Who’s steering the DC Cinematic Universe ship at Warner Bros.?
Warner Bros. Pictures is home to some of the greatest superhero movies ever made (the first two Superman films starring Christopher Reeve, the first two Batman entries from Christopher Nolan), but a new article published by The Hollywood Reporterindicates that the studio does not seem to have a well-organized approach to launching the DC Cinematic Universe.
Some five writers were hired to pen competing scripts for Wonder Woman, while three were recruited to do the same thing for Aquaman, with one source describing the process on Wonder Woman– which has already changed directors as well -- as “throwing shit against the wall to see what stuck.”
In the case of Aquaman, a screenwriter followed the studio’s direction on the script only to be told that “the rules governing the universe had changed and his work no longer was usable.” One talent rep said, “They just haven't been thorough about their whole world and how each character fits and how to get the most out of each writer's time by giving them direction.”
That may be the key: while Marvel Studios has Kevin Feige steering the ship and providing the overall vision and knowledge of the universe, Warner Bros. is letting the filmmakers drive each property, an approach that one Marvel insider questioned: "You can't just give it to a filmmaker. You have to give it to someone who has an institutional knowledge of these characters."
The Marvel approach has been criticized as being a little too cookie-cutter, but the results have been generally good to outstanding. Can Warner Bros. create a DC Universe with the help of filmmakers like Zack Snyder (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), David Ayer (Suicide Squad) and Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman– for now) but without someone at the top to make sure everyone’s on the same general page? Stay tuned.
