It's no secret that Hollywood movie studios really only care about those big sexy dollar signs. Reviews are fine, awards are okay, but money, that green muse, is the only thing that really sways the decision-making of these top executives. That's why, despite anyone's better artistic judgement, they keep churning out more movies with more superheroes with more dark themes without any regard for quality.
Look at Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice—a movie with a horrible name and a 27 percent Rotten Tomatoes score that one critic said executed this superhero battle "with all the fun of a protracted custody battle." That movie has made $872.7 million (£670 mil), which, though far below the $1 billion goal, is a shit-ton of money. Then there's Suicide Squad—a movie mostly promoted with Method Actor Jared Leto's annoying method acting that has a a 26 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and which one critic said was "bad. Not fun bad. Not redeemable bad." That movie has made $720 million (£550 mil) since August. Again, below the goal, but more money than I could ever dream of.
So, why did these do so well? It's because these studios basically take advantage of the passionate fanbases and rabid nostalgia of its source material. Quality doesn't matter when you put the phrase "Batman" or "Superman" or "Joker" in the movie description.
These same fans—misguided as they are, who will cough up the price of a ticket any time a DC movie hits theaters—are rightfully pissed off. But, do the executives—misguided as they are, too, while clinking glasses of celebratory champagne—care at all about the garbage product they're putting out into the world that's diluting millions of people's favorite heroes?
Ever so slightly, it turns out.
Time Warner chairman-CEO Jeff Beweks told investors on Wednesday that there is "a little room for improvement" with the creative quality of Warnter Bros.' DC movies, Variety reports. This is a vast upgrade from executive's previous absolutely zero remorse for their terrible movies.
"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," Beweks said. "We can do a little better on the creative. … We're right on course or better"
Maybe that mindset will be reflected in Warner Bros.' 80-something DC movies it will be releasing between now and 2020. Maybe.
