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Warner Bros.’ Greg Silverman Talks DC Movies’ Tone, Directors, WONDER WOMAN Development and More

The Hollywood Reporter recently spoke with Warner Bros. film executive Greg Silverman, and in a lengthy interview, he discussed the studio’s upcoming movie plans, including the DC Cinematic Universe.

One things fans have discussed frequently is how these films will differ from Marvel Studios’. We previously heard that the DC movies will be slightly “edgier” than Marvel’s universe, and Man of Steel created a world that is more realistic and serious. When asked about the differences between the two franchises, Silverman says, “We have a great strategy for the DC films, which is to take these beloved characters and put them in the hands of master filmmakers and make sure they all coordinate with each other. You’ll see the difference when you see Batman v. Superman, Suicide Squad, Justice League and all the things that we are working on.” 

There has also been concern about these movies being “too dark,” especially after the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer released. Silverman affirms that the DC movies will explore the philosophical elements of these characters, and there has to be a seriousness and intensity to them. “There is intensity and a seriousness of purpose to some of these characters. The filmmakers who are tackling these properties are making great movies about superheroes; they aren’t making superhero movies. And when you are trying to make a good movie, you tackle interesting philosophies and character development. There’s also humor, which is an important part.” Silverman’s comment about humor should put to rest once and for all that these films will not be too serious, even though some dummy will still believe that they have a “No Jokes” policy. A rumor that has been ludicrous from the beginning.

Talk then turned to a specific movie on DC’s slate, Wonder Woman. The film will mark the first time a female has directed a comic book movie since 2008’s Punisher: War Zone. After Michelle MacLaren dropped out, Patty Jenkins was quickly hired to helm the adaptation. Silverman reveals that these two directors were always at the top of the studio’s wishlist, and he explains how important it was to find a female director. “We had a very intensive process looking at everybody. Patty and Michelle were really the ones who came to the forefront the first go-round, so when things didn’t work out with Michelle, we all knew we had someone great who had expressed interest before. She came back and is doing a great job. But it was never about the best female director. She has demonstrated doing amazing work with female characters, such as in Monster.”


Another concern was the fact that Warner Bros. had hired five different screenwriters to draft competing scripts for Wonder Woman, with the studio narrowing it down to two. Silverman explained this process, confirming that the writers’ pitches did have to fall within a specific framework for the film. “Every project is different. On some projects, we have multiple writers working together. In some cases, we put writers together who have never been a team together. And sometimes, there is only one writer whose voice is right. In the case of Wonder Woman, the right approach was to have writers pitching different scenes within the framework we created. … They came to me and said they wanted to try this approach. I don’t know how much collaboration and non-collaboration was going on. Treating writers well is a massive priority at this studio. I’d be very shocked if writers weren’t treated with respect and grace.”


Plenty of interesting details here regarding what to expect from the DC Cinematic Universe. It is good to hear Silverman clarify any concerns about WB’s direction, and it sounds like the studio knows how to approach these characters. For the rest of THR’s interview with Silverman, click the link above.

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of WOBAM! Entertainment.