It’s only been a couple of days since the news dropped that James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as DC Studios’ CEOs. The shocking development comes following the Paramount/Warner Bros merger officially closing a little over a month ago. The news is still fresh and there’s a lot we don’t know about what it means yet, but like many fans I have some questions and concerns. Now that some changes are inevitable, I have one request: can we kill off the extended universe now? Let me explain.
I’m Gonna Need More Movies Like The Batman
I really appreciate recent DC projects that aren’t beholden to its extended universe. I think Clayface is a really good recent example. It was a 3.5 out of 5 for me, but one big reason it stood out was that it didn’t feel like it was setting up three other movies; it was its own vision, realized and pretty standalone.
Then there’s The Batman, which I don’t think I’m alone in saying is the best thing DC has put out in a long time. What is so excellent about The Batman is that it lives in its own distinct world that is completely Batman’s, and doesn’t need any other cameos or team-ups to make it good. It’s a world I just want to live in for a little while.
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I don’t know what’s coming from DC Studios next, but I’ve realized I want to feel like I’m opening up a different, distinct comic book every time a new DC movie or TV show comes out. It’s one thing I think DC Comics has done very well over the years, but when and if they get into the extended universe, there’s a certain uniform style that tends to be created that’s hard to break out of.
Of course, the MCU is the prime example here. Sure, they have their distinctive films like Guardians of the Galaxy or Black Panther, but otherwise I feel like, because most of them are supposed to be in one timeline, each filmmaker that comes in is restrained a bit. What if DC established itself as a filmmaker-driven place where each movie could be its own?
I Don’t Want An Interconnected DC Universe Anymore
In my opinion, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s vision for DC Studios really didn’t have enough time to establish itself. I mean, as someone pointed out, the whole era took place before the second The Batman movie could come out. I felt middling about the movies so far – with Superman being the high for me and Supergirl being the low. Neither blew my mind, and neither completely bummed me out.
When Gunn first laid out his plans for upcoming DC movies, I felt like I might get excited for an interconnected DC universe in the age of superhero fatigue. I liked the different levels he and Safran were trying to appeal to with their lineup. Still, we’re just a couple of years in, and I’ve decided I don’t want or need random team-ups and cameos in DC films and one big universe. I’d like to see good, individual movies starring these iconic characters.