It’s official: Zack Snyder’sDC Universeis dead, andSupermankilled it. This is beforeSupermanreleases worldwide on Friday, July 11, where David Corenswet will debut in the titular role. He has his work cut out, because not only is Superman one of the superhero genre’s most sacred figures, but Henry Cavill is a tough act to follow.
It was Cavill who launchedZack Snyder’s vision for DC’s first cinematic franchise, which was then dubbed the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Unfortunately, despitethe praise lavished on Cavill, it was a relatively rocky start, with 2013’sMan of Steelearning mixed reviews upon release, although sentiments have sweetened with time.
Despite a handful of inarguable successes since then, the DCEU struggled to overcome a general air of negativity surrounding it. Now, over a decade later, all hopes rest on James Gunn to reinvigorateDC’s cinematic fortuneswith the new DC Universe.
Why Zack Snyder’s DC Universe Ended
Zack Snyder Couldn’t Complete His Vision
Zack Snyder’sMan of Steelwas as bold as it was divisive, opting to ground Superman in his grittiest setting yet.Man ofSteel’sdetractorstook aim at what was interpreted as too stark a departure from the more hopeful source material, with the controversial decision to have him kill General Zod becoming a focal point of condemnation.
Man of Steel (2013)
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
Director/Producer
Nevertheless, Snyder’s vision persisted withBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Building on the box-office success ofMan of Steelwith a commendable $874 million worldwide gross,an avid fandom was secured with proponents championing the fresh take on the superhero genre. Unfortunately, this sentiment was not shared by most, withBatman v Supermanbecoming one ofthe DCEU’s worst-rated installments.
The critical failure ofBatman v Supermanspurred Warner Bros. to pivot from Snyder’s vision to a more lighthearted tone.Snyder consequently struggled to maintain his creative vision forJustice Leaguebefore leaving the project due to a heartbreaking family tragedy. He relinquished creative oversight to Warner Bros. and post-production director Joss Whedon, who made swinging alterations to the original cut.
Snyder later revealed, as part of an interview in the book “Release the Snyder Cut,” written by Sean O’Connell, thathe frankly lost the energy to fight for his vision. In the interview, viaCinemaBlend, he stated:
I just was kind of done with it. I was in this place of [knowing] my family needs me more than this bull****, and I just need to honor them and do the best I can to heal that world. I had no energy to fight [the studio], and fight for [the movie]. Literally, zero energy for that. I really think that’s the main thing. I think there’s a different world where I stayed and kind of tried. And I’m sure I could have…because every movie is a fight, right? I was used to that. But I just did not have the [energy]. There was no fight in me. I had been beaten by what was going on in my life and I just didn’t want to, I didn’t care to…that was kind of where I was.
The DCEU would then struggle to maintain a creative vision as oversight was bequeathed to multiple figures, including Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, and Walter Hamada. While the DCEU subsequently embraced a brighter tone overall,its lack of cohesiveness contributed to no movie grossing more thanJustice League’s $661 million, aside from Aquaman’s almost anomalous $1 billion.
James Gunn And Peter Safran’s DC Universe Reboot Explained
The DCU Will Carry Over Some Facets From The DCEU
Following a downward trajectory and an underwhelming performance byBlack Adam,it was then announced in a somewhat messy few weeks in late 2022 that the DCEU would be rebooted, with James Gunn and Peter Safran being appointed co-CEOs of DC Studios and the overall cinematic vision.
Nevertheless, Superman’s arrival heralds an incontrovertible truth - that Zack Snyder’s vision for DC’s cinematic franchise is a thing of the past.
Their new vision for the franchise was revealed in early 2023, with the DCEU’s remaining movies consequently suffering at the box office as fans saw little reason to keep abreast of the now-defunct continuity.That vision painted a picture of a more lighthearted and comic-faithful franchiseakin to James Gunn’s prior work with the MCU andThe Suicide Squad.
2023’sShazam! Fury of the GodsandBlue Beetlebecame the DCEU’s lowest-grossing movies.
The DCU reboot wasn’t to be all-encompassing, however. While flagship roles like Superman and Batman were to be handed to new actors, some of the DCEU’s influence would still carry over. Nearly every character and actor in James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad, for instance (and the events of that movie, for that matter), would carry over into the DCU’s continuity.
Nevertheless,Superman’s arrival heralds an incontrovertible truth - that Zack Snyder’s vision for DC’s cinematic franchise is a thing of the past. As positive reviews forSupermanflood in, they paint an all-new picture of what can be expected from the DCU, and, for better or worse, it’s safe to say that it barely resembles its predecessor.
