WB president Greg Silverman explains how DC will compete with Marvel

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

The gauntlet has already been thrown, but we have yet to truly see what DC has to offer in comparison to the double-digit film lead Marvel Studios has on their long term rivals. MAN OF STEEL was announced as the first movie in Warner Bros DC Cinematic Universe, but it will not be until March that we see if BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE can hold it's own against the massively successful AVENGERS franchise. Still, Warner Bros president Greg Silverman is confident that DC's projects are worth the wait.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Silverman touched on the direction Warner Bros is taking with DC, specifically in that they are putting the movies in the hands of "master filmmakers" who are working together to coordinate an integrated universe. He says once we see BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE, SUICIDE SQUAD, JUSTICE LEAGUE and the other films, we will get what they are going for. He also addressed the dissatisfaction some had in response to the BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE teaser being so dark.

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 goes on to say that with WONDER WOMAN, Patty Jenkins and Michelle MacLaren were always to top choices to help the film. When MacLaren departed, it was easy to bring in Jenkins to take over. He also defended the use of writers developing multiple drafts of the WONDER WOMAN script so they could ensure they were hitting the tone they wanted without wasting any time.

Correct. They came to me and said they wanted to try this approach. I don't know how much collaboration and noncollaboration 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.

It is clear that Warner Bros is taking the competition seriously with Marvel but are not trying to mimic their model exactly. It is tough to say at this point whether WB and DC are making the right creative choices, but I am just glad we live in an age where a competition like this is even happening. Did any of us truly expect to see movies like this twenty years ago? The only way you could experience these superheroes was in animated form or in a comic book. We should be grateful for what is going to be coming over the next ten years.

You can read Silverman's comments regarding FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, ENTOURAGE, and more over at The Hollywood Reporter. BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE opens on March 25, 2016.