How Zach Snyder Killed The DCEU
Director Snyder Admits He Was The Wrong Guy For The DC Superhero Cultivating Job
Yes, true believers, it’s now become official. Superman is coming back to Metropolis. Even casual DC superhero fans are excited. Writer/Director James Gunn recently released his intriguing teaser trailer to kick off his new DC Universe with the first of the newly born DCU movies.
But wait a Daily Planet covering minute. Remember the DCEU? It wasn’t so long ago. The DCEU gave us Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Watchmen and Batman VS Superman: Dawn Of Justice, among others. These films were to build up the DCEU as a vibrant media franchise similar to the MCU at rival Marvel. Fans found their loyalties divided, but in the end, the film's financial returns told the real, deciding story,
Prior to Gunn's current comic book superhero movie era, producer and director Zack Snyder served as the Warner Brothers big boss in charge of creative focus for DC comic book films. His movies disappointed fans, bored critics, and most importantly of all, performed poorly at the box office. Sndyer even takes credit or blame for killing the DCEU by explaining what he ultimately said to DC and Warner Brothers, 'You picked the wrong guy.'
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Hi Will,
My feeling here is that Warner Bros took a chance on Snyder because they had to, and yes it was a misstep, but that actually the DC movies of this era are not a complete disaster. I greatly dislike 'grey Krypton', but Wonder Woman was a solid romp, and succeeded in something Marvel/Disney had not managed: to get a female-led superhero film succeed at the box office.
I'm also not sure we should hold up the MCU as a huge creative success either, although obviously it was a huge commercial success... It reminds me of how pre-Disney Marvel poisoned superhero comics in the 1990s by overplaying the 'first issues' and crossovers playbook. Many comic fans (myself included) gave up comics after this. We were too blatantly being manipulated. Similarly, after Endgame, a lot of folks (myself included) decided to pack it in for the MCU. But I guess this business model allows for 'churn'...
We seem to have reached a point in which intellectual property has become a millstone for creativity. I am curious what can get us beyond this.
Stay wonderful!
Chris.