DC’s ‘Blue Beetle,’ James Gunn Projects Moving Forward Amid ‘Reset’ Talk
Written by SOURCE on August 11, 2022
Fans of the James Gunn brand of superhero cinema still have more to look forward to at DC.
After Warner Bros. Discovery announced it had pulled the plug on the HBO Max-bound Batgirl movie starring Leslie Grace, many began wondering what other projects could see the chopping block—particularly with the company acknowledging it’s doing a “reset” in a 10-year effort to follow a path similar to Marvel Studios.
Though there may be more cancellations on the way, insiders tell the Hollywood Reporter a number of TV shows and feature films are “safe.” These include multiple Gunn projects, including Season 2 of Peacemaker.
The director of The Suicide Squad has been attempting to alleviate concerns regarding the John Cena/Danielle Brooks-led series’ future on social media. When a Twitter user confessed they were “a little worried that the alleged shake-up at WB would impact [Season 2],” Gunn responded on Sunday with a photo of the actor/wrestler in character.
“No need to be worried on behalf of #Peacemaker,” Gunn, 56, wrote. “Our friend will still be making lots of peace in Season 2.”
A few days prior, he reassured a viewer that Peacemaker remains safe, writing, “Yes, guys, calm down.”
Gunn has not shared any more details about his upcoming projects, but recently confirmed he was developing at least one more “DC thing,” if not two.
“I’m working on another DC thing, and maybe another one,” he said during an interview with podcaster Neil Vagg. “So we’ve got a couple of different things that we’re balancing with the stories.”
Gunn will close out his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy at Marvel with Vol. 3 next May.
According to THR, Warner is also moving forward with Blue Beetle starring Xolo Maridueña as the titular superhero, a.k.a. Jaime Reyes, announced as the first Latino character to lead a DCEU film. It’ll be directed by Puerto Rican filmmaker Angel Manuel Soto with a script by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. Blue Beetle is “on track” to hit theaters in August 2023.
Other projects that are reportedly safe include the Joker sequel Folie À Deux featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and The Flash, starring embattled actor Ezra Miller. Uncertainty has loomed over the latter film, as Miller has faced a series of scandals, including assault and grooming allegations and new burglary charges. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav confirmed in a recent earnings call that he has seen an early version of The Flash. “We’ve seen them. We think they are terrific, and we think we can make them even better,” he said about those projects.
Zaslav went on to say The Flash has been testing well and is still set to premiere in June 2023.
