Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.
2019/03/30 14:43:54
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
In unexpected news, production has reportedly been shut down early on the DC Universe original series “Swamp Thing,” the halt coming amidst talk of some major behind-the-scenes turmoil at the boutique streamer which only launched last October.
Star News Online and WECT News broke the news that the series was prematurely closing up shop with cast and crew members reportedly caught by surprise, getting news of the changes during filming on Tuesday night. The reaction on the set was apparently one of shock. The series was expected to film a thirteen episode run right through May up to its scheduled premiere date on May 31st.
The local outlet also reports that crew members were told the project would wrap production on episode ten, three episodes early. In fact The Playlist adds that the tenth episode will be rewritten as the final episode providing a ‘satisfying conclusion’ for the series and turning what was all set to be an ongoing series into a limited event series. Several more days of reshoots are also expected for previously filmed episodes to help make the adjustment.
One of the show’s cast, Virginia Madsen who plays antagonist Maria Sunderland, has spoken about the shutdown in a now deleted social media post indicating the decision came from up higher ups or rather “those who have never set foot into the Swamp” as she put it.
With the shuttering of the show however, it has raised questions as to not just the future of the series but that of the DC Universe streaming service itself as the latter outlet says Warners is “tightening the purse strings” at it decides the fate of the niche service which some expect will see its existing content folded into Warners’ own planned streaming service to launch likely early 2020. Reps for DC Universe have issued a “we’re all fine, nothing to see here” statement to Slashfilm in response.
Despite the issues, it’s not expected to have an impact on the second season of “Titans,” the animated Harley Quinn series or the upcoming “Stargirl” series. Production on the second season of “Titans” began only two weeks ago and is slated to run through to late September.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2019/04/17 20:05:17
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
That's unfortunate. Both Titans and Doom Patrol have been solid shows for the service. I've been wondering about DCU getting folded into Warner's product, but then DCU is currently making thousands of additional comics available for viewing, so it doesn't seem like a service on its last legs. Like it said, the other shows are proceeding as planned.
I thought there were some good people involved with Swamp Thing, but there's always the possibility that it's a stinker and the higher ups know it.
.. so, given the above, obviously this is the day you'd also release the trailer :
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2019/04/17 20:18:50
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
AduroT wrote: I wouldnt call Titans “solid”, but it’s passable. Turning your most popular kids franchise into a bunch of murder hobos was an odd choice.
I say 'solid' not based on whether or not you liked it, but because the reviews were pretty good and the show got more popular as the season went on. It's a success story for the service.
For as much as I’ll flame Titans, Doom Patrol is quite amazing. I’d kind of scoffed at the idea of it seeing all the ads for it as I was watching Titans, but damn if the show didn’t turn out to be super fun. Also the new season of Young Justice was really good as well.
2019/04/25 09:29:34
Subject: Re:DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2019/04/25 09:40:19
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, and DC are currently in production on five new DC Showcase animated shorts for release in 2019-2020.
The new series of shorts will be included on upcoming DC Universe movies releases, with exception of what they are calling an "innovative Batman: Death in the Family long-form animated short," which will anchor a compilation set for distribution in late 2020.
Each of the five shorts – Sgt. Rock, Adam Strange, Death, The Phantom Stranger and Batman: Death in the Family – opens with a new, live-action branding sequence that features a "few Easter Eggs specially added for observant fans."
Sgt. Rock is executive produced and directed by Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series) from a script by veteran comic book writers Louise Simonson & Walter Simonson and Tim Sheridan (Reign of the Supermen).
"The original tale finds battle-weary Sgt. Rock thinking he has seen everything that World War II can dish out. But he is in for the surprise of his life when he is assigned to lead a company consisting of legendary monsters into battle against an unstoppable platoon of Nazi zombies."
Karl Urban (Star Trek, Lord of the Rings) voices Sgt. Rock.
Adam Strange is produced and directed by Butch Lukic (Batman Unlimited), who also conceived the original story – which is written by comics vet J.M. DeMatteis (Constantine: City of Demons).
"On a rugged asteroid mining colony, few of the toiling workers are awarethat their town drunk was ever anything but an interplanetary derelict. But when the miners open afissure into the home of a horde of deadly alien insects, his true identity is exposed. He is spaceadventurer Adam Strange, whose heroic backstory is played out in flashbacks as he struggles to save the very people who have scorned him for so long."
Charlie Weber (How To Get Away with Murder) voices Adam Strange.
Inspired by Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman,” Death is produced & directed by Sam Liu (Justice League vs. The Fatal Five) and written by DeMatteis.
"In the story, Vincent, an artist with unresolved inner demons, meets a mysterious girl who helps him come to terms with his creative legacy … and eventual death."
Leonardo Nam (Westworld) voices Vincent, and Jamie Chung (The Gifted, Big Hero 6) voices Death.
The Phantom Stranger is executive produced and directed by Timm and is written by Ernie Altbacker (Teen Titans: The Judas Contract).
"Set in the 1970s, the short follows young adult Jess as she joins her friends at a party in a dilapidated mansion hosted by the mysterious Seth. When odd things begin to happen to Jess and her friends, the Phantom Stranger intervenes to save her from a dreary fate."
