We’re less than a week away from the theatrical debut of DC’s newest superhero Shazam!, a film that has been marketed as a more lighthearted film opposite that of other DC films like 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League.
DC has shown before that it can put out lighter films with great commercial success. They produced a smash hit with 2017’s Wonder Woman led by Gal Gadot and then followed up with last year’s Aquaman starring Jason Momoa.
One could argue that the two films had a serious tone to them, but both had an element of childlike wonder and moments that warranted a good laugh without feeling forced. Which is what some early reviews of Shazam! have touched on. Warner Bros. producer Peter Safran spoke with IGN recently and said that the studio has realized that certain characters demand a darker tone and that DC would be willing to tell a dark story if the character demanded it. Check out what Peter Safran had to say about the subject below.
“I think that DC has the same idea we do now, which is every movie that they make should have the right tone for that particular character. Shazam is such a fun character. He is all about wish fulfillment. He is fun and funny, and that is the tone that you should have for the film. Aquaman has got a tone, fantastical element. Shazam! is fun and funny. Wonder Woman’s got her thing. I think they realize each tone has to be specific for each movie.”
Peter Safran then specifically referenced Batman and Joker as characters who could lead a film with a dark tone somewhere down the line.
“Listen, there are certain characters like Batman, like the Joker, that dark tone is perfect for them. It’s what you really want to see.”
Matt Reeves is currently working on a solo Batman movie that will hit theaters in June of 2021. Joker, a solo movie about the iconic Batman villain, hits theaters this October. Joker features Joaquin Phoenix as the titular Batman foe and it won’t tie into Jared Leto’s Joker featured in 2016’s Suicide Squad.
What do you think about producer Peter Safran’s comments regarding the tone of future DC films? Do you think Peter Safran’s previous DCEU films were great or do you prefer the first wave of DCEU films? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The Batman is one of the many projects currently being developed by Warner Bros. and DC Films, including The Flash standalone film, Green Lantern Corps, Black Adam, Cyborg, Supergirl, New Gods, and Nightwing. Meanwhile, production on DC’s Birds of Prey spin-off titled Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) starring Margot Robbie is set to begin this week.
The DCEU continues forward with Shazam! on April 5, 2019, Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), on February 7, 2020, and Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020. A standalone Joker film set outside of the DC Films universe starring Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime is also set to hit theaters October 4, 2019.
Stay tuned to Heroic Hollywood for the latest news on The Batman and the future of the DC cinematic universe as we learn it.
Source: IGN
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The film will also be set in Central City.