One DC Project Escapes Cancellation And Is Moving Forward At Warner Bros.
With so happening at DC right now, it was looking unclear around which projects would survive. But a big one is making the cut
As the future of DC’s live-action and animated slate remains on shaky ground, Birds of Prey‘s bat-swinging Dinah Lance is still stepping up to the plate for HBO Max. In the wake of Warner Bros. Discovery abruptly scrapping Batgirl, a spokesperson for the studio says the Black Canary standalone movie remains in development at the streamer. The TV Line confirmation comes as a relief to fans that feared the film would suffer the same fate as the Leslie Grace starter, especially since both projects were being developed as HBO Max-exclusive releases.
Portrayed by Jurnee Smollett, Dinah Lance/Black Canary made her big screen debut in 2020’s Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). In the story, Dinah works as a burlesque singer at the Black Mask Club owned by Roman Sionis/Black Mask. However, the Meta human with a powerful sonic scream, ultimately turns on her evil boss, joining forces with Harley Quinn, Huntress, and Renee Montoya to protect Cassandra Cain. Over a year later, Deadline reported that the 35-year-old would reprise the role in an HBO Max spinoff film. Misha Green, of Lovecraft Country fame, was attached to pen the script.
It was previously rumored that the defunct Batgirl project would have served as a starting point for Black Canary’s solo movie. But the film was unexpectedly and completely shelved with the studio opting to take a tax write-off on the $70-$90 million movie instead of pursuing any sort of release. “We’re not going to launch a movie to make a quota,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav explained following an August 4th earnings call. He added that the company would not put out any content they didn’t believe in. Particularly with DC, where the studio wants to elevate the offerings they do focus on.
Under David Zaslav’s leadership, Warner Bros’ new objective is to grow the DC brand and its characters while not compromising on quality. “Our job is to protect the DC brand, and that’s what we’re going to do,” the studio boss added. No further details about Black Canary and its production timetable are available at this time. However, Smollett who is unable to tease the specifics about the story previously thanked fans for being so vocal about wanting to see her portray the role again. “I can’t talk about it, as you know,” she told ComicBook. “But I can say I am really excited about what we’re developing.”
During the Black Canary call, it was also confirmed that the new leadership aims to create a 10-year plan for DC projects, similar to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done in the past. Hopefully, the franchise finally finds its feet, becomes more organized, and manages to build a solid foundation that benefits everyone involved. While Batgirl, The Wonder Twins, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, and The Flash (series) has been axed, there are still several projects that may not be shelved. For now, Blue Beetle, The Flash movie, Green Lantern, Supergirl, Doom Patrol, Titans, The Peacemaker, Harley Quinn, The Penguin, Gotham Knights, as well as Superman and Lois are still pending decision.
