The DCEU Is No More. But David Zaslav Promises to “Preserve and Expand” Under The Newly Rebranded DCU.

The DCEU is dead. Well, not really. Zack Snyder’s films and the cast he helped establish as Superman, Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman live on in the newly rebranded DCU. What is really dead is Walter Hamada’s legacy. He is gone, and in his place is the auspicious hiring of Guardian of the Galaxy director James Gunn and producer Joshua Safran. They’re filmmakers that love DC. And it is primarily for this reason that Warners Discovery CEO David Zaslav hired them to shepherd his ten-year plan for DC Universe on film and television, as his leaked internal memo confirms: 

“For over 60 years, these and other DC characters have captivated and inspired generations of fans around the world, and as stewards of the iconic franchise, we feel a real responsibility to preserve and expand the DCU for the enjoyment of future generations. James and Peter have a broad vision for DC storytelling and how it all fits together, and they plan to create even more compelling and unforgettable experiences for DC fans worldwide while building a sustainable growth business out of the iconic franchise.”

But this week the speculation came to an end after WB Discovery announced that director James Gunn and Aquaman producer Peter Safran would shepherd the DC universe over the next decade.

The hire makes sense. Both are better choices than Greg Berlanti, who led the successful CWverse, which was also a discount DC universe that does not bode well on the large screen or in competition to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. They are both also better choices to Dan Lin, who, like Berlanti, was another producer headlined as a replacement to Hamada. Lin’s LEGO movies are fun but hardly comparable to the MCU.

Gunn, on the other hand, is currently the only director to have successful films in both the MCU and DC Universe. His Guardians of the Galaxy films were a breath of fresh air to the MCU and helped set a tone for the rest of the MCU when it went cosmic. His successful reboot of DC’s The Suicide Squad and the hilarious follow-up, The Peacemaker, will also, no doubt, influence the DCU to come.

Safran’s involvement in the DCEU’s only billion-dollar hit, Aquaman, speaks for itself. He also produced Shazam! Though a smaller hit, the film’s success nonetheless paved the way for the upcoming sequel, Shazam: Fury of the Gods and Black Adam. Safran also has invaluable experience in building a cinematic universe from scratch, working with Aquaman director James Wan on the Conjuring universe.

Zaslav praised the duo’s “deep love and appreciation for the characters and stories of the DCU,” adding that:

“As they told me, this is a passion project for them, not just a job… and that is sure to be evident in their storytelling.”

This comment might also be a bit of a jibe to departing Hamada, though Black Adam was his produced under his stewardship and is doing fair to good business at the box office. Nonetheless, Zaslav swept through like a whirlwind upending Hamada’s vision for DC and culling numerous DC projects, including finished films. Batgirl, Strange Adventures, and  Wonder Twins were among the high-profile DC projects to be axed.

The change of name from DCEU to DCU really does not mean much at this stage. The cast from Zack Snyder’s Snyderverse is still very much front and center in the DCU. And Henry Cavill’s return as Superman at the end of Black Adam felt like a return of the Snyderverse. Cavill later confirmed via Instagram that Black Adam was not a one and done cameo. He’ll appear in future cameos (one for Flash is rumored already) and at least one solo movie the near future, most likely Man of Steel 2. 

Then during Cavill’s interview with Josh Horowitz, a video message from Zack Snyder suggested that he might direct Man of Steel 2 when he said, “I can’t wait to work with you in the future.” Cavill has nothing but good things to say about Snyder and was a champion of the Snyder Cut, which Zaslav is rumored to have enjoyed. Or, quite simply, Cavill and Snyder may team up on a completely unrelated project in the future.

Zack Snyder’s legacy is still very much intact considering not only the return of Cavill as Superman but also the soon-to-be-released Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Flash. Apparently both films are going through reshoots to increase the role of the Batfleck himself. Ben Affleck was supposed to hang up the cowl or pass it over to Michael Keaton. But the canning of Batgirl may have flipped the situation. Instead of Keaton’s Batman becoming the Caped Crusader of the DCU, we might see the return of the Batfleck instead.

Todd Philips Joker 2 and spin-off TV series and a follow-up movie to Matt Reeves The Batman suggest there is room for Elseworld-type tales that are adjacent to the main DCU. The ax still looms over Titans and Doom Patrol which will both release their fourth seasons shortly. Plenty is still unknown at this time.

Can we tentatively say the DCU has a bright future? Black Adam has thus far been well-received by general audiences, though maligned by critics. And there are plenty of DC projects in development. Zaslav is determined to make it as successful as the MCU, and Gunn and Safran are better equipped than most.