The big news going around Hollywood today wasn't the latest tidbit of info about Star Wars: Episode VII or some new Marvel film, it was the launch of legendary news hound Nikki Finke's website, and let's just say things kicked off with a bang. After an extended screed about her time away after Deadline ran her out on a rocket sled, the site kicked off proper with what could be huge news regarding Warner Bros.' plans for the DC universe.
We already know to expect Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on May 16th 2016, but Finke reveals there will also be the forever-developing Shazam film in July of that same year, along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Sandman during Christmas. Dwayne Johnson has long been rumored for Shazam, possibly as the villain Black Adam, and one has to wonder if this is what he was talking to the studio about some months back.
The reason given for the delay in Batman v Superman is for the reason we all suspected: to give more time to develop cameos in the build for a Justice League movie, which Finke says will arrive in May 2017, followed by a Wonder Woman solo in July. But what will really have fans pumped is a crossover film starring pals The Flash and Green Lantern, arriving during the holiday season. Not that it will come as a surprise but Warner Bros. is putting Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern out to pasture and bringing in a new actor. All of this will culminate with a proper Man of Steelsequel in 2018. The oft-rumored Suicide Squad and Metal Men projects were bumped off the schedule but presumably could return at a later time.
If true this is a schedule that would have DC's heroes on screen more often than Marvel's, but Finke makes sure to note all of this is still being sorted out with hard announcements coming at Comic-Con. There's an awful lot of ambition here and if Warner Bros. gets their act together and can implement most of this, we could finally see Marvel face some real competition.
