Warner Bros. Considers New Label For Its Darker Comic Book Films As The Direction Of The DC Movies Shifts Again

Warner Bros. Considers New Label For Its Darker Comic Book Films As The Direction Of The DC Movies Shifts Again

TwoJokermovies? One and a halfHarley Quinnspin-offs? A Ben Affleck-lessBatmanmovie? At this point, we’ve given up trying to make sense of Warner Bros.' DC Films plans. But newly appointed DC Entertainment film production presidentWalter Hamadais doing his best to make them sensible once again.

That includes seemingly rebooting much of the DC Extended Universe, and potentially launching a new label to encompass the multiple standalone and off-universe films that Warner Bros. has in the works. Because that will make people less confused over bothJared LetoandJoaquin Phoenixplaying the Joker.

Warner Bros. has recently undergone its latest shake-upin so many months, withDiane Nelsonexiting as the DC Films division president andGeoff Johns leavinghis top executive position for a producing pact. Now, it’s up to Walter Hamada, who helped usher the successfulConjuringfranchise at New Line, to clean up the mess, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.

Walter Hamada, DC Savior

Hamada has reportedly been quietly working on sorting out the chaotic DC Films slate for the past few months, “going over the projects in development, culling certain ones, elevating others, keeping an eye on the big marquee heroes while also developing lesser-known characters that could pop big,” THR writes. It seems to be under Hamada’s orders that the future DC slate is virtually non-existent except for James Wan’sAquaman(set forDecember 21, 2018) and 2019’sShazam!, starring Zachary Levi, andWonder Woman 1984, whichjust began shooting this week.

“He walked into a shitshow, and he’s trying to clean it up,” an insider told THR.

Notably, even as Hamada continues to sort through the mess of the DC Films division, he won’t be relying on a writers room, THR reports. Studios like Paramount and Hasbro have done so with their toy-based properties, Universal with its monster universe, and Legendary with its creature features, but Hamada seems to be shying away from the brain trust, and focusing on the creator-driven projects that Warner Bros. first aimed to achieve.

Matt Reeves' Batman Will Be Young Again

Afterrumors aboundedthatMatt Reeveswould move forward with hisBatmanmovie sansBen Affleck, THR seems to confirm that this will be true. The director, who is penning the film afterthrowing away Affleck and Geoff Johns' initial script, reportedly turned in a first act of his screenplay to the studio. The film reportedly presents “a young caped crusader,” THR writes, which essentially excludes Affleck from playing the wizened version of Batman that appeared inBatman v. Superman, Justice League,andSuicide Squad.

A New Label for Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker Movie

Warner Bros. has beenplaying with the ideaof developing standalone movies based off DC Comics characters that wouldn’t be part of the main DCEU saga, but nothing was set in stone except forTodd Phillips’Jokerorigin movie starring Joaquin Phoenix. Now, THR reports that Phillips' Joker movie could launch a new sub-label under the DC Films division, possibly branded “DC Dark” or “DC Black.” I’m personally leaning more toward DC Black because of its similarity to DC Comics' recently launched publishing imprint DC Black Label, and DC Dark is just too on the nose.

That’s not the only thing setting Phillips' movie apart from other superhero films. The origin movie, which will reportedly be an'80s gangster movieset in a different universe fromJared Leto’s Joker solo movie, is budgeted at about $55 million — a fraction of the $100-plus range of most superhero movies. That essentially proves that the film is Warner Bros.' bid for a serious superhero film that will hide its comic book roots as much as possible.

The Flash Lightens Up

On the flip side,The FlashstarringEzra Millerwill be shying away from the somber roots of the DCEU as much as possible, THR reports. Under the guidance ofGame Nightduo John Francis Daly and Jonathan Goldstein, the soloFlashmovie will reportedly take a cue fromBack to the Future, beginning production in early 2019.

TheFlashmovie — will may or may not beFlashpoint— looks like our most possible next film followingAquamanandWonder Woman 2. And with a brighter tone and promising directors, it gives us a little glimmer of hope for the future alongsideMargot Robbie’sBirds ofPrey, thatHarley Quinn spin-off, and theBatgirlmoviepenned byBumblebeescreenwriterChristina Hodson.