DC Puts a Gunn to its Head
Do you ever watch those Taco Bell commercials, or any fast food commercial, and drool at how good it looks on screen? I'm thinking particularly of this new breakfast burrito that barely alive Pete Davidson has been pitching lately. Man, they make it look sooo good, but you know that when you actually go and order it, you're going to get a greasy sloppy mess that looks absolutely nothing like that salivating commercial. Well, that's how I feel about Tuesday's announcement that director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran are taking the reins of what is now being called DC Studios (Zaslav is taking that Marvel copying quite literally, I see.)
On paper, this does sound like that great breakfast burrito on TV, and when I read it, I was intrigued about what this could mean for DC, but then I read this:
Gunn will focus on the creative side of things, while Safran will focus on the business and production side. Both are expected to continue to direct and produce projects, respectively.
Then this:
...according to sources, Joker filmmaker Todd Phillips' work on the upcoming sequel, which goes into production later this year, will not fall under Gunn and Safran's purview and instead will be overseen by De Luca and Abdy. Matt Reeves, who worked under Hamada, has a budding universe based on his The Batman movie. It is unclear under whose purview Reeves' future projects would fall, but everything else moving forward would be under Gunn and Safran's.
I have never been a fan of co-chairs of any enterprise. It confuses the reporting structure and certainly falls apart in a town with huge egos and constant backstabbing. Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos, probably the most famous co-duo in the last few years, had a bumpy start, had a few good years, and then they didn't, and it all fell apart. The last thing DC needs is more cooks in the kitchen, which, with DeLuca and Abdy still involved, is precisely what they're getting. Former Chief, Walter Hamada, made some mistakes, but at least he was the sole decision-maker, and the direction was clear. This classic split of creative on one side and business/ops on the other also never works because both sides end up bumping into each other. Given Safran's producing background, there is no way he will seed the field entirely to Gunn on creative matters. A case could be made that Gunn could care less about production and business affairs, but he'll be all about the creative until production becomes an issue. Let's not forget Pam Abdy and Mike DeLuca, who I'm sure want to keep their toe in the DC waters. It represents the crown of the WB jewel. It's Batman and Superman. They're not going to be satisfied focusing on trying to get another Harry Potter off the ground. No way. No how.
Focusing on Gunn specifically, exceptionally few established directors will be comfortable taking marching orders from someone like Gunn, which is why the second half of the piece is revealing. Todd Phillips and Matt Reeves are the two most important and influential directors in the DC realm. The fact that Joker 2 won't fall under the purview of the new regime due to it being further along makes sense, but the whole question mark about Reeves and his place means that he is most likely not so crazy about reporting to someone like Gunn. I'm sure he had a report with Hamada, and now that's gone. Directors, especially established directors are a very finicky bunch. Still, DC will need top-notch directing talent to right the ship and get things moving in the right direction. What director will want to sign on with another director looking over their shoulder? They may be willing to take some advice from a "suit" because they have at least a slightly different perspective. But James Gunn isn't that. While he's got some decent comic book experience under his belt, there isn't a ton outside the genre to ensure a director will trust him implicitly, and DC needs directors who are outside the comic book genre.
The reality is that the comic book universe is beginning to show signs of aging. Simply copying Marvel isn't going to cut it, and DC has shown a willingness to try different things, but thus far, the audience isn't running to the theaters or TVs to watch DC content. They must take more creative risks and get real talent behind the camera. Maybe Gunn and Safran are the answer. I'll be happy to eat crow if this works, but I'm not convinced that the burrito I'm seeing on TV will look as good at the counter.
Superman Returns
Before the release of last week's Black Adam, word leaked that Henry Cavill would be making a return as Superman. The scene made its way to the interwebs for all to see. This week, Cavill jumped on social media to make it official: He is back as Superman. It has been a somewhat tortured road for Cavill's Superman. He made his first appearance in Man of Steel, the first film in director Zack Snyder's DC-verse, which ultimately collapsed under the awfulness of Justice League. Thus, Cavill's Superman was supposedly thrown out with the garbage. As revealed last week, former DC Chief Walter Hamada wanted to turn the focus towards a new era for Superman and move on from Cavill. Well, with his departure, Cavill gets the boots back.
Now, here is where it will get interesting. I've always had mixed feelings about Henry's interpretation of the character. I preferred the steadfast confidence of Christopher Reeve's Superman versus the I'm so burdened with these powers Emo of Henry Cavill's interpretation. However, Cavill's Superman was physically a needed upgrade from Reeve's look in the original. One way DC could right the ship is to combine both positives of each Superman. Reeve's assured confidence with Cavill's physicality. As much as the new chiefs may want to keep pushing for the darker side of Superman because, of course, being so morally certain is "boring." Dark, brooding Superman is even worse. We get all we need with Batman, especially Robert Pattinson's version. Remember that this is based on a comic book, and a more self-assured superhero is a much-needed change in the right direction.
Pages from the Commonplace Book
This week, we're going back, back, way back to Roman times and the statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero who, as he's more widely known, "Cicero." He has quite an impressive bio, so I encourage you all to check it out if you get a chance, but for now, we will focus on this one quote:
"It takes a brave and resolute spirit not to be disconcerted in times of difficulty or ruffled and thrown off one's feet, as the saying is, but to keep one's presence of mind and one's self possession and not swerve from the path of reason...These are activities that mark a spirit strong, high, and self-reliant in its prudence and wisdom."
It always fascinates me how wisdom such as this never gets old or loses its luster.
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