Warner Bros. andDCwill officially no longer move forward with Ava DuVernay’s fourth world adaptationNew Godsand James Wan’s Aquaman spin-offThe Trench.The two films were previously part of Warner Bros.' upcoming slate of DC films, which also includes James Gunn’sTheSuicide Squadand Matt ReevesThe Batman.The cancellation is likely part of the recent effort for DC and Warner Bros. to restructure their ongoing movie universe.
DuVernay had been developingNew Godssince 2018, co-writing the script with comic book author Tom King. She was set to direct the film, which would have adapted stories and characters from Jack Kirby’s epic Fourth World Saga. Kirby’s epic sci-fi story introducedcharacters such as the villain Darkseid, whose recent appearance inZack Snyder’s Justice Leaguemay point to the reason for theNew Godscancellation, as the studio might want some breathing room between new appearances.
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DuVernay responded to the news on Twitter, saying “Tom, I loved writing NEW GODS with you, I’m upset that the saga of Barda, Scott, Granny, Highfather, and The Furies ends this way. Diving into Kirby’s Fourth World was the adventure of a lifetime. That can’t be taken away. Thank you for your friendship. And remember… #DarkseidIs.” DuVernay is still developingaNaomiTV show for the CWbased on the DC comic of the same name.The Trench,which was being developed byAquamandirector James Wan, was set to be a spin-off of the 2018 aquatic superhero film. The project was said to have had horror elements, focusing on a group of deep-sea monsters who first appeared in the 2018 film.However, Wan is still set to direct the upcoming sequel toAquaman, which is set to begin production later this year. According toThe Hollywood Reporter, sources close to Warner Bros. claim that the upcoming sequel was considered enough and that going forward, the studio would weigh the popularity of these Atlantean storiesbefore pursuing moreAquaman-related projects.
Despite the cancellation, Warner Bros. seems to be leaving the door open for potential future development, perhaps via streaming. Several upcoming DC projects are, after all, being developed with interconnected streaming projects. This includesJames Gunn’s upcomingSuicide Squadsequel, which will tie in with the HBO Max seriesPeacemakerstarring John Cena in the title role and Matt Reeves’The Batman,which is set to have its own spin-off series focusing on the Gotham City Police Department. As well, the state of the DCEU is kind of up in the air. While future projects likeThe Suicide SquadandAquaman 2will connect to established DC movie continuity, Reeves’Batmanis being set in an alternative universe and will serve as a standalone film.
Even thoughJustice Leaguefans have been eager to #RestoreTheSnyderVersein the wake of the Snyder Cut, the studio doesn’t appear to have any plans on developing future Snyder projects, so futureJustice Leaguefilms may be out of the picture for the time being. The upcoming Flash solo movie may also serve to clean up the DCEU, as the film will reportedly be focusing on the multiverse, which may help to establish a new status quo for future DC films.
Other upcoming projects that are still on the slate includeBlack Adam,Shazam! Fury of the Gods,Blue Beetle,Batgirl,Supergirl,Green Lantern Corps,andStatic Shock.AZatannafilm penned byPromising Young Womandirector Emerald Fennell was also recently announced and a thirdWonder Womanmovie is in development with Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot attached. An upcomingSupermanreboot from producer J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Ta-Nehisi Coates is also in the works, however, it’s unclear if that film will connect to the greater DCEU or if it will be standalone like Reeves’Batmanmovie.
The Suicide Squadwill be released in theatres on August 6th, 2021.
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