Last spring, following the brutal reception to “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and before “Suicide Squad” would also be mauled by critics, DC Films’ Geoff Johns made it clear change was on the way. The exec promised that future films would feature more “hope and optimism,” and it’s a message he’s doubling down on in the wake of the critical and commercial success of “Wonder Woman.”
Speaking with The Wrap, Johns made clear that as the DCEU continues, they are going to lift the Zack Snyder gloom that covered early installments in the series. “[The goal is to] get to the essence of the character and make the movies fun. Just make sure that the characters are the characters with heart, humor, hope, heroics, and optimism at the base,” he said.
It’s an admirable goal, but it’s one that should also be coupled with a more careful approach to the development process. Thus far, DC Films still feels a bit like its flailing around, compared to the well-oiled machine over at Marvel. With numerous projects in the works, it can often seem that DC is being reactive rather than honing a vision and being proactive. However, perhaps this new philosophy is the first step in a makeover of what DC Films is all about.