Marvel Studios has not only done something spectacular on the big screen, creating a massive franchise made up of smaller franchises, but have even managed to extend their reach to television. Not only did Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. wrap up its first season a few months ago - the second season to begin in September - but Marvel has also announced development of a Agent Carter show (which will debut at midseason at the end of this year). With Warner Bros. and DC Comics currently in the process of building up their comic book movie status, many have wondered if the companies are considering incorporating characters from Arrow and the upcoming Flash show. Today we finally seem to have a firm answer, and it's "no."
DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns was on hand at the Television Critics Association press tour today, and, according to IGN, put a final nail in the coffin that is the idea of a Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice/Arrow/Flash connection. Said Johns (who is a co-creator of Flash and an executive producer on Batman vs. Superman),
"You'll see a lot of DC universe characters [on The Flash and Arrow]. You won't see Batman or Superman. We're on production on Batman V Superman now. So you'll see characters like The Atom or Firestorm, but no not Batman or Superman right now [on TV]."
This rumor has been around for a while, and I say "nail in the coffin" because this isn't the first time that someone officially connected to one of the two series has shut down the idea of crossover. Earlier this month, after teasing his appearances at this week's San Diego Comic-Con, Arrow star Stephen Amell firmly said that he would not have a role in Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Post by Stephen Amell.
While I am a fan of Arrow and I am looking forward to The Flash, I do understand why DC Comics is keeping things separate. Zack Snyder, David Goyer and the folks behind Man of Steel and Batman v Superman are in the process of creating a huge cinematic universe, and I imagine that navigating around already established continuity outside their own vision isn't in their interest. As Johns explained,
"It's a separate universe than film so that the filmmakers can tell the story that's best for film, while we explore something different in a different corner of the DC universe. We will not be integrating the film and television universes."
So that's it, folks. You can cut that dream loose.
