What’s better than one DC Movie Universe? Two DC brands on the big screen! Warner Bros has decided to take the superhero movie genre in a new and exciting direction with a second brand separate from the DCEU. DC Dark or DC Black, whichever WB decides to call it, is heading our way. The idea behind starting up a DC film sub-franchise is to allow room for directors to come in and make one-off DC movies.
This will allow films to be made that do not stick to the continuity of the larger DCEU. This is great considering that DC has reportedly six Joker movies in some stage of development. With this announcement comes the news that the Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker film, rumored to be inspired by The Killing Joke, would be the first movie under the DC Black/Dark label.
Todd Philips is directing the Phoenix-starred Joker film which is being produced by Martin Scorsese and written by Scott Silver. The Joker film is expected to be a lower budget film than other superhero films inside the DCEU and suggests that the DC Black/Dark films will have a grittier and darker tone than those inside of the DCEU.
Other films rumored for the Black/Dark DC label are the likes of Justice League: Dark and a solo Lobo movie. The creating of DC Black/Dark seems like a direct response to many fans and critics bashing the DCEU for coming out “too dark” and “too serious” such as Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad. So, a separate label could give Warner Bros a chance to “lighten up” the DCEU while being able to make more serious movies under its new Black/Dark label.
Whatever Warner Bros is planning, there is no way it’s not a “win/win” for DC fans everywhere
