Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Warner Bros.

  • ‘Birds of Prey’ Spinoff Still in Development as Warner Bros. Discovery reshuffles DC Line-Up

    ‘Birds of Prey’ Spinoff Still in Development as Warner Bros. Discovery reshuffles DC Line-Up

    The future of Warner Bros. remains in shambles, as many have no idea what future DC projects are in some form of development or another. The random cancelation of Batgirl has left many scratching their heads about what exactly it means for many of the projects currently in some form of development or another. Among them was the Birds of Prey spinoff that would focus on Jurnee Smollett‘s Black Canary.

    The project is going to be written by Mischa Green, who has worked with Smollett on other projects in the past. As many DC projects are getting taken down or at least their future in question, there are a lot of questions about how they’ll handle their projects. They are seemingly moving away from HBO Max movie releases, which might mean Black Canary might be a theatrical release.

    Of course, they may turn it into a TV series and find a new home over at HBO. Yet, it’s difficult to say with just how they are going to approach these projects moving forward. There’s also the question if it not having started thee project could give them the pivot to find the fitting home for it moving forward. Here’s hoping the wait isn’t too long for an official update on the project.

    Source: TV Line

  • James Gunn’s DC Projects and ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Still in Development

    James Gunn’s DC Projects and ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Still in Development

    There’s been a lot of discussions about what exactly the future has in store for Warner Bros. Discovery’s various DC Comics adaptations. The sudden cancelation of Batgirl raised the question of whether other projects might face a similar sudden cancelation. There’s still no word on what exactly the future looks like–besides a tease of a ten-year plan–but luckily it seems that some projects are definitely safe moving forward. James Gunn took to Twitter to confirm that Peacemaker‘s upcoming second season will be safe.

    The director has also gone on record to confirm that his other secret projects are still in development at this point. While they haven’t been announced outside of one that’ll focus on Viola Davis‘ Amanda Waller, it’s good to know that Warner Bros. isn’t shooting everything to the curve at this point.

    That is not all, as The Wrap‘s Brandon Katz has also taken to Twitter to hear that the upcoming The Batman spinoff series focused on Colin Farrell‘s Penguin is also safe. So, luckily those excited to further explore that new corner of the DC adaptation’s multiverse won’t have to worry much longer.

    It’s definitely a relief that these projects are safe, especially with the potential surrounding them. Peacemaker was a sleeper hit for HBO Max and there’s quite a bit of excitement surrounding the other projects he’s working on. While he’s still busy on the third entry of the Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s got a slate of projects in some form of development over at Warner Bros. and DC. Plus, Matt Reeves is also spearheading his own mini-universe that might offer something very grounded in contrast. So, it seems they aren’t just throwing everything out just yet.

    Source: Twitter

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Won’t Guarantee 45-Day Theatrical Release Window Anymore

    Warner Bros. Discovery Won’t Guarantee 45-Day Theatrical Release Window Anymore

    The 45-release window was a controversial one, as many feared that streaming demands are pushing films out of theaters. While some films revel in their long-running theatrical release, it has offered the opportunity for others to not only pull in a strong box office run but also a high view count to boost the various streaming offerings. While Disney+ is seemingly sticking to it, Warner Bros. Discovery may have other plans moving forward.

    To say that the shake-ups over at Warner Bros. Discovery have been bizarre is to only paint one picture. While the previous group strongly focused on growing its new streaming service with HBO Max, the current one is moving away from the foundation that was laid out. A part of that is the reveal that they are no longer guaranteeing that they will adhere to the modern 45-day release window. So, we might see many big-budget projects make use of a longer running time as much as possible.

    Streaming hasn’t run its course just yet, but we are seeing some bumps along the way. More and more competitors have entered the market creating some concerns among investors. We’re likely seeing a realigning of strategies due to the events that have unfolded since the pandemic died down. The post-pandemic era has set a new precedent and we’re seeing many business decisions hit a snag along the way. It’s not uncommon and with Netflix losing its subscribers for the first time since it started, we’re simply seeing a new era as people slowly embrace leaving their homes once again.

    Source: Decider

  • Walter Hamada Almost Left Warner Bros. Due to ‘Batgirl’ Controversy

    Walter Hamada Almost Left Warner Bros. Due to ‘Batgirl’ Controversy

    The shelving of Batgirl for tax reasons is something that left quite the bitter taste with many long-time fans of DC films and Warner Bros. Under new leadership, David Zaslav has been taking a hammer to most every prominent project they have with one controversial decision following the next. Now, it turns out that DC Films president Walter Hamada was just about to exit the studio over the recent decision.

    While he’s agreed to stay, it does seem like it’s going to be short-lived as he’ll supervise the release of Dwayne Johnson‘s Black Adam in October. He’s not made a comment in regards to this current development but it does seem to lack the last pieces are falling apart at Warner Bros. Discovery. There’s still some questioning on their decision to not even give the film a chance theatrically, as it seems it was deemed “not strong enough” for that kind of release.

