As Marvel Studios has shot to the forefront of Hollywood for its successful cinematic universe, DC has struggled to get its own attempts off the ground. Warner Bros. was once positioned to create a dark and gritty Justice League storyline under Zack Snyder, but that all fell apart when the director departed Justice League, and since then there has been a visible lack of connectivity.
In the years since the famous Justice League debacle, the studio has primarily been orientated toward creating standalone projects such as Todd Phillips' Joker and Matt Reeves' The Batman. These films have generally proven to be critical and financial successes, while films in the main DCEU timeline have proven similarly successful, they have faced countless difficulties.
Between departing creatives, actors, and indefinitely delayed projects, there's no denying DC is struggling in its attempts to catch up to the MCU. In part, that stems from the lack of an overseeing figure like Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige to lead it all, but that's something Warner Bros. has been searching for - they even once approached the MCU lead himself.
Currently, DC Films is led by Walter Hamada - who has famously been called "the most dangerous kind of enabler" by Cyborg actor Ray Fisher. Now, it looks as if the DC Films President may soon find his job in jeopardy.
DC Films' President Might Lose his Job
According to a recent report from Variety, Walter Hamada may be in danger of losing his job as President of DC Films for two frustrating reasons.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is reportedly frustrated with DC Films' theatrical output as he believes it has been inconsistent and the popular comic book brand has been under-used.
The newly-appointed executive is also supposedly frustrated with the lack of future planning as the studio has been slow to develop sequels to the most popular releases - like 2013's Man of Steel.
For these reasons, Zaslav is reportedly eager to find a leader like Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige to take over, possibly when Hamada's contract expires next year. The CEO already approached former Fox and Paramount executive Emma Watts for the position, but negotiations fell apart. No announcement is expected in the near future with regard to a new DC lead.
Hamada's replacement will have many challenges ahead to get the DCEU back on track. After all, the current Superman actor, Henry Cavill, is quickly beginning to grow too old for the role. The studio has been developing a Man of Steel film with author Ta-Nehisi Coates, but plans are yet to be finalized to get the project into production.
On the flip side, some believe Hamada is being too harshly judged. With the DC Films President having been behind big hits like Aquaman and The Batman, there is some basis for these claims.
Is the DCEU Doomed to Fail?
There's no denying the DCEU has struggled to formulate much of a cohesive direction - with standalone projects like Joker and The Batman proving to be the heaviest hitters as of late. That's not to say DC has to commit to copying the MCU formula, but if creating a cinematic universe is the main goal, it has to be the primary target.
In order to achieve that sense of connectivity and cohesiveness, DC Films needs their own Kevin Feige to replace Walter Hamada. After all, the occupying president has held the position since April 2018. While the COVID-19 pandemic has made much of that reign challenging, he has yet to make any real progress in creating a cinematic universe.
Generally speaking, any sense of connectivity in the DCEU has been lost since Zack Snyder departed the franchise. The chances are certainly slim that Snyder will be back, but Warner Bros. will need to find somebody who can sit at the helm of it all like Feige does for Marvel Studios.
With both Batman actor Ben Affleck and Superman star Henry Cavill having seemingly hung up their heroic capes, the DCEU has lost two of its key original stars. All that now remains for the original Justice League appears to be Jason Mamoa's Aquaman, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, and Ezra Miller's Flash - with the latter having recently seen severe legal trouble that may cost him the role.
Since so few stars are left, perhaps the right way to go may be a full reboot, as opposed to trying to resurrect the sinking ship. The Flash is adapting the famous Flashpoint comic storyline after all, so DC already has the vehicle to begin that overhaul at its fingertips.
Only time will tell what the future holds for the DCEU, but with the Warner Bros. Discovery merger having been completed and new management in position, big changes may be on the way soon.
