SUPERMAN Reportedly Playing It Safer After Test Screenings; and Is James Gunn Butting Heads With HBO?
Things are reportedly shifting behind the scenes at DC Studios, and Superman seems to be at the center of it. According to a recent report, the film has gone through a major structural change after recent test screenings, and it sounds like director James Gunn might be facing unexpected friction with HBO over the DCU’s future on television.
Let’s start with Superman. On The Hot Mic podcast, insider Jeff Sneider shared that Superman originally had a bold, episodic structure where the story unfolded across different days of the week. That idea has apparently been scrapped. As Sneider puts it:
"It sounds like [DC Studios is] playing it a little safe."
This lines up with earlier reports that the movie was undergoing changes in the editing room and possibly bringing in a second composer.
While it’s not unusual for blockbusters to evolve in post, the decision to ditch the experimental format might reflect some hesitation on the studio’s part. Gunn was clearly swinging for something new, but with the weight of the DCU reboot on his shoulders, it looks like the priority is now on mass appeal.
You get one shot at winning back audience trust after the chaos of the last DC era, so it makes sense that the studio would want to play it safe. I’d still love to see Gunn just be Gunn and do his thing, but there is a lot riding on this film
Sneider and co-host John Rocha also floated a fun casting rumor: The Batman’s Colin Farrell could be in the running to play Brainiac. With the delay of Sgt. Rock, he may have an open slot, and Farrell’s transformation in The Penguin proves he’s more than capable of disappearing into a larger-than-life DC role.
That’s a hard pill for me to swallow because Farrell is not a fan of the the makeup process. He was very voval about how ard it was for him to shoot The Penguin series.
But here’s where things get really interesting. Sneider added this little bombshell:
“HBO [is] blocking Gunn’s ideas for TV shows.”
Apparently, HBO isn’t thrilled about having shows like Lanterns, Waller, and Booster Gold pushed onto its lineup. HBO’s legacy is built on prestige programming, Watchmen got the full treatment, and even The Penguin was great. I’m not sure why they’d be giving him grief over these projects.
This could explain why Peacemaker Season 2 is sticking with the “Max Original” label. The original plan was for all DCU shows to land on HBO, but that may be shifting. If the network isn’t on board with superhero content flooding its roster, Max might end up being the long-term home for the DCU on TV.
Gunn has ambitious plans for the DC Universe and there’s still a lot to be excited about, I just hope that these reports aren’t true because I want to see Gunn make the big swings and creative risks that he wants to make with the DC Cinematic Universe.