Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: dcu

  • ‘Shazam’ Director Teases More is Possible in James Gunn’s New DCU

    ‘Shazam’ Director Teases More is Possible in James Gunn’s New DCU

    The moment James Gunn showcased his new DC slate for the newly founded DC Studios, many expected the current run of DC-based characters to be ending their run. No one knows if Ezra Miller will return after The Flash, especially with all the drama surrounding his public actions. Dwayne Johnson‘s JSA-focused mini-cinematic universe is definitely out after the chaos that was Black Adam. Yet, we now stand at a curious crossroads where many are wondering if they should even check out the latest DC entry.

    Of course, it’s always good to support a film no matter if it’s part of some bigger plan or not. And, for those specifically uncertain about Shazam’s future in the newly founded DCU, director David F. Sandberg has confirmed that he’s already had talks internally in regards to the franchise’s future and there’s actively no reason that they couldn’t make more films. Well, only if no one ends up watching the film.

    https://twitter.com/ponysmasher/status/1630409449860141058

    The only thing potentially hurting Shazam! Fury of the Gods is that it seemingly is not getting any real marketing push from Warner Bros. and is projected to open to a soft $40M. That is a far cry from the first film’s release and it’s unclear if it truly is just the lack of promotion or also the sour taste left by the Black Adam fallout. There’s a chance with raving reviews that it builds up more momentum and could go beyond the soft opening expectations but the question is if it’ll end up turning a profit, especially if DC Studios sees potential in at least a third entry.

    Source: Twitter

  • Jason Momoa Rumored to Be Abandoning Aquaman Amid Reports of Shoddy Sequel

    Jason Momoa Rumored to Be Abandoning Aquaman Amid Reports of Shoddy Sequel

    While James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s new DC Universe comes together, it may be doing so with a new Aquaman eventually. As reports by a pair of trusted insiders indicated that Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom is shaping up as a stinker, a new rumor suggests that film will be the last go around as Arthur Curry for star Jason Momoa.

    According to both Viewer Anona and Big Screen Leaks, James Wan‘s sequel to the financially lucrative Aquaman is testing incredibly poorly ahead of its December 2023 release. Though the first film wasn’t a critical darling, it did rake in over $1B at the box office. As the old DC slate begins to give way to DC Studios’ plans, Warner Bros. would certainly like to near that mark again but it may be rough especially as a follow-up rumor indicates that Aquaman star Jason Momoa is bailing on the franchise.

    The news isn’t all bad for DC fans, however, as it seems Momoa has another DC role in mind…one that might be right up his alley. The new role shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who have been paying attention, but according to the rumor mill from Hot Mic podcast host Jeff Sneider, Momoa will make the jump the DCU to fill the role of interstellar, heavy metal mercenary Lobo, “the most badass bounty hunter in the galaxy.”

    Given that Gunn has only revealed the first half of Chapter 1 of the DCU, it’s possible that a Lobo project fits into the second half of the Gods and Monsters entry. Even if Momoa is already on board, it makes sense, as Sneider points out, to wait for Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom to complete its theatrical run before revealing Momoa’s bold new role.

  • James Gunn Shoots Down ‘Superman: Legacy’ Casting Rumors

    James Gunn Shoots Down ‘Superman: Legacy’ Casting Rumors

    The only thing James Gunn loves more than making movies about superheroes is shooting down online rumors about those movies. No Hollywood creative is more active online than Gunn, who can often be found responding to tweets about his projects to limit the spread of misinformation. Now the co-chair of the newly formed DC Studios, Gunn will have his hands in almost every DCU project but none more so than Superman: Legacy which he is currently writing and likely to direct. Though that movie isn’t scheduled to come out until 2025, rumors have already begun about casting for the new Man of Steel, which means Gunn was able to get involved.

