Jon Berg and Geoff Johns will co-run DC Films
 

The fallout from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice continues to ripple through Warner Bros.

The Burbank-based studio is making changes to the way it handles its DC Entertainment-centered films, giving oversight of the feature projects to a pair of executives and creating a dedicated division for the films. Current executive vp Jon Berg and Geoff Johns, DC's chief content officer who successfully launched the comics label's foray into television, will co-run DC Films, according to multiple sources.

This move is part of a broader refinement of executive roles at Warners, which has suffered a disappointing run of movies and has vexed producers and filmmakers, some of whom complain about a murky greenlight process.

Instead of a broad range of movies to oversee, executives will be charged with managing “genre streams" while reporting to Warner Bros. Pictures president Greg Silverman. In many cases, these streams formalize interests and specialties for specific executives. Courtenay Valenti, for example, will now oversee all Lego Movie projects as well as the Harry Potter line that begins with November's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Senior production execs Jesse Ehrman and Niija Kuykendall will focus more on comedy/family and sci-fi/action, respectively, according to sources.

Read More Box Office: The Verdict for 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice'


Further executive changes are anticipated, including a potential hire at the senior level.

Berg was already working on BvS, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman and Justice League. He also is a conduit to Ben Affleck, having worked with the actor-filmmaker on Argo and Live by Night, the crime thriller Affleck recently wrapped as director, writer and star for the studio.

Comics writer-turned-exec Johns, meanwhile, masterminded the ascension of shows such as Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl and is the writer behind DC's upcoming Rebirth, the publishing side's reboot of its titles that will play out over the summer months. He is not leaving DC, according to sources, but adding film to his portfolio.

Johns will still report to DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson, while Berg will report to Silverman.

With Berg and Johns, Warner Bros. is attempting to unify the disparate elements of the DC movies with a seasoned film exec and a comics veteran that together can hopefully emulate the way Marvel Studios has produced its films under the vision of president Kevin Feige. But sources also say Warners still wants to remain filmmaker-driven. As part of their new jobs, Berg and Johns will become producers on the Justice League movies.

Read More Harley Quinn Movie in the Works at Warner Bros. With Margot Robbie (Exclusive)

The muted reception of BvS, from a box-office and critical point of view, is the flashpoint for the changes. The studio had high hopes for the movie, which pitted its top heroes against each other. The door was opened for director Zack Snyder to be involved in shaping the look and content of the entire DC line, which is scheduled through 2020. But critics and fans ripped into the first pic and especially Snyder for perceived missteps, including its heroes' unheroic behavior and the dark tone. BvS, which cost at least $300 million to make, has grossed under $870 million worldwide since its March 25 release.

In stark contrast, Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War is heading towards $1 billion in less than two weeks of release. The movie also pitted heroes against each other, but Marvel's lighter tone and bright colors (while tackling more serious themes) are clearly resonating with audiences.

So Warners is attempting a course correction.

Read More 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice': Film Review


The shuffle, as well as Berg and Johns' new positions, come as other changes are being implemented on the DC movies. For example, Affleck was recently made executive producer on Justice League, upping his creative involvement when it comes to all things Batman and perhaps beyond.

Warner Bros. parted ways with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith, who was to have made his directorial debut with The Flash. In another example of post-BvS fallout, the studio didn’t feel confident in a first-time helmer and is now looking for a more seasoned filmmaker who can not only handle a large $150 million-plus movie but who can also have an authoritative stamp.

And the studio is working to smooth out the third act of Suicide Squad, its big August movie from director David Ayer that could change the perception of its DC line. The pic’s trailers have generated massive positive interest in the all-star actioner that features DC villains, and the studio wants to make sure audiences’ expectations are not only met but exceeded.

Suicide Squad recently went under major additional photography (multiple sources say it was not to add humor) to clear up the issues. Sources say that it was Suicide Squad that escalated Johns’ involvement in DC movies (he was already co-writing the next Batman standalone with Affleck) and that he is involved in the film’s post-production.

source http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hea...-warner-895174

Just shut it down already. I don't know how much more capesh*t I can take.

Best news possible.

Take Johns off the books and let him focus on the movies and get Snyder as far away as possible.

