To say that the DCEU has gotten off to a much rockier start than the MCU or the X-Men universes would be to state the obvious. The first three films in Warner Bros.' cohesive superhero universe have all proved incredibly divisive among fans and critics, as these movies have generally lacked the widespread, mainstream appeal of the competition. So what's the solution to this problem? According to Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, all it takes is a lighter tone. Bewkes explained:
[There is] a little room for improvement. ... The DC Comics characters ... have a little more lightness in them than maybe what you saw in those movies, so we're thinking about that.
According to a new report from Variety, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes addressed investors on Wednesday and admitted one glaring flaw with Warner Bros.' current DC cinematic universe: it's incredibly bleak. Tackling the issue head on, Bewkes acknowledged the "room for improvement" within the DCEU, and suggested that a lighter, more hopeful tone could be the key to getting the DC films back on track.
There's already a strong precedent establishing that this approach works for DC properties, and it just isn't in the films. Unlike the movies, DC television has charged headfirst into the realm of light, optimistic storytelling, and it has achieved great results. Sure, shows like Arrow and Gotham still tell dark and gritty stories, but the entire small screen DC universe feels like a far less bleak environment than the DCEU. You can have grit while still keeping things light.
Of course, it's obviously worth noting that DC already seems to be moving in this direction. Although movies like Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice featured incredibly dark tones (often overbearingly so), footage from future DC films --particularly Justice League -- promises a much more accessible and lighthearted universe. Many of these changes seem to stem from the overall backlash against the dark tone of the first few films, and the recent promotion of DC's Geoff Johns has represented a welcome change of direction for many fans of the source material.
Check out the Justice League trailer that hit the web during San Diego Comic-Con to see for yourself:
What do you think of Jeff Bewkes' comments? Is a more lighthearted tone the right direction to take the DCEU, or are you a fan of the darkness that has characterized the last few movies? Let us know what you think in the comment section below to keep this conversation going!