    The Twitter account DCU Leaks was the latest account to test Gunn and quickly found out that the director isn’t one to mess around. Two minutes after DCU Leaks stated that Luke Eisner was the front-runner for the role of Superman in the new film, Gunn shot down the rumor, calling it “false” and adding that “casting has not begun.”

    https://twitter.com/DCULeaks/status/1621681508791783426?s=20&t=aPC0b-ughfYUM7mI4UAwig

    With Superman: Legacy not slated to release until July 11, 2025, there’s no reason for casting to have begun for the film. Production is unlikely to start until mid-2024, meaning casting for the project probably won’t heat up until late 2023 or early 2024. That’s not to say Gunn may not have actors in mind, but at this point, it’s clear there’s nothing to the rumors of a “front-runner” for the role.

  • James Gunn Likely to Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’

    James Gunn Likely to Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’

    After a long wait, the DC Cinematic Universe has finally a structured future with James Gunn and Peter Safran spearheading the newly founded DC Studios. One can definitely tell that Gunn’s love for comics is scattered across the entire line-up. There are definitely also a few projects that are definitely passion projects for the director that showcase the way he wants to build the first chapter titled “Gods & Monsters” for the DCU.

    The first “true” DCU entry will be the revival of Superman with Superman: Legacy that’ll take its inspiration from some of the character’s most uplifting and hopeful storylines. Gunn is already busy writing the adaptation and has been quite vocal about his love for the character and what he stands for. Hidden away in The Hollywood Reporter’s latest Heat Vision newsletter, there’s a detail that reveals that as of now, Gunn is not only writing the project but also very likely set to direct the Superman revival.

    There has been some concern that Gunn would dominate a lot of projects with his position as co-CEO and director. He was responsible for writing the Creature Commando animated series and is likely involved with Waller, which seems to be the sequel to Peacemaker. There definitely is a passion to bring these projects to life and it’ll be interesting to see how many projects he’ll directly have his hands on, as Swamp Thing was hinted to be in James Mangold‘s talented hands.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Swamp Thing’

    The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Swamp Thing’

    James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on Swamp Thing.

    Gunn and Safran have expressed their commitment to making sure that the DCU is full of diverse projects and Swamp Thing, which is being developed as a theatrical release, fits the bill. “Each set of filmmakers bring their own aesthetic to these films, and the fun is seeing how these tonally different works mash-up in the future,” said Safran of the DC Studios slate of projects, adding that Swamp Thing will be “tonally different” but “interconnected” to the rest of the slate.

    Set to be a horror film, Safran says that Swamp Thing will “investigate the dark origins” of the titular character and is among a handful of surprising projects in development, according to Gunn.

    Sources: DC, Variety

  • The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow‘

    The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow‘

    James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

    Tom King‘s 2021 comic will be adapted to a film of the same name in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. One of the most prolific and successful comic book authors of the last decade, King played an integral part in helping Gunn and Safran develop their Gods and Monsters slate. “Tom has been one of the architects of this entire situation,” said Gunn of King. “He’s been one of the guys in the room with us, along with four or five other writers. I love his take on these characters. He just turns them slightly to be something very unique.“

    Don’t expect the film to be a one-to-one adaptation of the book, however. Gunn describes the character as “much more hardcore” than the one from King’s comic book.

    In our story, we have Superman who was sent to Earth and raised by incredibly loving parents. Kara was on Krypton. She was on a piece of Krypton that drifted away from the planet and she lived there for the first fourteen years of her life in a horrible situation where she watched everyone around her die. So, she’s a much harsher and more fucked up Supergirl than you’ve been used to thus far.

    James Gunn

    It sounds like the DCU will feature a Kara Zor-El who has a wildly different outlook on things than her good guy cousin, Kal-El. The contrast could make for some interesting twists when the film hits theaters.

  • The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Booster Gold’

    The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Booster Gold’

    James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on Booster Gold.

    Described by Safran as “a loser from the future who uses his basic future technology to come back to today to pretend to be a superhero“, Michael Jon Carter will make his DCU debut in the HBO Max streaming series Booster Gold. The series was described as an “outright comedy” by Variety and Gunn described the story of the time-displaced 25th Century hero as “imposter syndrome as a superhero.”

    “How do you deal with that?”, asked Gunn, who added that the series will focus on how Carter “tries to use this future technology to be loved by the people of today and what is really at the base of that.” Gunn also mentioned that DC Studios is already in talks with an actor for the role and given his stated desire to continue to work with the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy films, it wouldn’t be surprising if Chris Pratt were that actor.

