Its remarkable that you've had to explain this part of business reality time and time again (your efforts are appreciated). Some are so blinded by their sense of "ownership" over a corporation's IPs, that they are performing fantasy-laden gymnastics to reach a conclusion "proving" some sort of "wrongdoing." True, but that will not stop those who are working overtime all due to their feeling something was taken away from them. The nature of modern day "fandom." I would say that is a possibility--if not for the fact Black Adam, Aquaman 2, Shazam 2 and very likely The Flash (produced as continuations of the existing DCEU continuity) will all be released indicates Zaslav is not trying to erase all which came before his arrival. Of course. Content creators and network execs realized this was a very profitable model, as the investment in reality TV would be limited, but the profit large. For example, for all of the 1990s/early 2000s viewers of MTV who complained that it was no longer a music video channel and "taken over" by their endless reality series, they would have helped themselves out by paying attention to numbers. Licensed music is expensive...emotionally unhinged young adults screwing each other--and screwing each other over is not (pretty much everything Bunim/Murray Productions ever released), and appealed to the voyeuristic nature of a large part of the viewing audience. To that end, if WB/D jettisons scripted streaming series (and all things CW/DC) in favor of reserving the big dollars for special / event (scripted) theatrical releases, it is easy to see the why behind certain recent events.
He just did and is at it again with his "A>E" stuff. https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1555677086756511748 [SIZE=23px][FONT=TwitterChirp][COLOR=rgb(15, 20, 25)][/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]
During this weekend's Hollywood Babble-On show, Kevin Smith not only commented on the whole situation, but also revealed that he was going to write and direct a Jimmy Olsen/Bizarro episode of the "Strange Adventures" anthology, which is now dead:
Yeah, my mom and I got to see a couple of test screenings for a couple of animated movies a few years ago, and they still had quite a few scenes that were rough animation or even just roughly sketched storyboards. I know one was Shrek 2, because there were a couple of teenage girls behind us who, based on some comments we overheard, completely missed the entire point of the movie. Spoiler: The ending of Shrek 2 For those curious, they were mad that Shrek didn't stay a handsome prince at the end, when the whole point of the movie was that he didn't need to be a handsome prince for Fiona to love him. I can't remember for sure, but I think the other was possibly Shrek 3, purely by coincidence.
Yeah, I think its obvious that test ratings being the reason for Batgirl getting canned is BS. Based on the slides from that presentation, and various other things that have came out, I'd imagine tghe reason was was the current head guy having antiquated views on what appeals to men and women, and thinking that Batgirl is too female skewed (and thinking that would be a bad thing in any case) to be successful that lead to the film getting cut. It reminds me of how Ike Perlmutter didn't want to make Marvel movies starring a woman or a POC, or how movie executives in general thought that female superhero movies couldn't work because movies like Supergirl, Catwoman and Elektra bombed (which was ignoring the fact that those movies were just awful, which had nothing to do with the gender of the main characters).
I am fairly certain I heard the same audio interview on Twitter you did today. With a journalist who was a aware of the Batgirl situation before the New York Post broke the story. Hollywood as a whole was shocked by this action. This whole situation is absurd. It’s clear that any tax credits are a cover for something. That the new head of Warner Discovery claims to have a 10 year plan for DC films. How many times have we heard that in recent years? LOL There is currently no one assigned to oversee DC movies. It would be so very easy for this Batgirl decision to be undone. Wait a few years and Warner has a new owner or leader. It’s happened multiple times lately. I am a huge cynic and skeptic but the idea that this movie will NEVER be seen is an absolute to the end of time is hilarious. Do you think they will destroy the material? As the journalist said - all it would take is the different entertainment guilds, unions - actors, directors, writers to vocally object or file a type of grievance. This could set a horrible precedent. They got payed already, that is enough? BS! That are multiple consequences to this action. Entertainment is made to be seen. No one can use work that no has seen to help them get future work. Things I am probably not aware of too. All this reeks of desperation moves by new studio leadership and it harms the studios reputation. Which had already been horrible for years. No predictions on what will happen. But it’s ridiculous to assume this is over. This just leaked days ago and it will be awhile before we see the full ramifications. The most bothersome thing to me is this notion that throwing more money to qualify for a theatrical release is necessary. The worst thing to happen to superhero movies in recent years is the overt reliance on special effects over character or story. This is very true of Marvel and DC. So yes, the legitimate questions arise - so why did a movie with similar audience test scores as IT Part 1 and Black Adam and Shazam not given the same post production adjustments that those got? Look up Umberto Gonzalez and Erik Davis on Twitter.
Yes, because of the way the laws work there is a very good chance that they will destroy the material...
Well I bought a videotape of the Roger Corman Fantastic Four movie at a small comic show in the 90s. When it was much harder to share media data. Things might happen.
If you listen to the interview it’s clear this was a recent decision. That the “directors cut” shown for the test screening is in an digital edit bay. But that does not even account for all the various outside companies who have worked on this film. Who probably have their own material. So much of the tax situation is speculation originating from outsiders who do not know what is really going on. Something that anyone with a little common sense and logical thinking can conclude is - There is no magic digital button that can be pushed that will make this whole movie disappear. Too many people worked on this. Most who are pissed now. Think about it. Sony was hacked a few years ago.
Ivory Aquino, who played Alysia Yeoh in the movie wrote on Instagram that Batgirl "deserves to be seen & will find a way".
After the fan backlash of Michael Keaton’s original casting in 1989 WB rushed out a trailer. It did not even have music. That totally changed the perspective on that movie. I think something similar could happen here unofficially. Just a short highlight reel to give a taste of what this movie really was. To counteract the narrative that it’s a bad movie. It’s clear the new head of WB has no knowledge of DC characters beyond the big 3. No faith in a female lead outside WW and Harley Quinn. People forget the only real reason Black Adam is getting a movie is The Rock. Nobody outside DC comics fans know the character. Most are confused about Shazam/Captain Marvel. Yet Batgirl has been a public figure in tv, movies, animation... most importantly merchandising for decades. They might not know Barbara Gordon but know of the character. I remember when Batwoman debuted on tv my sister was confused. Assumed it was about adult Batgirl. She has never read a comic in her life.
What if it IS a bad movie and they just don't want to do reshoots for a streaming movie, since they've already decided that they won't be making any more streaming movies? Yes it got the same test screening score as black adam and shazam 2, but both of those movies are getting reshoots.
Some have convinced themselves that Batgirl was some great film just waiting in the wings, only to be stopped by dastardly corporate overlords. If anyone used even a bit of perspective (and being honest with themselves), they would find that over the past 22 years, there have been more poor superhero films than great, or even good, so there was the possibility--I write again--possibility that Batgirl's quality meter leaned heavily in the direction of poor. No one knows for sure. Still, the loudest conspiracy peddlers simply cannot believe that Batgirl--knowing less about it than the information one would find in a trailer--was anything other than a glorious revelation of comic adaptations, and show just where they stand ethically by advocating all manner of illegal action to obtain that which does not belong to them--all to fulfill their fan entitlement issues. Astounding.
The best thing about this forum is the BLOCK feature. I do not post often, so I visit sometimes not logged in. So occasionally I see brief views of people I have on block. Which is good for shits and giggles. Naturally if I am looking for deep thinkers I am going to come here... Ha! I only share information not personal diatribes. Particularly those who for years write long winded reviews that are posted so quickly that clearly are partly typed out before they see the subject.