DC has been a bad press magnet in recent months, and the company can't seem to avoid terrible things happening around every corner. Be it an actor causing problems, or a $90 million movie being canceled to never see the light of day, DC has been dropping the ball majorly.
The franchise has announced a string of cancelations, including projects people were excited for, and people don't know what to make of it.
Let's take a look at what's going on with DC, and see why they are torching their once-planned future.
DC Has A Long History Of Ups And Downs On The Big And Small Screen
DC Comics might be a major player in the pages, but it has also done exceptionally well for itself in film and television. In fact, the comic book giant has redefined the genre on both mediums, helping shape what we get to enjoy today.
Currently, DC is operating the DCEU on the big screen, and the Arrowverse on the small screen. These franchises, though independent from one another, have overlapped in a major crossover event. It was a joy for fans to see, and it ripped some panels from the pages and plastered them on the TV screens at home.
Much like Marvel, DC had previously announced huge plans for the future. This got fans excited to watch the universe unfold before their very eyes. On both the big and small screen, DC was set to continue doing big things, and if they cleared up some previous mistakes, they could have set the franchise straight.
Despite having a number of ups and downs, there has been some optimism surrounding the future of certain DC projects. However, recent announcements have seemingly changed everything for DC in the worst way possible.
DC Is Shaking Things Up Lately
According to Giant Freakin Robot, DC has canceled Batgirl, Green Lantern, Strange Adventures, and Wonder Twins. Some of these projects could have done some great things, while others could have added fascinating new ripples to the franchise.
Filmmaker Kevin Smith was the one set to lead Strange Adventures, and recently, he opened up about the project being axed.
"[Dropping ‘Strange Adventures’] kind of made sense to me — nobody necessarily knows these characters, and it sounded like an expensive show," he said.
These rash of cancelations had many worried that other high-profile projects would be getting canned, but it appears as though a few will survive.
"Here’s the good news: Peacemaker is not going to be one of those shows. In a new post on Twitter, executive producer James Gunn made it abundantly clear that the series is safe and there isn’t much to worry about here. That may not be the case for other shows, but we’re at least relieved that this is the case here," Carter Matt reports.
That's great news, but it doesn't change the fact that many projects are done for. It's got some wondering what exactly is happening at DC.
Why Is DC Canceling So Many Projects?
So, what exactly is going on with DC and its major projects cancelations?
Well, it's clear that they don't have a belief in their projects and what they can do for the franchise's future.
DC was allegedly planning a new future on the big screen, one that was to be led by Batgirl and a new team. This decision was met with groans from online fans, and given the alleged lack of utility with the film, it's a possibility that the studio saw this as a lose-lose situation.
There's also a nifty tax break that they could be getting from canceling Batgirl, according to Newsweek.
"By shelving the Batgirl film, Warner Bros. will be able to reduce the loss incurred in producing Batgirl against its net income from other movies. Thus, the loss from Batgirlwill reduce taxable income," James M. Bandoblu, Jr., a partner at New York-based law firm Hodgson Russ, told Newsweek," the site writes.
While this likely isn't the only reason that Batgirl was, it is still worth noting. That's a major tax break for a company that is undergoing a merger, and it could be used to help move things forward into and era devoid of an already-poor reception.
It'll be interesting to see what comes of DC movies and TV shows in the coming years. If they play their cards right, then maybe they can salvage some sort of goodwill from people who are starting to jump ship.
