Credit: DC/Warner Bros.One more key DC moment is reportedly in the ground.
Of the many projects that new co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran have either greenlighted or shot down, one of the most befuddling decisions they have made has been to move forward with The Flash (2023). Many popular and unproblematic films and stars have been canceled or let go, but all reports indicate that The Flash, starring Ezra Miller, appears to be still on the slate, undeterred.
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Fraught with delays and rescheduling issues, not to mention a lead who has been embroiled in scandals, legal matters involving kidnapping accusations, burglary, and more, The Flash seemed a more likely candidate for cancelation. Of course, this hasn’t been the case: instead, Henry Cavill has been removed as Superman, the future of Ben Affleck, and the character of Batman in the DC Extended Universe, in general, is up in the air, and Gal Godot’s Wonder Woman has been shelved. After today, this last character’s future seems even bleaker.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, reliable sources have said not only will a Henry Cavill Superman cameo be cut from the upcoming Flash film, but now, a cameo from Wonder Woman (Godot) has also been cut. This does not bode well for the future of the character in the franchise. Despite Patty Jenkins not being involved with the sequel, it did seem like a third installment to the Wonder Woman franchise was still on the table. With this new information, however, the outlook is not good.
This is yet another baffling decision made by DC Studios’ leadership. Wonder Woman (2017) is still the highest-rated film in the DC Extend Universe, with a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. In her recent statement, Patty Jenkins said she was willing to make things work for a sequel to Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) but was told it wasn’t in the cards by the studio. Gal Godot even recently posted that she was excited to continue as the character, but, as fans saw with Henry Cavill, that doesn’t guarantee a return to the franchise.
As it currently stands, DC Studios has four films in the works: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), Blue Beetle (2023), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) and The Flash. With Jason Momoa rumored to be scheduled for replacement and the aforementioned issues with The Flash, there’s a lot riding on both Beetle and Shazam. Fortunately for DC, the latter of these films has the next highest rating after Wonder Woman, at 90%, which may explain why that particular franchise is being left untouched for the time being.
They say that any publicity is good publicity, and DC has certainly been getting more than it’s fair share. Maybe, all of these rumors, speculation and rebooting during this transitional period are just for that purpose: the studio, and it’s new leadership certainly have the attention of the entertainment world, for better, or worse.
What do you think of Wonder Woman being cut from The Flash? Let us know in the comments below!