Warner Bros’ ambitious DC film universe has had more than its share of hiccups. The studio had hoped to take the world by storm with its slate of live-action movies. Its output, however, failed to connect with fans as film after film disappointed both at the box office and with viewers’ expectations.
But have the kinks been worked out? The Suicide Squad was critically acclaimed and impressed most of those that saw it but flopped at the box office. But the spinoff series on HBO Max, Peacemaker, has proven to be a must-watch. Now it looks as though the films might be back on track. At least Warner Bros. hopes so!
The studio has released a new video clip declaring that “The World Needs Heroes.” This combination trailer highlights The Batman, which is due to drop in just a few weeks, and offers early extended looks at Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Black Adam, and The Flash.
There’s a lot to unpack, so just check out the video below:
Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the first film that will hit theaters on March 4, following a special sold-out fan IMAX preview event on March 1. There have already been a few trailers for it, so there wasn’t as much to glean from those clips in this video.
In the clips for The Flash, someone who sounds an awful lot like Michael Keaton asks, “You can travel to any timeline. Any universe. Why fight so hard to save this one?” We get a few speedy clips of Ezra Miller in a more streamlined suit, but the big reveal comes toward the end when we see multiple versions of Barry/The Flash gathered together. Should this have been subtitled “No Way Home?” And more importantly, will fans view this as being a bit TOO similar to the recent Spider-Man smash? We’ll find out when The Flash zooms into theaters on November 4.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom follows up the first film which made over $1 billion at the box office. In the sequel, it looks as though Arthur heads back to the desert to discover the remains of the Lost Kingdom, perhaps a former city of the kingdom of Atlantis that rose to the surface (or never sank). Jason Momoa is wearing a new, featureless black bodysuit, as well as his classic orange and green costume. That movie opens on December 16. The first Aquaman also opened around the same time in 2018. It worked wonderfully, so it’s no surprise WB is following a similar pattern
I saved the best for last. This movie opens before the other two, but the clips offered the sweetest treats. Black Adam opens on July 29 and this trailer reveals that somehow Adam’s son saved his life because he thought that Adam could create a better world. But the most amazing inclusions were the looks at the live-action Justice Society of America — Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate (the three of whom appear both in and out of costume), and perhaps most impressively, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman.
I mean…
Do you think this year’s crop of DC movies will live up to Marvel’s? Or is it possible that DC could even top Marvel this year? Which of these are you most looking forward to? Sound off in the comments!