Man, it must SUCK to be Zack Snyder these days. :lol:

Not as badly as being a DC fan.

I've lost all faith in the DCEU, just because the people running the DCEU don't have any faith in themselves (or they keep making terrible mistakes).

There's no gameplan here... just violent reactions to each new thing Marvel does or reactions to critiques of previous films. Zach Snyder needs to go, and unfortunately, I think their entire overarching narrative (if they even HAVE one) needs to go.

Concentrate on standalone films and build the universe methodically: Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, Batman, the Harley Quinn movie. Do the Green Lantern Corps movie NOW, not in freaking 2020. Flash and Aquaman. Man of Steel 2. Then eventually, when they've earned it, Justice League.

I don't know man, I saw Green Lantern.
If that's the best news possible, then it might be time to start a Hug A DC Fanboy campaign.

"BUT-- BUT-- MARVEL HAS THE AVENGERS. WE NEED OUR CASH CO-- I MEAN, OUR FAITHFULLY MADE AND WELL THOUGHT OUT JUSTICE LEAGUE MOVIE." -Warner Bros. Executives.

I'm not sure why they feel the need to build an extended universe outside of it being the thing to do now apparently. DC/Warner have always been more interested in directorial style, and it's paid off for them more than once. I suppose it's a risky approach because a dud director can really burn a franchise, and the comic fans get all balled up about the director's interpretation of the character a lot of the time.

In the plus column, they've made some iconic movies, and as good as the Marvel stuff is, I don't think anyone is going to be talking about Winter Soldier in 20 years. 'Which one was Winter Soldier again? Oh yeah, the one that everyone compared to the taught, political thrillers of the 1970s because it had Robert Redford in it. Funny, I don't remember All the President's Men ending in a fifteen-minute fist fight on a metal gantry.'

WB should stick to what they're good at, and leave the other to people who know how to do it.

Aw hell. Johns in charge of anything is going to turn to sh¡t. Goodbye DC, at least we had the 80s and 90s...

:lol: The over the top reactions from you guys is hilarious.

I am in the minority of those who enjoyed Batman v Superman

I do have to ask why do you guys hate the DC movies so much??? I am asking bc I didn't think any of them were as awful as others are claiming, but I am not familiar the many of their comic counter parts except for Batman from DC and Spiderman for Marvel and obviously TMNT.
I am curious if some of you are just prejudice towards Marvel as well or if you guys are die-hard DC fans who are simply more familiar with the comics than myself.

So my question is are you guys upset, bc of a poor narrative storyline or with the interpretation of the characters?

I liked Man of Steel and I liked Batman V Superman. But after thinking it over critically, both films have some serious flaws.

Sociopathic Pa Kent is my only problem with the story of Man of Steel.

Batman V Superman had too many flashbacks/visions, the African special bullet stuff was pointless, Eisenberg as Lex Luthor turned out to be a terrible choice, Batman should NOT have been a murdering psychopath who was going to stake Superman like a vampire, and last but not least, "Martha."

Not the worst comic book films, but definitely not up to par or able to compete with Marvel. Still, I'm all in for Wonder Woman and Suicide Squad.

I actually think Green Lantern is way better than Guardians of the Galaxy. Sorry/Not Sorry.

Okay, NO. Not at all. I'm saying this as a guy who thought Green Lantern didn't deserve all the hate... it's on par with Marvel's poorer movies.

But Guardians of the Galaxy is freaking awesome. Go wash your mouth out with soap and think about what life choices led you to this point. :tsmile:

I really can't defend the choice of Jesse Eisenberg as Luthor, but I think who ever else played that character would have been just as bad, bc of how they wrote the character.

But as for the Marvel Films I think they are for the most part over-rated especially this new Captain America movie. But I think the Avengers and Iron-man are completely deserving of praise and have set quite a high bar for comic book movies.

Im also with you on the Wonder-Woman and Suicide squad movies. :D

Being a DC fanboy, I'm just kind of... numb to all this pain :ohwell:

They rewrote his portrayal once they chose Eisenberg. That had to have been the case.

Sigh.

http://i.imgur.com/PArGEZw.gif
It's going to be okay.

Apparently I asked for a group hug on the wrong thread...