    Sources: DC, Collider, Variety

  • The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘The Brave and The Bold’

    The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘The Brave and The Bold’

    James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on The Brave and The Bold.

    While Robert Pattinson will continue to serve as Batman in the DC Elseworlds The Batman: Part II and its related projects, the DCU will have a Batman of its own and fans will meet him–and his son, Damian–in a theatrical release titled The Brave and The Bold. The film will be based on Grant Morrison’s Batman and Son arc from his epic run on Batman that began in 2006 which Gunn called one of his “favorite Batman runs.” Gunn called Morrison “exceptionally influential” on the DCU slate which could hint at some other possible arcs that could be explored in other projects.

    The Brave and The Bold is “a story of Damian Wayne, who’s Batman’s actual son that he didn’t know existed for the first eight to ten years of his life. He was raised as a little murderer and assassin,” explained Gunn, who also called Damian his “favorite Robin.” The film will mark the first time a Robin has appeared in a live-action film since 1997’s Batman and Robin and it sounds like Damian may not be the only one to appear. “This is going to feature other members of the extended Bat-Family.” said Safran, adding “just because we feel like they’ve been left out of the Batman stories in the theater for far too long.“

    The focus of the film, however, will be the relationship between Bruce and Damian. “It’s a very strange sort of father-son story about the two of them,” said Gunn of The Brave and The Bold, who added that fans should expect Damian to be “a little son of a bitch.” It sounds like Gunn’s got Damian pegged. No release date or creative team was announced for the project.

    Sources: DC, Collider, Variety

  • The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Paradise Lost’

    The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘Paradise Lost’

    James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on Paradise Lost.

    Set on the island nation of Themyscira before the birth of Wonder Woman, Paradise Lost is a “Game of Thrones’-ish story” that will explore “the political intrigue behind a society of all women,” according to Safran. Gunn expanded on Safran’s comments about the series, which he said will examine the “beautiful” and “ugly truths” behind Paradise Island.

    It’s an origin story of how this society of women came about. What does it mean? What are their politics like? What are their rules? Who’s in charge? What are the games that they play with each other to get to the top? I think it’s really exciting.

    James Gunn

    The series is being developed for HBO Max and will serve as an origin story for the Amazons, though it’s not clear what role they will have in the larger DCU narrative.

    Sources: DC, Collider, Variety

  • The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘The Authority

    The Skinny on The DCU’s ‘The Authority

    James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed the first half of the first chapter of the new DCU. In total, 10 projects are expected to be rolled out by the end of 2027, with 5 films and 5 streaming series adding to the interconnected Gods and Monsters story of the DCU. With so much to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make it easier, here’s the skinny on The Authority.

    The second film in the first half of the Gods and Monsters slate is The Authority, which Gunn calls a “very different kind of superhero story” and a “passion project.” The film is probably the most unlikely on the list given the history of the team of heroes it involves. The Authority was created as part of Jim Lee’s WildStorm universe which was eventually purchased by DC comics and, during the New 52 publishing initiative, integrated into the mainstream continuity. Fans may not be quite familiar with the team, which Safran compared to Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Jessup in A Few Good Men saying, “they know that you want them on the wall, or at least they believe that.” Gunn gave a little more detail of what to expect from this win-at-all-costs group.

    They are basically good-intentioned, but they think that the world is completely broken and the only way to fix it is to take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments—basically, whatever they want to do to make the world better. We’ll see how that journey goes for them. There are morally gray characters (in our DCU), of which these are.

    James Gunn

    The film is currently being written, though Gunn did not reveal who was penning the project though he indicated he’s helped outline the story.

    I only have seven days in the week, all of which are used in the service of DC storytelling. I’m working all the time. I can only do what I can do. So we’re going to have to make a decision at some point. Whether or not, you know, is it better for me to, you know, I can write more. I already wrote all of that. I’ve written a lot of that. I’ve worked a lot on the outline for The Authority myself.

    James Gunn

    No release date has been slated for The Authority, though if DC Studios plans to put a second movie out in 2025, this project could potentially make that date.

    Sources: DC, Collider, Variety