Blue Beetle is struggling at the box office after it was reported that it earned less than Morbius and Shazam! Fury of the Gods during its domestic opening. It’s no secret that DC movies have been underperforming lately, and all eyes are on the studio’s co-chief, James Gunn, who’s been working hard to save this ship from sinking. While many (including me) could focus on the current numbers, they shouldn’t be used as a barometer of whether his upcoming DCU reboot will fail or succeed.
As someone who enjoys superhero blockbusters for the sake of escapism, it doesn’t make sense to me why there’s such a focus on the latest statistics, when we could just enjoy the show for what it is. On the flipside, I can see why said stats are important in terms of the franchise’s success. The pressure is on for DC’s leadership to create something that will drive audiences into theaters. However, they also have to deal with the reputation the franchise has left behind, and figure out how to fix it. Hence, the introduction of “Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.“
Some of us may have forgotten that Gunn and Peter Safran were hired by Warner Bros. in Oct. 2022 and that neither of them had touched any title that was in development at the time. My Adventures with Superman showrunners were worried their show would be shelved under the new regime, but they were (thanfully) met with support and no interference. For me, it showed that Gunn and Safran were focused on their own thing while other projects were being made.
Even if we assume that he may have had some influence on Blue Beetle‘s production, the filmmaker has likely been too preoccupied with working on his Superman story. Gunn has told fans that he’s been working on Superman: Legacy for over six months. While the Guardians of the Galaxy director claimed that Blue Beetle is “the first DCU character,” it’s more likely that he didn’t have as much oversight in the latest superhero blockbuster as some may think.
While Blue Beetle isn’t doing well financially, I was surprised to see how the movie fared in the ratings. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a certified fresh score of 77 percent by critics, a feat that hasn’t been repeated by DC films since 2021’s The Suicide Squad.
Speaking of The Suicide Squad, the anti-hero flick was written and directed by Gunn. Not only did it get a 90 percent Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score, but it also earned $1 million more than Blue Beetle during its theatrical debut. While it was also considered a box office flop, Forbes reported that the pandemic could be to blame for its poor performance, and that it was made for streaming. After all, it was the second most-watched movie during Max’s debut. Also, this film helped paved the way for Gunn to produce Peacemaker, one of the best-reviewed projects in the DC’s live-action history.
When Gunn was first revealed to be heading up DC Studios, Marvel’s Kevin Feigie said that he was excited and he’ll be “first in line” for whatever this former Marvel filmmaker creates. It’s too early to tell if this DCU reboot is going to be a success or not. Maybe it’ll be amazing, or its performance could confirm our worst fears. At the end of the day, we shouldn’t use Blue Beetle‘s numbers to predict the outcome of “Gods and Monsters.”
We’re better off waiting for 2025 to see how DC’s future on the big screen ends up shaking out.
Published: Aug 22, 2023 08:33 pm