While the success of Wonder Woman has been huge, Warner Brothers has had a bit of an uneven 2017 so far. They have hit big with some films like The Lego Batman Movie, bombs such as Live By Night and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword have proven to be severely costly for the studio.
Under the new management of former New Line executive Toby Emmerich, it looks like times might be changing for Warner Brothers. Highlighted in a profile piece by The Hollywood Reporter, it seems like Emmerich might be changing the studios approach to auteur directors.
“Outside the silos, there has been a big waste of money on projects that don’t make sense. [Under Emmerich] they’re not going to make a movie like The Judge with Robert Downey Jr. for $60 million. For $35 million — maybe.”
Considering the studio has been the home of Christopher Nolan and Zach Snyder over the past decade, this is surprising news. Directors have become just as big of a presence in movies as actors, with directors of the stature of Nolan drawing audiences to certain projects. At the same time, studios are looking to gain back creative control, especially when it comes to the cinematic universes they try to develop.
From a business standpoint, this movie makes some sense. While its great to give acclaimed directors limitless power to make their films, it isn’t a sure fire hit. Live By Night was a huge disaster for the studio, with Ben Affleck’s 1920 gangster film failing to garner any interest with critics or audiences. Even the most acclaimed of auteurs can have hot and cold streaks, making them tough to bet on at times.
We will see how this is subject to change the future of Warner Brothers and the DC Cinematic Universe, but it could possibly have a huge effect.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter