Toby Emmerich, the current chairman of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, emphasized how DC films will focus on quality storytelling over creating an interconnected universe from now on.
The newest DC Superhero epic, The Batman, flew higher than Warner Bros. initially expected for its opening weekend, and as a week has passed vengeance continues to reign over the global box office as The Batman has officially crossed $463 million worldwide. The incredible success of the blockbuster makes it hard to imagine that the director Matt Reeves was originally reluctant to direct The Batman, not wanting to follow the likes of Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan.
However, Emmerich and DC President Walter Hamada were both set on Reeves taking the reins from the start due to their admiration for his work, specifically the horror film Let Me In (the remake of the Scandinavian film). Emmerich believes that, "The secret of the movie business is quality. It’s the best business strategy for both theatrical motion pictures and superhero movies. The movies don’t have to all have the same tone, or interlock with other DC movies, or have an easter egg that sets up another film." Emmerich emphasizes that "Quality is the most important factor for a studio, and the biggest thing you can do to influence quality is the filmmaker that you hire."
The vision for DC explains Emmerich and Hamada's continued insistence that Reeves was the only man for the job. This belief in Reeves was rewarded when the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes director pitched a new Batman film that called upon the comic trope of Batman being the world's greatest detective, using the style of classic gangster movies. And it appears that this vision is working well for Warner Bros. as The Batman has become the best opening for the studio during the pandemic and has also placed Reeves among the Batman greats, beating his previous best opening (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) by $55 million.
Emmerich's vision has proven to be integral to the continued success of DC, and will likely create a formula for hiring directors based on their talent and potential to create blockbuster movies that focus on artistry and the storytelling rather than easter eggs. Already, Reeves has confirmed The Batman sequel and potential HBO Max spinoffs following supporting characters and villains, with one centered on Penguin already moving forward. And based on the success of The Batman, fans are reinvested in the theatrical experience, with excitement for DC's future installments including Nightwing, Black Canary, and Green Lantern.
The Batman is now playing in theaters.
Source: Deadline