DC Comics adaptations Deadshot and Lobo movies are rumored to no longer be in the cards at DC Films. Warner Bros.’ attempt to launch a superhero cinematic universe of their own has not quite gone according to plan. Following the release of three divisive yet profitable DC Films, Wonder Woman arrives and looked like the turning point for the franchise. Unfortunately, the movie was followed by Justice League – another DC Movie that split viewers, but also underperformed at the box office. In the aftermath of Justice League, major changes are coming to the DC film franchise.
Although upwards of two dozen different DC films were reported as having entered development over the past year or so, a number of those projects are expected to fall by the wayside now that Walter Hamada is taking over DC’s movie division. In fact, two such reported DC projects may have already fallen off the tracks.
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Prior to Hamada being announced as the new president of DC Films, DiscussingFilm reported that Will Smith will not be starring in a Deadshot solo movie, with Suicide Squad 2 set to be his next DC movie project instead. Building on this rumor, Mario Robles of ElFanboy and Splash Report gave some additional details. Not only does it appear that Deadshot has been abandoned, but the on-again/off-again Lobo movie is apparently dead as well (for now). You can read their tweets on the matter, below:
EXCLUSIVE: Will Smith is not attached to star in a ‘DEADSHOT’ solo film with his next appearance as Deadshot most likely to be in ‘SUICIDE SQUAD 2’ which is said to film next year. pic.twitter.com/aApUUZ2zOr— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 31, 2017
It joins #Lobo now, on the “Island Of DC Films That Were Kinda Sorta Maybe Happening But Now Aren’t.” https://t.co/Zd3FlbG0DX— Mario-F. Robles (@I_Am_MFR) December 31, 2017
While these reports aren’t at all official confirmation, they’re not difficult to believe either. Updates on Deadshot have been few and far between, with the initial rumor popping up over a year ago. There was never word on a writer working on a script, and Smith’s schedule only continues to get busier. He’s now confirmed for Bright 2, and having him co-lead Suicide Squad 2 again is probably the safer bet. After all, how many people were really clamoring for Deadshot to get his own movie to begin with?
Lobo, on the other hand, is a project DC has had legitimate interest in. Dwayne Johnson was in talks for Lobo at one point, before he took on the role of Black Adam instead. More recently, Wonder Woman writer Jason Fuchs was set to write a Lobo script. There hasn’t been any reported movement on the project since then, beyond the speculation fueled by DC’s expressed interest in making R-rated films (like a Lobo movie would probably be).
Considering DC has plenty of other major characters to focus on right now, pushing Deadshot and Lobo off to the side sounds like a reasonable move. Now that Hamada is taking control, the studio may start focusing on getting solo movies for the main Justice League cast off the ground. Standalone films for Flash and Batman have had some trouble, while there’s been little movement to report on either Cyborg, Man of Steel 2, and/or Green Lantern Corps of late. Perhaps once those movies are made, DC will turn its attention to more obscure properties like Lobo yet again.
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Key Release Dates
Aquaman
Release Date:2018-12-21
Wonder Woman 2
Release Date:2020-12-25
Shazam!
Release Date:2019-04-05
