Nikki Finke has returned to the Hollywood gossip world, and she started by, allegedly, blowing DC’s cinematic universe plans wide open. We say “allegedly” because Captain TOLDJA! is not the most accurate. And to be honest, a lot of what she’s stating has the distinct stench of wishful thinking.
So, let’s take it from the top, shall we?
Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice Arrives May 2016
Accurate?: Confirmed, actually. They’re going to go up against Captain America 3, by the way.
Shazam and Sandman In 2016
Accurate?: It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Shazam! and Sandman are both in the works; Warners has been developing the former for years and Joseph Gordon-Levitt might be producing Sandman.
But neither of these movies have a script or a director, and getting them out by 2016, at least as movies, would be a rush job. Sandman in particular sounds all wrong for Christmas 2016, because done remotely right it would be an expensive R-rated drama. Also, that’s prime Oscar bait season and they’d want a name director, somebody like Michel Gondry or Alfonso Cuaron, at the helm.
That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if either or both were announced as television pilots. Arrow is a hit, Constantine is looking pretty good, Flash and Preacher seem likely to be hits, and both of these characters lend themselves to the TV format. TV pilots are cheaper and faster than feature-length movies, as well.
Justice League Hits May 2017
Accurate?: Seems credible. DC would like to make this happen. Whether it actually will is another thing entirely, but this will be the date they announce.
Wonder Woman In July 2017
Accurate?: The option is there, but considering DC’s track record with the character, we will believe this when there’s a trailer and not before. Still, it seems credible as a timeline, at least.
A Flash And Green Lantern Team-Up Movie Is In The Works
Accurate?: I mean… I guess? Maybe? If Warner Bros. executives were drunk or something?
This is weird for a number of reasons. One, the classic team-up is actually Ollie and Hal, and it seems unlikely any movie studio will ever make that plot arc, what with the social awareness and all. Two, the Flash is getting his own TV series. Three, Green Lantern ate dirt at the box office. This smells a lot like the rumored Green Lantern II script is getting rewritten, instead.
Man Of Steel 2 In 2018
Accurate?: Sure, Finke deserves this one. It’s a no-brainer, though.
No Metal Men or Suicide Squad Movies For Now
Accurate?: Sadly, she probably nailed this one. The former is an effects-heavy ensemble film and the latter is an R-rated action flick. Studios aren’t really fans of both when it comes to unknown quantities.
There’s other stuff that comes off as weird, too. For example, it’s somewhat eyebrow raising that all these characters are getting movies and yet, there’s not a whisper of a solo Batman movie. It would show rare taste and restraint for a studio to not try and put out more movies of its most popular character, and that seems unlikely. Similarly, the total lack of Vertigo titles catches attention. Considering they’d be cheap to adapt and Vertigo was the source of most of the successful non-Batman comics adaptations from Warner Bros. over the last decade, that seems off.
In short, she probably got the big movies right, but the “smaller” movies either won’t be announced with those dates, or won’t be announced at all. We promise not to say TOLDJA! if we turn out to be right.