The response to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was mixed at best. Some were perfectly content with how the film turned out, but others were clearly upset with how it handled their favorite DC Comics characters. Even worse, the film underperformed compared to the other superhero films this year — namely Deadpool. Not too spectacular for the tentpole film for Warner Bros. current push into the comic book realm or a movie featuring the two most recognizable comic book characters in history.
It’s pretty clear Warner Bros. didn’t take the film’s performance well. They’re currently shaking up their entire film division and giving the reins of the DC Comics films to a pair of familiar names according to The Hollywood Reporter:
The Burbank-based studio is making changes to the way it handles its DC Entertainment-centered films, giving oversight of the feature projects to a pair of executives and creating a dedicated division for the films. Current executive vp Jon Berg and Geoff Johns, DC’s chief content officer who successfully launched the comics label’s foray into television, will co-run DC Films, according to multiple sources.
This move is part of a broader refinement of executive roles at Warners, which has suffered a disappointing run of movies and has vexed producers and filmmakers, some of whom complain about a murky greenlight process.
Along with the superheros being covered by Johns and Berg, other segments of Warner’s film production have been streamlined with their own teams. You can read the full rundown over at The Hollywood Reporter, but the superhero ventures are definitely the most intriguing of the bunch.
BvS, which cost at least $300 million to make, has grossed under $870 million worldwide since its March 25 release.
In stark contrast, Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War is heading towards $1 billion in less than two weeks of release. The movie also pitted heroes against each other, but Marvel’s lighter tone and bright colors (while tackling more serious themes) are clearly resonating with audiences.
Can Johns and Berg turn things around? The DC television offerings are definitely much brighter and popular, so that track record is pretty solid. We’ll just have to wait until Suicide Squad to see if any of these changes make a difference.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
