What’s next for DC movies, from Batman and Joker to The Flash

After a week of rumors and apocalyptic speculation about the state of Warner Bros. Discovery, the company finally revealed some of its plans for the future at an investor call on Thursday. While much of what CEO David Zaslav had to say was a far cry from the doom and gloom projected by many, the executive’s comments on the cancellation of the bat girl Film and what the DC Universe will be like in the future has raised even more questions.

According to Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery is aiming for a quality-over-quantity approach to content that spans the DC Universe. In response to a question regarding bat girlSpeaking of the cancellation of , Zaslav said: “We will focus very much on quality. I said we won’t start a movie until it’s done. We’re not going to go into a movie to make a quarter and we’re not going to put out a movie unless we believe in it. And that’s it. I mean, especially at DC, where we think we want to spin, we want to rise, and we want to focus.”

Zaslav went on to explain that the company has been scrutinizing the numbers for its direct-to-streaming titles, as well as the entire direct-to-streaming video model in general, and that the company can’t find any commercial reason for doing so. Instead, the studio will focus on blockbuster theatrical releases and a new and improved DC Universe.

The CEO also outlined the company’s plan to revitalize its superhero brands, specifically citing Disney and its ambitious, unprecedentedly successful approach to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“We did a reset,” Zaslav told investors. “We’ve restructured the business, which is what we’re going to focus on, where there’s going to be a team with a 10-year plan just focused on DC. It’s very similar to the structure that Alan Horn and Bob Iger built very effectively with Kevin Feige at Disney. We believe we could build a long-term, much stronger and sustainable growth business out of DC.”

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

While a 10-year plan sounds good in theory, none of Zaslav’s comments made it clear what that might look like in practice. Part of the appeal of Marvel’s films was their extensive interconnectivity. Each story, sometimes to its own detriment, was deferential to the larger narrative and gave the universe the building blocks for its next great team or villain.

DC, on the other hand, is currently juggling multiple unconnected universes. There’s Flash, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, all part of the universe that started Zack Snyder man of Steelwho seem to have little connection to Shazam and Black Adam Stories that may or may not be connected.

At the same time, there are at least two Batman universes. One is being directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, which has at least two spin-off shows and a sequel in the works — for now, anyway. The other is Todd Phillips’ Joker universe, directed by actors Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, which seems separate from everything around it.

DC and Warner Bros.’ The current scattered, “director-driven” approach wasn’t always the plan. Under Snyder, DC planned to bring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman together to form the Justice League, and then give standalone films to heroes like Aquaman, Flash, Cyborg, and Green Lantern. But if justice league It failed to bring in Avengers-sized box office numbers, WB panned.

Now things seem to be spinning again, and it’s unclear how Warner Bros. multiple universes will continue or even come together at some point. Unfortunately, it’s not the most confusing part of the DC lineup either.

Along with all of the above planned sequels, Warner Bros. has also announced several projects that are now in limbo. Those mysterious projects include the Blue Beetle movie, which should go straight to streaming, a Superman story by Ta-Nehisi Coates and JJ Abrams, a Zatanna movie and a Supergirl movie – all of which now remain in doubt. To bat girl and the recent cancellation of a Wonder Twins film, DC and Warner Bros. seem to only focus on the biggest superheroes.

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

A project of which there is no doubt is The Lightning. Though the film has been delayed multiple times, Zaslav says it’s still part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s future plans and a film that people at the studio are excited to see. That’s apparently despite the ominous air surrounding star Ezra Miller, who has been embroiled in high-profile negative controversies in recent months, including arrests for assault and disorderly conduct, and allegations of molestation and child endangerment. Just this week, Miller was also the subject of a new story from Insider, which quoted staffers from the actor who said they were worried about Miller’s mental health.

Despite all the focus Warner’s DC lineup has had both during and before the investor call, it’s not really clear that much is changing. Warner made it clear that it remains equally committed to DC’s lineup of heroes and that big blockbuster movies will remain the focus. Apart from that and the cancellation of bat girlDC’s future still remains a mystery.