    The big reveal is that Hamada has not been consulted about the decision and simply found out during a test screening for Black Adam. He naturally was worried bout those heavily involved with the production who haven’t really been informed either until the news was first released by the New York Post, which stated that low test scores were one of the reasons.

    Hamada has been a highly discussed figure in the DC realm due to decisions surrounding Justice League back in 2017. Internally, there was a lot of pressure of setting a path for these projects and creating their own shared universe like Marvel but things have been bumpy along the way, even if The Suicide Squad, The Batman, Aquaman, Peacemaker, and more still shined bright. If he’ll truly leave the company we’ll have to see once the Black Adam releases.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Working on 10-Year Plan for DC Franchise

    Warner Bros. Discovery Working on 10-Year Plan for DC Franchise

    In the beginning many were frustrated to see Warner Bros. rushing through the DC Extended Universe, jumping the gun to catch up with Marvel Studios. The course correction never really came and since 2017, its been an uphill battle for fans. With the Discovery merger the new heads seem to be dedicated in expanding and pushing the DC property to its fullest potential with quality content.

    During the Q2 earnings call for Warner Brothers Discovery, David Zaslav announced that DC is one of their highest priorities in getting situated. On top of the announcement that DC would be becoming its own studio within the company, Zaslav has confirmed that they’ve put a team together to run said studio and have put together a ten-year plan, mentioning outright it is similar to what Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have built over at Disney.

    No word has been made on what exactly this “10-year-plan” entails and it’s unknown if WBD will announce a slate anytime soon. Another interesting part of this announcement is what’s going to happen with the current universe. Could the new plan be set on the foundations of the old one, with The Flash mentioned during the call and Zaslav saying he thinks the studio can make the film better? This could possibly hint at reshoots for the film and maybe allow them to alter the ending so that it could allow another new DC Universe to be born of it as a result, as it seems Zaslav is not a fan of the Keatonverse idea.

    The third time’s the charm, as many say, but this might even be closer to their fourth. No matter what, let’s just hope that they can get it right this time and the DC universe is able to thrive the way everyone knows it can.

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max Removes 6 Original Warner Bros. Films

    HBO Max Removes 6 Original Warner Bros. Films

    It would appear Warner Bros. Discovery is not done cutting movies yet. Variety is reporting that the company has been quietly removing content from its popular streaming service HBO Max, including at least six films that had been released on the platform as exclusive “HBO Max Originals”.

    The culled projects consist of Moonshot, a sci-fi rom-com starring Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse that dropped only a few months ago; Superintelligence, a dystopian rom-com from Melissa McCarthy and husband Ben Falcone; An American Pickle, a Seth Rogan comedy that stars the actor in a duel-role; The Witches, a 2020 remake of the Roald Dahl classic, directed by Robert Zemeckis with an all-star cast of Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, and Chris Rock; Locked Down, a Doug Liman heist film with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Hathaway; and finally, Charm City Kings, a drama from Angel Manuel Soto.

    The removals appear to have been made in an effort to cut costs, and were first discovered by users of Reddit after Warner Bros.’ controversial cancellations of Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt on Tuesday. Also noted, the reboot of cult classic comedy House Party, which was set to be produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter‘s SpringHill, has been scrubbed from HBO Max’s release calendar. It was previously expected to drop on July 28th. As mentioned by Variety, it’s not an unusual practice for streaming services to take films on and off of their catalog.

    However, it is strange that the company would remove films produced specifically for distribution on HBO Max, including Moonshot, which has only been out in the wild for about three months, and that the changes would be made without any sort of announcement. It remains to be seen if these now-unwatchable projects ever see the light of day again.

    Source: Variety

  • Former Disney Exec Joins Warner Bros. Discovery as Consultant

    Former Disney Exec Joins Warner Bros. Discovery as Consultant

    It looks like the rumors are true, as long-time Disney executive, Alan Horn, is heading over to the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery to lend his hand on their productions. Horn retired back in 2021 and is now set to support David Zaslav, who has taken over the CEO duties of the recently merged companies. He shared the following staff memo to announce that Horn is joining their future cinematic ventures.

    I am thrilled to share with you that Alan Horn, one of the most respected studio executives in the industry, has agreed to assist me in a consultant role during this transition period, starting August 1. No one knows this business better than Alan does. He has had an extraordinary career spanning nearly half a century. Most recently, he served as chairman and later co-chairman and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Studios, where for a period of nearly 10 years, he oversaw the production of all motion pictures and the integration of Lucasfilm and the Fox film studios, as well as the expansion into producing content for Disney’s streaming services

    David Zaslav

    In the industry, Horn has become quite famous for being an honest and upstanding executive. This announcement marks a homecoming after he was forced out as president of Warner Bros back in 2013, where he oversaw the Harry Potter franchise and even The Dark Knight project. He didn’t slow down afterward, as he built up many relationships as part of Disney to build the current slate of Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Pixar for the House of Mouse.

