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The daybreak of a brand new DC Universe is upon us, with James Gunn and Peter Safran planning a brand new slate of movie, TV and gaming tasks. However earlier than we get there, we’ve got 9 months of what feels just like the final gasps of the DCEU, which is coming to an finish, virtually poetically, a decade after it made its debut with Man of Metal in 2013.
First out of the gate is David F. Sandberg’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the sequel to Shazam! (2019), which proved to be a modest sized hit and was thought-about one other course-correcting step in the correct path for the DC franchise, the third to be precise, however who’s counting? Some critics even referred to it as one of the best movie within the DCEU so far. A sequel ought to, in concept, be a giant draw because the opening salvo for the three different DC movies scheduled this yr, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom. So why does it really feel just like the DCEU is limping in the direction of a conclusion reasonably than culminating in a celebration of a decade of storytelling?
Early social media reactions to Fury of the Gods have been enthusiastic and optimistic, whereas critiques have been comparatively optimistic, if softer than the unique. However the field workplace projections counsel a much less enthusiastic opening. Definitely, conscious of the numbers the movie is dealing with, Warner Bros. and New Line’s advertising for the movie has turn into a determined plea to “come see,” with TV spots spoiling the movie’s huge cameo which one way or the other feels ever sadder than Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson all-but revealing Henry Cavill’s Superman cameo throughout press on the pink carpet.
So, what’s it about Fury of the Gods that’s standing in the way in which of it being a lightning rod? Effectively, it comes right down to a variety of components. Whereas the sequel has no scarcity of expertise, bringing on Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler as antagonists. They play the Daughters of Atlas — Hespera, Kalypso, Anthea, respectively, characters who aren’t from the comics. This makes it considerably tougher by way of advertising and pointing audiences to particular comedian books they will reference and construct enthusiasm off of. The second concern is that Shazam’s most iconic antagonist, Black Adam, bought a solo film, which flopped on the field workplace final yr, and stole the thunder away of any chance of the Shazam versus Black Adam matchup audiences had been hoping for because the movies had been introduced. However the greatest boulder standing in the way in which of Fury of the Gods is that with a brand new DC cinematic universe on the way in which, what are audiences being requested to spend money on?
Now, you could possibly say that the deserves of the film ought to be checked out individually, and never by way of what it units up, or the post-credit scenes which will by no means come to fruition in one other movie. The truth is, that’s what I’d argue myself. See the film for the film and never for a way properly it serves as a teaser trailer. However I believe, if we’re being real looking, that isn’t the way in which individuals watch these motion pictures, no less than not fully. A Shazam film that has the assured promise of a conflict with Black Adam or the character becoming a member of the Justice League merely performs in a different way with audiences than a Shazam film that teases the return of Sivana and the Monster Society of Evil in a film that doesn’t appear prone to get made. It shouldn’t be that means, however it’s. Already, social media chatter has returned to the identical question about these pre-reboot movies, “what’s even the purpose?” The purpose is to see an excellent movie, however I don’t know if that’s sufficient of a convincing argument for a franchise that, no less than critically, although not for me personally, has had extra hits than misses.
Whereas the brand new co-head of DC Movies, James Gunn has mentioned that all the things is on the desk to presumably proceed within the DCU, and Shazam!, no less than the primary movie, doesn’t have any continuity breaking references, all of it feels a little bit bit muddy in clarification for audiences who’ve been instructed a reboot, with a brand new Batman and Superman, is coming. Phrases like “tender reboot,” with parts of The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker grandfathered in, will be thrown out, and that may be the case, however which means nothing to common audiences who’ve been raised on MCU movies highlighting a single continuity by which “all the things issues,” regardless of it being a advertising ploy. Nevertheless it’s a ploy individuals imagine in, and that’s one thing that Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t have with regard to their present crop of DC Movies, which between the frequent shifts in management, the divisive nature of the flicks, actors uncertain of their future as these characters, and a whole Batgirl film being shelved, the present scenario has taken on an, “eh, we don’t actually know if it issues but” stance.
Gunn’s bulletins about Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, the beginning of the DCU, had been actually thrilling and typically, bought plenty of of us extra optimistic about the way forward for DC onscreen, exterior of Batman movies, than they’ve been in a very long time. Nevertheless it does really feel just like the announcement comes on the detriment of the movies already scheduled for launch that fall exterior of that. It’s harking back to when 20th Century Fox launched Darkish Phoenix and The New Mutants after the Disney merger, and everybody was already anticipating the MCU’s rebooted model of mutants. And positive, we will hope the standard of the DCEU movies this yr will surpass these movies, but when the advertising for Fury of the Gods, which didn’t even play a Tremendous Bowl spot, is any indication of what we will anticipate for the remainder of 2023, then it looks like WBD is already counting their losses and actually simply hoping Michael Keaton’s return as Batman can push The Flash to a billion.
There’s a scarcity of readability by way of how these DCEU movies connect with Gunn and co-boss Peter Safran’s DCU, if in any respect, and the wait-and-see strategy would be the most sensible nevertheless it additionally doesn’t promote tickets. Fury of the Gods was initially set to return out after The Flash, and Sandberg not too long ago gave that as the explanation for the costume adjustments within the movie, which have now modified merely due to magic. It’s not a giant concern. However when you think about that The Flash was initially going to result in sure adjustments seen in Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and The Misplaced Kingdom, with now-axed cameos referencing these occasions, it does really feel like the problems of a comic book ebook occasion which were blended up and pages have been eliminated.
Equally, The Flash, the subsequent movie set to be launched, is alleged to function a conclusion to the DCEU and arrange the DCU. And that will be high quality if it weren’t being instantly adopted by Blue Beetle, which is meant to launch and new franchise and the Aquaman sequel which was presupposed to be the second chapter in a trilogy. Oh, and by the way in which, Jason Momoa will possible be taking part in a distinct character within the DCU, however based on Peter Safran, received’t be taking part in two totally different characters, which contradicts Momoa’s assertion that he’ll all the time be Aquaman. So, what we’ve got is the tip of a cinematic universe and a brand new one being born concurrently and doubtlessly utilizing items from the one ending if it appears financially viable, which even for comedian lovers is a disaster too sophisticated.
It might be nice to see these 2023 DC motion pictures succeed, each financially and critically, and perhaps Fury of the Gods will beat out predictions and present that audiences are nonetheless invested in these movies regardless of a reboot within the wings. However I believe there must be some readability about the place these franchises stand by way of the DCU. If the plan is to finish them right here, throughout the confines of the DCEU, then I believe audiences deserve definitive conclusions and a transition that is smart, like The Flash being an precise finale and main right into a reboot reasonably than the DCEU ending with an Aquaman sequel that tees up a 3rd installment that the studio doesn’t truly plan on making. Whether or not you’re excited for the DCU or not, I believe that the actors and filmmakers who’ve contributed to a decade of tales set within the DCEU no less than deserve readability and the Aristocracy as they ship this closing chapter.
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