DC Universe TV Show Thread

The DC Universe series have been chugging along with shows like Titans and Doom Patrol, but production upheaval on the set of Swamp Thing may mean some major changes for the streaming service. A local outlet in North Carolina [via The Playlist], where the show is filming, reports that production was suddenly halted after only 10 episodes. The plan is now to re-write the final episode to provide a satisfying conclusion instead of sticking to the original plan to carry the story across thirteen episodes.

As the streaming wars heat up, it’s becoming clear that not every streaming service is going to make it. Yes, DC Universe has a large backlog of animated series and select movies, but among its original titles, you really only had Titans and Doom Patrol, and while those shows had their fans, that’s not enough to keep plugging away at original content in the hopes of building a subscriber base that’s being asked to make some tough decisions about subscriptions. DC Universe had to make the case that it was worth $8/month or $75/year (depending on your subscription option), and it looks like it’s struggling to make the argument. If Swamp Thing can’t even make it to its first full season order, what does that mean for other shows in the pipeline?

It’s possible that this could just be isolated to Swamp Thing and that higher-ups are unhappy with what they’ve seen so far and they’re cutting their losses. Either way, it’s certainly a bummer for fans of Swamp Thing, since an abbreviated first season means a second season is highly unlikely unless the show becomes a surprise sensation.

If DC Universe does fade, it will be interesting to see what Warner Bros. does with it. Will they try to fold it into a subscription with the DC Comics subscription? Will the shows end up on WB’s upcoming streaming service? The studio certainly has options, and perhaps an isolated genre channel meant just for their superhero properties was a bit of overreach.

In addition to boasting all 11 episodes of the first season in high definition, the home video release will include a whole host of special features, including character spotlights, specific comic book influences and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The special features will total in a combined 40 minutes of content, providing fans with an extensive look at the making of the popular series:

Raven and Robin Dark Rebirth (new featurette)
The Story of Titans
The Characters of Titans
The Making of Titans
Dick Grayson’s and Rachel Roth’s Dark Past
A look at vigilantes Hawk and Dove
The identity of Titans Kory Anders/Starfire
Gar Logan’s Journey
Rachel’s Powers
The Doom Patrol meets the Titans
Jason Todd’s Robin
From Comic to Live Action Adventure
Meet Wonder Girl
Dick Grayson’s Dark Past
World of Superheroes and Vigilantes

Comic books continue to be the gifts that keep on giving (for TV executives, at least). HBO Max, WarnerMedia’s forthcoming streaming service, has ordered to pilot DMZ, an adaptation of Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli’s DC Comics series.

Described as a futuristic drama, DMZ is set in America during a second civil war, which has turned Manhattan into a demilitarized zone, destroyed and isolated from the rest of the world.

Per the official logline, the potential series “chronicles the harrowing journey of a fierce female medic who saves lives while desperately searching for her lost son. But as she contends with the gangs, militias, demagogues and warlords that control this lawless no man’s land, she becomes the unlikely source of what everyone here has lost: hope.”

Roberto Patino (Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) will serve as showrunner, writer and executive producer, while Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay — who is coming off the Emmy-winning success of Netflix’s When They See Us — will direct and exec-produce.

Filming on the DMZ pilot will begin in early 2020, while HBO Max is set to launch in spring of that year.

It looks like the Green Lanterns will have some super friends over at HBO Max.

Five months after it was announced that Greg Berlanti was developing a series based on characters from the iconic Green Lantern comic, HBO Max has made a production commitment to “a major series based on DC characters in the Justice League Dark Universe” — and it is but one of three new projects for the upcoming streamer from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot shingle.

No further details were shared.