The global pandemic had many different effects on the entertainment industry, and one of them is the cancellation of in-person conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con. As a result, major studios like Warner Bros. created a new virtual event to showcase their superhero projects in the form of DC FanDome.
DC FanDome made headlines when it first launched in 2020, revealing tons of exciting content such as a preview of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad and the first trailer for Matt Reeves' The Batman. In 2021, the virtual fan event took things to a whole new level when it featured major reveals from Black Adam, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Considering the hype surrounding DC FanDome in the past two years, many have expected that the virtual event will return for another round in 2022. However, a disappointing update has emerged online.
No More DC FanDome in 2022
DC, via Popverse, officially confirmed that Warner Bros. Discovery canceled DC FanDome for this year.
In an official statement released to the site, DC noted that the return of in-person events is cited as the reason for the cancellation, pointing out that the studio is "excited" to engage with fans "live" at numerous Comic-Cons around the world.
The full statement can be seen below:
“With the return of in person events, Warner Bros. Discovery is excited to be able to engage with our fans live at numerous comic-cons around the world and will not be scheduling DC FanDome for 2022.”
DC FanDome was last held virtually on October 16, 2021.
Is DC's Shaky Film Slate to Blame for DC FanDome's Cancellation?
While it's quite unfortunate that DC FanDome has been canceled by Warner Bros. Discovery, this move might have been expected by some fans due to the continued transition of the world to normalcy amid the ongoing pandemic.
Still, given the success of DC FanDome in the past two years, many would think that the studio would've created an in-person version of the event to pave the way for a more exciting experience.
However, this would've been challenging considering the recent issues and delays that DC's film slate has experienced. From the controversy surrounding Batgirl's cancellation to Aquaman 2 and Shazam 2 being pushed back to later dates, it wouldn't be wise to stage a DC-focused event that might end up being bombarded by strong comments from fans.
At this point, Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam is the only DC project left on this year's slate. A DC FanDome headlined by the movie could be considered overkill due to the fact that marketing for it has already ramped up in the past weeks, mainly during San Diego Comic-Con.
It's possible that this move could also be related to the studio's cancellation spree to cut costs. For context, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Warner Bros. has been trying to save enough money in order to compensate for the marketing of its three remaining releases this year (Black Adam, Don't Worry Darling, and House Party).
Whatever the case, DC still has a bright future amid the controversies as a promising candidate for its new leadership could make things right in the future, potentially bringing DC FanDome back down the line.
