Warner Brothers’ 2020 Vision – Harry Potter & LEGO Trilogies and a Justice League Ten Pack

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Warner Bros. had a lot to say at their Time Warner investors meeting today, and most of it was “YOU WANT MOVIES? I’LL SHOW YOU MOVIES!”  CEO Kevin Tsujihara gave us a timeline of what Warner Bros. will be working on over the next 6 years.  Buckle up (and maybe submit a resume), because it’s one hell of a breakneck pace they’re working with.  One that’s not going to leave much room for error, and I would assume means we won’t be seeing Ben Affleck direct movies for a little while.  And that isn’t the only thing we won’t be seeing.

While WB freight trains ahead with ten Justice League movies it will still be actively growing the DC empire for television.  But instead of building on the existing fan base of shows like Arrow and The Flash, in quite the tone-deaf move they’re recasting.  In 2018 we will see Ezra Miller in The Flash.  This smacks of a studio who still thinks of TV as Little League and film as the majors.  Fans are already leery about this slate of movies, the one way to get them on board would be crossovers with their favourite television stars.  Trust me, if Stephen Amell shows up in any of them it will draw a massive crowd.  Why not learn from what Marvel has done with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?  They reverse engineered television to fit their movie slate and they even have major stars like Samuel L. Jackson show up to do guest spots.

Tsujihara said, “… as new technologies have created new platforms and millions of new connected consumers the opportunity is huge.  And no studio is better positioned to take advantage of it than Warner Bros.”

He’s not wrong.  But it also feels like they’ll be leaving money on the table by ignoring their loyal DC television crowd.  Meanwhile they have announced a new TV series from the DC world in development called “Titans” with Akiva Goldsman and Marc Haimes heading that up.

Fans of Harry Potter will be ecstatic to know that there will be 3 new movies based on the Hogwarts textbook, in a similar but different wizarding world I have to assume takes place well before Tom Riddle was on the scene.  It will be J.K. Rowling’s first time writing a screenplay, but all three will be directed by David Yates who directed the final 4 Harry Potter Movies.

For those who loved the LEGO Movie, and judging by the $468 Million B.O. I’m guessing that’s a lot of you, will be happy to know Everything IS Awesome as there are another three coming in the next 4 years.

2016

  • Ninjago (a LEGO movie) – directed by Charlie Bean
  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – JK Rowling’s screenwriting debut, directed by David Yates
  • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – directed by Zack Snyder
  • Suicide Squad – directed by David Ayer

2017

  • Wonder Woman – starring Gal Gadot
  • The LEGO Batman Movie – directed by Chris McKay
  • Justice League Part One – directed by Zack Snyder, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams & Ben Affleck confirmed

2018

  • The LEGO Movie 2
  • Fantastic Beasts 2 – directed by David Yates
  • The Flash – starring Ezra Miller
  • Aquaman – starring Jason Momoa

2019

  • Shazam
  • Justice League Part Two – directed by Zack Snyder

2020

  • Fantastic Beasts 3 – directed by David Yates
  • Cyborg – starring Ray Fisher
  • Green Lantern