s suit again? (Picture: Warner Bros. DC)
‘I have just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran and it’s sad news, everyone. I will, after all, not be returning as Superman,’ the actor said in an Instagram statement.
‘After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life.
‘The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that.’
James confirmed the news and explained that DC will be developing a Superman movie following the character in his younger years.
Aquaman
Aquaman 2, officially titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, found itself in headlines this summer thanks to Amber Heard’s trial against Johnny Depp.
The actress, who plays Mera, claimed in court that her role had been reduced as she battled a highly-publicised legal dispute with her ex-husband. She also claimed that she ‘fought really hard to stay in the movie’.
However, during the bombshell defamation trial, Walter Hamada, president of DC Films at Warner Bros, testified that there were fears of a ‘lack of chemistry’ between Amber and lead star Jason Momoa, claiming there were talks of recasting her.
Amber Heard claimed her role in Aquaman 2 has been reduced (Picture: Warner Bros.)
A petition to have Amber removed from the film reached 4.5million signatures.
Unfortunately, the sequel’s problems haven’t ended there as it was reported this month that the film has been delayed and will now be released on December 25, 2023 instead of March the same year.
It’s thought that the reason behind the delay is that the film needs more time in post-production.
Instead, Shazam! Fury of the Gods has been pushed back to Aquaman’s old release spot of March 17, 2023.
Wonder Woman
Director Patty Jenkins was said to have submitted treatment for a possible Wonder Woman 3, but that it was rejected by DC bosses.
However, the filmmaker – who directed 2017’s Wonder Woman and its 2020 sequel – said she did not want the ‘beautiful journey’ of the franchise to ‘land on a negative note’ and ‘will not allow inaccuracies to continue’.
In a lengthy statement on Twitter, Jenkins acknowledged that the franchise was ‘buried in changes’ and that difficult decisions had to be made.
Wonder Woman 3, with Gal Gadot as the lead, remains a question mark (Picture: Rex Features)
‘When there started being backlash about WW3 not happening, the attractive clickbait false story that it was me that killed it or walked away started to spread,’ she wrote.
‘This is simply not true. I never walked away. I was open to considering anything asked of me. It was my understanding there was nothing I could do to move anything forward at this time.
‘DC is obviously buried in changes they are having to make, so I understand these decisions are difficult right now.’
Patty Jenkins admitted she was even unsure if she’ll be brought back to helm a third film (Picture: Getty Images)
She added: ‘I do not want what has been a beautiful journey with WW to land on [a] negative note. I have loved and been so honoured to be the person who got to make these last two Wonder Woman films.
‘She is an incredible character. Living in and around her values makes one a better person every day. I wish her and her legacy an amazing future ahead, with or without me.’
James Gunn and Peter Safran’s arrival
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav had the daunting task of finding a replacement for DC Films boss Walter Hamada, who departed in October.
He came up with not one, but two co-chair and co-CEOs announcing Gunn and Safran as the new heads of DC’s film, TV and animation.
James Gunn has been put in charge of DC’s creative vision (Picture: FilmMagic)
Pater Safran will co-chair beside Gunn handling the company’s business and production (Picture: Getty Images)
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn will take charge of the creative side while Safran is heading up the business and production aspects. It’s a win-win for the filmmakers as they’ll continue to direct and produce their own projects.
The deal will reportedly run for four years and will see Gunn signed exclusively to DC.
Zaslav said in a statement: ‘Their decades of experience in filmmaking, close ties to the creative community, and proven track record thrilling superhero fans around the globe make them uniquely qualified to develop a long-term strategy across film, TV, and animation, and take this iconic franchise to the next level of creative storytelling.’
Batgirl
Last but by no means least, Batgirl truly opened our eyes to the apparent chaos going on behind-the-scenes at DC.
In August, a WC spokesperson confirmed Batgirl would not see the light of day – at all.
A spokesperson said: ‘The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max. Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance.
Leslie Grace will not get to see her big screen debut as Batgirl in her standalone film (Picture: Warner Bros.)
‘We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.’
It came as a huge shock to fans, who learned of the eye-watering $80million budget, but none more surprised than the film’s two directors themselves who said they were blindsided by the move.
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah initially said they were ‘shocked and saddened’ but felt ‘privileged’ to have worked on the star-studded picture, which included Leslie Grace, Michael Keaton, Brendan Fraser and JK Simmons in the cast.
Fallah recently told Deadline: ‘It was a traumatic experience.’
El Arbi added: ‘At that time, it was pretty unprecedented, so it was like movie history, but in a crazy way.’
When asked if there’s any way fans could see the film in the future, El Arbi said: ‘No, not at all.
‘Should it maybe be released, there’s still a lot of work to be done and I don’t know if they are really going to go back for that.’
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The movie studio is undergoing a huge transformation as new heads step in.
