Things have not been great for the combined entity of DC Comics and her parent company Time Warner, specifically the Warner Brothers film division, which releases all feature films, direct to video, and television programs based on DC characters. Now, when I say "not great", I actually mean "abysmal". I can't really sugar-coat the matter. DC is in a crisis that would imperil even the most stalwart superhero. Recent failures in the fields of cinema and television have made it clear that DC/WB needs saving, and perhaps this time it may be too difficult a challenge for Superman or Batman to overcome.
With such uneven projects we have to ask if DC/WB even knows what they're doing anymore, or if they ever did in the first place. Is this an entity with direction, vision, identity? Or are we watching the free-fall of what could have been a cinematic giant?
The jury has issued the verdict on DC/WB's big (and only) summer offering 'Green Lantern', and it's grim. Critically panned and financially under-performing ($52.6 million opening weekend), 'Green Lantern' is simply looking green around the gills, and it seems like all the will power in the world won't be enough to save it. Unfortunately, this is becoming an all too familiar sight. The average gross for a DC Comics-based film is a paltry $31 million. Critically, the films haven't faired much better. The notable, well-received films (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, V for Vendetta) have been by-and-large outweighed by the critically panned (Catwoman, Superman Returns, Jonah Hex, Green Lantern) and the mediocre (The Losers, Red, Watchmen). In short, it's been rough for anyone not lucky enough to be named Batman or directed by Christopher Nolan.
What we begin to see is a pattern of disappointing box office returns and misfired productions. Meanwhile, DC/WB's top competitor, Marvel Studios, has cornered the market, and is now backed by the incredible might of Disney. While DC has tried to bring diverse films from both the core DCU and their Vertigo imprint, they simply haven't been able to resonate with movie-goers the way Marvel has. I'm not trying to stir up the bad blood between DC and Marvel fanboys. However, I have to compare the companies to give everyone a sense on how badly DC has dropped the ball. Let this sink in; Marvel's 'Thor' grossed more money and got better reviews than 'Superman Returns'. I'll say it again, 'Thor', based on a relatively obscure Marvel character grossed more than 'Superman', a character every person on the planet knows. Clearly, Marvel is doing something right and DC/WB is doing something very, very wrong.
One thing Marvel has going for them is cohesion. They have a clear continuity and vision for their film universe. This gives Marvel an identity, and more importantly, a brand. Movie-goers can look at that red logo and get an immediate sense of what they can expect. DC/WB simply has not followed suit. They felt it would be better if every film stood on its own, and we now see the result. Each film has different producers and creative teams, and perhaps due to that each production has such wildly varying quality. A Batman film feels totally different than a Superman film, and a Superman film feels totally different from something like Watchmen. Half of the DC films attempt to be burly actioneers while the other half want to be serious character studies. They often fail at being good at either.
While, it's unclear if a Marvel-like continuity is what DC/WB needs, they could stand to benefit from the production teams having more oversight and unity across films. Marvel built their world on the back of their most successful film with Iron Man. Maybe DC/WB should have done the same with Batman Begins, or what fans have dubbed the "Nolanverse". Instead of the DC logo being associated with taut direction and great storytelling, it is now associated with wildly uneven productions. Missed opportunity? Uh, yeah.
As bad as things have been for DC/WB in theaters, it has been even worse when it comes to television. Hit series 'Smallville' just wrapped up its 10th and final season. Even the most enthusiastic 'Smallville' fan would tell you the show went through some rough seasons, and probably should have ended sooner. But who could blame Warner for milking it for all it was worth? Other attempts at adapting DC material for television have been utter failures.
'Birds of Prey' had the cojones to play in Batman's backyard without delivering on anything that made that world worth watching, namely Batman himself. The same mistake was almost made again just a short time ago as Warner was looking to develop a series based on Dick Grayson, prior to meeting Bruce Wayne and becoming Robin. That was scuttled in the scripting phase. There was also 'Mercy Reef', a Smallville-esque show based on Aquaman that shot a pilot that was never aired. Ouch. They also had so little faith in a live action 'Wonder Woman' series they leased the rights to a competing network with NBC, which pulled the plug on the show before the pilot even aired. Ouch again.
Somehow, DC/WB seems even more clueless at TV than they are at film. Once again, it's a lack of direction, cohesion, and identity. Given recent failures at the company, I imagine most of the big decision makers will be replaced. Maybe that is for the best. Someone has to be held responsible. There are too many failed projects, too much money lost, and too many dejected fans. The viability of DC as a multimedia force is at jeopardy. No amount of rebooting can fix their sullied image. The change has to happen at the core level.
The only thing I fear is that it may be too late. Nolan is wrapping up his Batman trilogy, and the franchise will be rebooted afterwards. Zach Snyder, fresh off the turkey that was 'Sucker Punch', is rebooting Superman with 'Man of Steel'. These are the only two films on the horizon for DC, and the future success of DC/WB is hinged completely on them. If they both don't deliver, DC/WB will have lost the superhero film arms race to Marvel. Any economist will tell you competition is good for industry, so we fans should fear a possible vacuum created by the lack of presence from DC/WB.
Perhaps paramount to all, we want to see the rich mythology of DC Comics given proper due in live action. We know that the joy of seeing larger than life characters in the corporeal helps to make fandom what it is. It generates interest, and revenue, into the comics we love so dearly, and we gain a richer experience because of it. Can DC pull itself off the floor and get back in the game? Well, that's the hard question. We all eagerly await the answer.