Hollywood intrigue is again from the vacations – Tinseltown virtually goes into hiberation from Thankgiving to Epiphany, so we’ve solely had James Gunn dueling with Snyder Bros to maintain us busy for the final month or so. But oh yeah, the intrigue is heating up as Gunn and co DC Studios head Peter Safran put together to unveil their 8-10 12 months plan for DC’s cinematic exploits.
The web will explode on that day…however earlier than that, a couple of scores to settle!
Top notch leisure journalist Tatiana Siegal has returned to Variety to present them their very own bombshells to compete with THR’s Borys Kit. She kicked issues off in explosive fashion with a take a look at (what else) behind the scenes DCU drama. First on the agenda: Settling scores with Dwayne Johnson.
It’s protected to say that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson didn’t make many buddies at Warners together with his 15 12 months quest to make a Black Adam movie. He wouldn’t have gotten to make it in any respect if he wasn’t arguably the world’s largest film star, however a movie based mostly on a reasonably obscure character with out different DCU films to tether itto was a little bit of a stretch even for Johnson. The film was middling or a flop on the field workplace, relying on who you ask, and Johnson and WBD overtly sparred on their interpretation of these numbers.
In my latest protection of the DCU in-fighting, I joked that Johnson was vying to be the “Shadow Feige” for the drifting studio. I based mostly this on Johnson’s not too delicate hints in his Black Adam press tour that he had his personal concepts for the DCEU going ahead. Well, it seems I positively smelled a whiff of what The Rock was cooking with that one, as Siegel reviews he pitched this concept on to WBD head David Zaslav:
Not lengthy after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger closed in April, Dwayne Johnson instantly pitched CEO David Zaslav on a multiyear plan for Black Adam and a Cavill-led Superman wherein the 2 properties would interweave, organising a Superman-versus-Black Adam showdown, sources say. “Black Adam” producers Hiram Garcia, who’s Johnson’s former brother-in-law, and Beau Flynn additionally had been a part of the mind belief seeking to take DC down a brand new path. Other sources confirmed the assembly however downplayed any dialogue of Black Adam’s future.
Johnson is nothing if not a person with focus and drive. While his Littlefinger scheming got here to naught this time, he didn’t quit on the plan, going behind studio heads to insert Henry Cavill’s Superman right into a Black Adam submit credit scene. This “ruffled featehrs,” Siegel reviews, with one insider saying ““Dwayne went around everyone, which didn’t sit well.”
The Variety piece additionally floats some unflattering gossip about Johnson:
Meanwhile, the Johnson-Warners relationship already was sporting skinny after Johnson pushed for a producing credit score on the animated movie “DC League of Super-Pets,” which opened in July, however did little to advertise. The actor additionally insisted on a tequila bar on the New York premiere of “Black Adam” that includes his Teremana model, regardless of the movie being rated PG-13.
We’re all effectively acquainted with Hollywood axe grinding through items within the trades, and this can be a traditional instance. But it’s fully correct?
My recollections of the way back summer season of ’22 when Superpets opened is dim, however a verify again on the Rock’s instagram account reveals a number of posts like this:
“In honor of our @DCLeagueOfSuperPets film, @KevinHart4Real and I held some insanely lovely puppies from our buddies @BestFriendsAnimalSociety that we wish to assist discover a residence! Let us know within the feedback why you and your loved ones would make the very best residence for considered one of these little angels – QUAIL, SPARROW, STORK & my little favourite,
DOVE 🕊❤️🐶
DC SUPER PETS in theaters 7/29! Hit my bio for tickets 🎟”
he writes. If plugging your film with movies of an cute pet isn’t selling a movie, I don’t know what’s. While Johnson’s IG is crammed with footage of his youngsters, his exercises, his tequila, his biceps and so on, that interval actually did embrace many posts selling Superpets, wherein he voiced Krypto himself.
If that is the sum whole of the Rock’s promo, then it may very well be little, however he actually didn’t ignore the movie.
The tequila anecdote’s point out of the movie being “PG-13” puzzled me a bit. At first I assumed it meant he insisted on tequila on the premiere celebration, which, imagine me, if there wasn’t alcohol, the celebs would riot. I assume they meant the theater, although. But PG-13 means not g-rated, and individuals drink at films on a regular basis nowadays. Was it pushy? Sure, nevertheless it’s not like he insisted on organising a stand for cod nuggets.
While these particulars are petty, all of it provides as much as Johnson being a ache within the ass behind the scenes, and #1 film star or no, the parents at Warners usually are not shy about saying so anonymously. But make no mistake: if Black Adam had been an enormous hit, you’d by no means have heard a phrase about any of this.
Instead, Black Adam been thrown on the slag heap of deserted DC film franchises, of which there are a lot of. In truth, going ahead the DCU, based on Siegel, “won’t include Cavill’s Superman or Wonder Woman at all.”
This final phrase created yet one more Twitter ruckus. NO WONDER WOMAN? Are we again in 2001? James Gunn jumped on Twitter to debunk this notion:
I hereby debunk it (solely as a result of it’s not true). pic.twitter.com/tlKSaqxsE7
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 5, 2023
But there was one other rumor going round even more terrifying: Given that Ezra Miller is present process psychological well being remedy and staying out of bother for months at a time, “some executives are amenable to continuing with the actor as the world-saving speedster after “The Flash” bows on June 16,” Siegel wrote.
With every part else that has been left a smoking wreck within the DC saga – Johnson’s beloved Black Adam-verse crushed, Batgirl cancelled, Cavill left humiliated, Jason Momoa maybe traded to planet Lobo, Gal Gadot diminished to chipper tweets – that EZRA MILLER must be the one to return strolling out of the smoke, Terminator style, is simply the final mind-blowing straw.
And Gunn demurred fully on this one:
I don’t know what’s on the market about Ezra however our slate is 8 to 10 years (however we are going to solely be saying a few of it this month).
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 5, 2023
“I don’t know what’s out there about Ezra but our slate is 8 to 10 years (but we will only be announcing some of it this month),” Gunn wrote.
That The Flash is just not a catastrophe is a rumor that has been floating round of late. Other latest tales declare that WB execs are thrilled with the form The Flash is in, amongst different optimistic tidbits.
While this will appear to go in opposition to all that’s holy, bear in mind, The Flash is popping out this summer season, and WBD individuals nonetheless should promote it and attempt to recoup the large finances. Of course they’ll exit of their solution to attempt to get individuals enthusiastic about it, regardless of it being the subsequent to final gasp of the Snyder-verse, which everybody can’t wait to place behind them.
Also: if Miller is getting the assistance they so clearly wanted, that’s an excellent factor, for their very own security and that of everybody round them. The Flash film is admittedly secondary to all of that.
Also, additionally, don’t cry for Dwayne Johnson. He has the XFL opening up quickly; Young Rock coming again… Red One, a brand new franchise with Chris Evans, popping out on Amazon Prime; different films to star in; and many different initiatives from his very profitable manufacturing firm. He’ll be nice.
So again to ready for the Big Gunn reveal! The clock is ticking!
What do you all suppose? Are you trying ahead to The Flash? Would you drink The Rock’s tequila? Who ought to play Superman? Let us know within the feedback!
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