The lackluster performance of "The Flash" should provoke Warner Bros. and DC Studios to reconsider their revised reboot approach. Marvel, held by Disney, has remarkably dominated the realm of connected superhero realms. DC, however, has a strong background in films and franchises highlighting one hero.
"The Flash" was a flop, "Black Adam" was a bust, and who can remember "Shazam: Fury of the Gods"? It's clear that DC Studios needs more than a hero to win back audiences - they need a change of tactic. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslev has instructed Peter Safran and James Gunn to create a shared universe of well-known characters such as Superman and Batman. The problem is, they already tried and failed to do this a few years ago. DC's Justice League can't compare to the immense success of Marvel's Avengers.
The answer they need? More character-specific franchises, not a TV writers' room style. It has worked before, most notably Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. In more recent years, "Wonder Woman" and "Aquaman" were both connected to DC's previous attempt of making a shared universe, yet focused mainly on the title characters and achieved tremendous success. "Joker" and "The Batman" have also done well, not linked to the universe but focused on their own storylines.
In order to compete with Marvel's success, DC Studios needs to create individual stories for each of its characters, rather than a common universe. Too many Dark Knights in one movie won't be appealing for the already superhero-saturated movie audiences.
Once a refuge from homework, comic books now require having watched pretty much all the preceding movies and shows in order to keep up with the goings-on in both Disney's MCU and Sony's Spider-Verse, with the latter being connected to the former. The most strenuous comic book movie test in its breadth may well be "The Flash," as DC's cinematic universe has been scattered. It features cameos (some real, some CGI-generated) from past DC movies and shows, ranging all the way back to George Reeves' black-and-white Superman, and understanding the gags necessitates being quite a big fan. Unless one is Kevin Smith's most devoted viewer, one may miss the humor, such as in the scene with a Nicolas Cage Superman fighting a giant spider. The movie's punchline, involving George Clooney revisiting the role of Bruce Wayne after the unfavorable reception of "Batman and Robin," largely appeals to Gen-Xers and older Millennials, not contemporary youth. The MCU methodologies have stumbled at times, such as when Disney CEO Bob Iger pointed out the studio may have overextended its use of certain characters following the fourth Thor film and third Ant-Man installment failing to elicit excited response. That should serve as a warning signal to DC Studios.DC's Gunn has himself addressed there being too many superhero movies and series. Should one be able to come up with an imaginative way of adjusting the course, it is likely him. Gunn furbished his Hollywood career by alternating between R-rated productions, such as "Slither," and PG-rated pictures, such as his Guardians of the Galaxy films for Marvel and Disney, with the third entry in the franchise restoring the MCU's momentum. It is the second biggest grossing movie of 2023, following Universal's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie". He has already one or two DC works on his portfolio: the 2020 movie "The Suicide Squad" and its 2022 spin-off series, "Peacemaker." Both were applauded.Gunn is penning and directing "Superman: Legacy," slated for 2025, as the launch of the new DC shared universe. Still, there is time for him to rethink his approach and allow the Man of Steel and other DC heroes to shine on their own.
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