Fans were delighted to hear that the DCU had a 10-year reboot plan in motion but were disappointed not to hear more from it at CinemaCon 2023, especially after Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) CEO David Zaslav teased it.
Co-CEO of DC Studios James Gunn explained how he and fellow CEO Peter Safran gathered "a group of some of the best thinkers in the industry" to "map out that eight to 10-year plan." Gunn also emphasized how DCU will unify films and television.
After announcing the slate of movies and shows for Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, it was quickly revealed that not everything was shown. One of Gunn's "favorite" projects was kept under wraps because it would "[give] away too much."
So it's no surprise fans were disappointed by Zaslav's false promise of an update on the plan and its other unannounced projects.
James Gunn Explains Mishap to DC Fans
Multiple attendees at CinemaCon 2023 distinctly heard Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav mention how DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran would "present a 10-year plan" for the DCU this week.
But that was evidently not the case, with the 10-year plan not being discussed. Confused fans asked Gunn on Twitter what had happened.
Gunn said that the plan being talked about at CinemaCon was "never the case," how they had already given "lots of info a couple [of] months ago," and that they'll only announce "an occasional new project" moving forward:
"That was never the case, no. We gave people lots of info a couple months ago. There won’t be much to add besides an occasional new project here and there for some time to come."
Twitter user @MarvelWatch realized that Zaslav misspoke, as the only films from DC being presented were those releasing this year.
"If by 'talking about their 10-year plan,' They meant just this year's films."
Another by the name of @Darshan14227345 lost confidence in WBD because of it:
"David Zaslav is a liar, [WBD] No confidence."
@allinicolee5 and many fans saw it as outright lying to attendees and the press:
"Someone lied to the press and I am NOT happy."
It didn't help that other fans like @directorsmiso weren't impressed with WBD's presentation:
"That was it for [WBD]’s presentation?"
On top of that, Todd Phillips' Joker fans like @TTVAHMED felt cheated that nothing from the sequel was shown:
"So there is no DC 10-year plan news? And Joker 2 news which they saw in a sizzle reel? Is that it?"
How Will Announcements for the DCU Work?
Unlike Marvel Studios, DC Studios announcing films and shows in bulk at conventions won't be the norm. So it's likely that DC fans will only experience big announcements like the initial reveal of Chapter 1 of the DCU on rare occasions, if ever again.
As Gunn said, "There won't be much to add besides an occasional new project here and there for some time to come," which makes sense. It's unlikely that WBD or Gunn want to count their projects before they succeed.
After all, the real test for the DCU moving forward will be Superman: Legacy and whether it connects with audiences and critics, not to mention if it's a success at the box office. But it appears that Gunn will pull out all the stops to make this Superman reboot special.
Fans can expect to see Superman: Legacy in theaters on July 11, 2025.
