Maybe I’m missing something but when reading up on whether the DC universe, which apparently it’s being called now, is going to be integrated, it would sound as though it will be, but then it sounds as though the execs are listening to the fans and trying to keep from diving headfirst into that type of an idea. It’s already been established that while the DCEU has had a lot of great ideas, standalone movies have done well, but they haven’t exactly created an integrated feeling that might strengthen the DC universe as a whole. There’s a lot to consider since from a TV standpoint, DC has been dominant for a while now thanks to the Arrowverse, and thanks to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, and even other shows such as The Flash, they’ve had a bigger presence on TV than Marvel has been able to establish for some time now. The thing about the MCU however is that it worked upward from a very simple idea, WITHOUT a solid base since it came directly from the comics and created something that people enjoyed and found to be appealing as the franchise built around a character that didn’t have a huge following but was given an actor that took the role and ran with it in a manner that was simply amazing. WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff had this to say via MovieWeb:
“We have weekly meetings with our key execs in every division. Last August, I was made head of studios and networks and I now have all of the creative groups underneath me, so now around that table it’s not just Warner Bros. film, Warner Bros. television, and Warner Bros. games, but it includes HBO and HBO Max and the Turner networks, Adult Swim, and the Kids and Family networks. We are involving all of those people in our plans going forward and that means the media is going to be more connected, sometimes in subtle ways and sometimes in more overt ways. Like opposite The Suicide Squad we’re spinning out Peacemaker with James Gunn and John Cena passionately developing that for HBO Max. It’s my job to make sure we super serve our fans across all demos and all fanbases. We’re always going to listen to our fans, but we are in service of the broadest fanbase and we owe them an integrated, holistic strategy. We are the shepherds of the franchise and hopefully when the fans see what we’ve got in store they’ll know that DC is in good hands across many different platforms with many different creators. We want different voices in the mix. For certain fans that want singular voices, they may be disappointed, but we would ask them to be patient and see what we’ve got in store because perhaps the newer voices in the mix will have just as compelling stories to tell. On balance, you of course want to listen to your fans, but we do want to stay true to our vision and our mission for DC and build that out.”
The whole idea of ‘serving the fans’ but then being ‘in service of the broadest fanbase’ sounds like a very contradictory statement that might explain the lack of unity in the DC universe at the moment. But it does sound as though those in charge are trying to unify things, even if it will be a long trek to make such a thing stick. Right now the DC universe is in a good position with plenty of shows coming out and movies being developed that it should be riding high when the next round of movies hits the theaters when they open of course. But for one reason or another there is still a rather big divide in the fanbase simply because the MCU is still riding pretty high after Endgame, and the Snyder Cut, for all that the supporters continue to crow about it, still has its fair share of problems. As it’s been in the not too distant past, DC appears to be doing too much too quickly and not banking on what they have while building it up in creative ways that could still be far different from the MCU while remaining successful.
There are plenty of arguments as to whether the DC universe is really that effective as of now, but it does feel as though finding a way to unify the various stories through various means will be even more successful at one point, since they’re currently doing quite well and just need another big nudge in the right direction to get it all syncing the way it needs to. Sadly, the Snyder Cut isn’t really the unifying point that the DC universe needed, and it’s a hope that his word that he won’t be seeking a sequel is the truth. DC needs something stronger than exposition and imagery for its own sake.
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