Years before it finally hit theaters, there was a lot riding on Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Zack Snyder’s superhero showdown that’s since been met with a great deal of backlash. Warner Bros.’ plans for a Marvel-style cinematic universe hinged on its success at the box office. If it did well? Those grandiose ideas for a sprawling movieverse would continue. But what if it tanked?
It’s hard to say with a straight face that Dawn of Justice is a box office bomb. Even after that 69% drop in its second weekend it’s since gone on to net $700 million worldwide. That’s no small number, for sure, but it’s apparently not enough for the studio.
[zergpaid]THR‘s insiders state that Warner was hoping to have a mega-smash on their hands in the vein of Jurassic World or The Avengers. Both blockbusters made well over $1 billion and according to those same sources, it’s unlikely that Dawn of Justice will do the same.
So, what’s the damage? Well, it might lead to Warner’s other DC titles – Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg – getting pushed back as part of a decision to release fewer “homegrown” films. In short, the studio would dedicate more time to making its comic book movies solid and less time on original content outside of its DC material.
So, there’s no need to get worried about the DC Extended Universe getting axed. Those same sources refute that notion along with talk of Zack Snyder being removed from the two-part Justice League movie. He’s still at the helm of Warner’s live-action DC properties and will oversee their production. And, thanks to the performance of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, they just might get released a little later.