WB/DC Get Their Act Together and Create DC Entertainment

Warner Brothers announced some big changes on the DC Comics front today—big enough to rival last week's Disney/Marvel merger.

Confirming an early report on Deadline Hollywood, WB announced the creation of DC Entertainment, a new subdivision of WB aimed at better exploiting Superman, Batman and the rest of DC's stable of characters across various media platforms. The new company will be helmed by Diane Nelson, who previously served as president of Warner Premiere, the subdivision responsible for many of the animated, direct-to-DVD, DC Universe features. (Nelson also serves as caretaker for the wildly successful "Harry Potter" property at WB.)

The WB announcement also confirmed that DC president and publisher Paul Levitz will step down from his role with the company. While this certainly indicates that WB is finally beginning to take notice of the DC brand, details are slim regarding the potential effects on the publishing side of DC and any immediate changes we're likely to see on the movie front.

However, that doesn't mean we can't glean a few potential implications from the news.

According to Deadline Hollywood, WB is "calling back" many of the high-profile films in development involving DC characters. Much like Disney's desire to bring all of Marvel's properties under one roof and cut back on third-party deals to produce films based on the company's characters (i.e., "Spider-Man" and the "X-Men"), the report alledges that WB is putting a hold on many of the high-profile DC films that involved production partners outside the company.

"My understanding is that Joel Silver, who is buddies with [WB Pictures Group president Jeff] Robinov, was allowed to continue bringing low profile 'The Losers' to the big screen under his Dark Castle banner. But Silver's 10 years of developing 'Wonder Woman' is history now," reported Deadline Hollywood.

The fact that DC Entertainment—and Nelson—will now be reporting directly to Robinov also says quite a bit about the company's new approach to the DC brand. Where the home of Superman and Batman existed somewhat independently in the greater WB picture prior to today's shuffle, DC Entertainment's new role appears to be in service of the theatrical division of WB first and foremost.

Exactly where publishing comics will fit into this new picture remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the news. Will comics receive more or less attention under DC Entertainment—or is the publishing division too small for anyone to bother changing?

On the movie front, however, the move certainly looks good for WB's much-discussed problems getting films involving DC characters off the ground. Fans hoping to see the Superman franchise finally return to theaters will likely get their wish under the new, re-structured DC Entertainment banner, and many of DC's other notable properties will probably receive more attention from the studio than ever before.
Often plagued by studio interference, the starting and stopping of scripts in the works, and without any solid DC franchises, save Batman, the creation of DC Entertainment is looking to rectify this — and fast. But DC is still a far-cry away from Marvel's stranglehold on the comic book-movie genre. Perhaps under the fixated umbrella of DC Entertainment, DC Comics can more equally compete with Marvel in theaters. Though, as a branch of Warner Bros, it's as of yet unknown if WB will be as hands-off as Disney has promised for Marvel, or if DC Entertainment will hold as much control as Marvel did when they were self-financed.

Regardless, it is still exciting to see Warner Bros making a strategic and bold move with DC. Now let's roll these franchises out. Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Justice League — I'm hoping all these films follow the example of Nolan's successful Batman franchise. What do all of you think of this news?

Current DC properties in development and/or production at Warner Bros. Entertainment include:

–"Human Target" is being produced by Warner Bros. Television for a mid-season debut on Fox.

– "Midnight Mass" is in series development at Warner Bros. Television for consideration for the 2010-11 season.

– "Jonah Hex," Warner Bros. Pictures' supernatural Western starring Josh Brolin, Megan Fox and John Malkovich, recently wrapped production in Louisiana.

– "The Losers," Dark Castle/Warner Bros. Pictures' action-adventure drama starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans, began principal photography mid-July in Puerto Rico.

– "The Green Lantern," Warner Bros. Pictures' next big superhero tentpole release, recently cast Ryan Reynolds as the titular character. The film has a projected second quarter 2011 release date.

– "Lobo," based on the DC Comics anti-hero, has Guy Ritchie attached as a director; Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona are producing for Silver Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures.

– Warner Bros. Animation currently produces "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," which airs on Cartoon Network.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: First Showing, MTV News, UGO Movie Blog