    So, this definitely marks a win for the company, but some have pointed out that Zaslav is focused a lot on high-priced consultants while cutting staff, which could definitely come back to haunt him. We’ll have to see what this might have in store for him and Warner Bros. Discovery.

    Source: Variety

  • Steven Yeun Reuniting with Bong Jo Hoo for New Film

    Steven Yeun Reuniting with Bong Jo Hoo for New Film

    Star actor Steven Yeun will be reuniting with director Bong Jo Hoo from the film Okja for a new feature with Warner Bros. While currently untitled, the project will be based on the Edward Ashton dystopian science fiction novel Mickey7. In addition to Yeun, the film is set to also star Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo, and Toni Collette.

    Bong Jo Hoo is set to write, direct, and produce the film under his production company Offscreen. This will be Hoo’s first project since 2019’s genre-blending film Parasite, which found large amounts of critical acclaim including being bestowed the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a massive array of Academy Award victories. These included best International Feature Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and the first non-English language film to win Best Picture.

    Meanwhile, for Steven Yeun, he is recently coming off of his critically acclaimed and award-nominated performance in Minari. In terms of other upcoming projects, Yeun notably is part of Jordan Peele’s latest horror project Nope alongside Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, which is slated to open in theaters on July 22. As well later this year, the actor will star opposite Ali Wong in the Netflix and A24 co-produced series Beef.

    In terms of this film project, the novel Mickey7 is based around the concept of Expendables, who are disposable employees on a quest to colonize the ice world of Niflheim. From there, the novel chronicles the dangerous and death-inspiring journey the titular Mickey7 and others go on. Though as is the case with Bong Jo Hoo adaptations, there is certainly the chance that the acclaimed directors takes liberties from the source material. It certainly will be interesting to see if this project can join the pantheon of high-quality projects from both Hoo and Yeun.

    Souce: Deadline

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Interested in ‘Joker’s Todd Phillips as DC Film’s Future Advisor

    Warner Bros. Discovery Interested in ‘Joker’s Todd Phillips as DC Film’s Future Advisor

    The major shake-ups at Warner Bros. Discovery come as a shock to nobody as it seemed like the company has long been trying to get things together. The newly named CEO, David Zaslav, has been sorting things out swiftly as hes gone out with the old and in with the new. Recent news of Toby Emmerich‘s exit has brought news of another development at WBD. The company has DC as a priority, a brand with an incredible amount of potential that they felt has been squandered in the past few years, and looks to be reaching out to a familiar face for help.

    The Hollywood Reporter shared that Zaslav reportedly reached out to co-writer and director of 2019’s Joker film, Todd Phillips, to ask him to get a bit more involved over at DC Entertainment. His film was a resounding hit for the studio, scoring over a billion at the box office, shockingly outgrossing Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on a $60+ million budget. The role is purely that of an advisory role with Phillips not currently set to serve in an executive role at the studio.

    This is a bit of an odd move for the studio to make, while Joker was indeed incredibly profitable for the studio, its not particulary the direction they should be moving in with the brand. It was a story seperate from the mainline DC Extended Universe, creating yet another earth in the ever expanding multiverse within the shared universe. THR even states that while Phillips has quite limited knowledge on the DC Universe, Zaslav and Phillips have reached an understanding on the situation with the current state of DC.

    This is an interesting move for Warner Bros. Discovery but not one that could have a great effect on whats to come as if things pan out, it is only an advisory role within DC Entertainment.

    Source: THR

  • Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy Set to Replace Toby Emmerich at Warner Bros. Discovery

    Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy Set to Replace Toby Emmerich at Warner Bros. Discovery

    The past month has seen some major changes happening over in Hollywood, as the recent Warner Bros. merger with Discovery has resulted in quite a few big changes at the company. Zaslav and his team are reportedly very eager to get the DC brand back on track and use it to its fullest potential. It’s a big priority for them and they want to focus on getting big characters like Superman back on the big screen. Yet another change is coming as Tobey Emmerich will no longer serve as chairman for the studio and some new names look to have already been chosen.

    The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that with the Emmerich‘s exit, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy will step into the role to lead the film division at Warner Bros. Zaslav intends to mold the company into something similar to what Bob Iger did over at Disney, and split the company up with multiple labels like Warner Bros, DC Entertainment, and New Line. The move would be something similar to how Disney operates with Marvel Studios, with Kevin Feige leading the charge.

    Part of De Luca and Abdy‘s deal will provide them access to producing projects under DC Entertainment and to develop the properties. DC is the studio’s biggest priority right now under the new leadership, looking to craft something similar to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Walter Hamada is still expected to remain in his current role as the president of DC films, but will now be actively reporting to De Luca and Abdy as the new studio heads. Since becoming the head of DC films, Hamada has smoothed things out with the brand with its releases since joining in 2018, with a string of hits like Aquaman and The Suicide Squad.

    Emmerich is expected to receive a production deal at the studio following his exit as chairman, so he won’t be going too far.

    Source: THR, The Wrap