Peter Serafinowicz (The Tick) voices The Phantom Stranger and Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) voices Seth.
More information regarding Batman: Death In The Family will be available in 2020, per the announcement.
All five new DC Showcase shorts credits include Jim Krieg as co-producer, Amy McKenna as producer, and Sam Register as executive producer.
Initially launched in 2010, DC Showcase was originally comprised of four animated shorts produced by Timm and directed by Joaquim Dos Santos: The Spectre (released on 2/23/2010), Jonah Hex (7/27/2010), Green Arrow (9/28/2010) and Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam (11/9/2010) and was later followed by Catwoman (10/18/2011), directed by Lauren Montgomery and executive produced by Timm.
Voice actors featured on the first five shorts included Malcolm McDowell, James Garner (in his final performance), Jerry O’Connell, Linda Hamilton, Gary Cole, Alyssa Milano, Thomas Jane, Michael Rooker, Eliza Dushku, Neal McDonough, Ariel Winter, Danica McKeller, George Newbern, Michelle Trachtenberg and Arnold Vosloo.
never thought I'd see Gaiman's Death in an animated film.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2019/05/07 21:02:51
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Cool to see some of these characters onscreen, even if just animation.
And that Sgt. Rock project sounds like Rock WITH the Creature Commandos. Yeah, I'll watch that.
FYI, DC has opened up their comics library quite a bit. They claim something like 20,000 digital comics available. That part of the service is very much improved.
gorgon wrote: I believe the RT score from critics is very good also. Probably best to just enjoy it and not sweat whatever internal drama took place.
I dunno like, that depends quite heavily on how self-contained the season is. Given all the production drama and the rumoured reasons behind some of it(namely, WB gaking about with DC Universe thanks to their own upcoming streaming service) there's a good chance it won't get a second season, and personally I'm extremely bored of watching one or two seasons of a promising show only to have it cut down by corporate scumbags, leaving the audience on a cliffhanger.
"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal
2019/05/29 05:43:02
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Yeah, I was reading about that. The whole thing is super weird.
Like, it was broadly speaking, pretty well reviewed and received by the fan base.
'News' outlets seem to be scrambling for a reason. - Some cited it due to tax break issues with North Carolina, - these were then rebuffed, with spokespeople from the State saying they received the amount they requested (some $16 million worth).
Best I can guess, was there was some sort of weird behind the scenes foot shooting going on.
2019/06/07 00:05:30
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Crazy, but I understand it. The studio was short $27 mil from what they expected from the state ($40 mil). They now can’t keep the quality level up for a season 2 at that kind of budget, and there’s no point to keeping it on standby since NC isn’t going to be the partner they thought they had. Ai yi yi.
Thanks North Carolina!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/06/07 00:08:43
Lance845 wrote: I read that a WB exec wanted the show to be more like the CW shows. I.E. a soap opera with a ever expanding supporting cast.
If that were true they would'a cancelled Titans and Doom Patrol at the same time, as neither of them are CW-ish at all.
Yeah but I feel like Swamp thing deviates the farthest.
Titans and Doom patrol are still both teams of people with personal issues getting in the way of that seasons bad guy. Swamp thing is a singular hero in a body horror swamp dealing with terrible stuff on a level only shared by horror movies.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/06/07 03:44:46
These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
2019/06/07 03:46:24
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Lance845 wrote: I read that a WB exec wanted the show to be more like the CW shows. I.E. a soap opera with a ever expanding supporting cast.
If that were true they would'a cancelled Titans and Doom Patrol at the same time, as neither of them are CW-ish at all.
Titans S2 is likely already too far along to cancel without incurring costs, and while they've not cancelled Doom Patrol yet they also haven't confirmed S2 either.
Regardless of the specifics, there does seem to be a lot of behind the scenes shenanigans going on with WB & DC at the moment, and that's almost never good.
"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal
2019/06/07 04:49:57
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Lance845 wrote: I read that a WB exec wanted the show to be more like the CW shows. I.E. a soap opera with a ever expanding supporting cast.
If that were true they would'a cancelled Titans and Doom Patrol at the same time, as neither of them are CW-ish at all.
Yeah, I don't think that it was it. If that's the show they wanted, they would have made it and hired different people to create it than the group involved.
I'm much more likely to believe it's about state government fething up or not delivering than a studio shutting down what looks to be a popular show on a crazy whim, or misplacing $20-30 million. Budgets are everything. And finding out they were going to take a bath on it would be the exact kind of thing that would cause them to pull the plug abruptly and permanently. Television shows get retooled for creative reasons all the time. Being in the red tens of millions of dollars is a situation they can't recover from.
Lance845 wrote: I read that a WB exec wanted the show to be more like the CW shows. I.E. a soap opera with a ever expanding supporting cast.
If that were true they would'a cancelled Titans and Doom Patrol at the same time, as neither of them are CW-ish at all.
Yeah, I don't think that it was it. If that's the show they wanted, they would have made it and hired different people to create it than the group involved.
I'm much more likely to believe it's about state government fething up or not delivering than a studio shutting down what looks to be a popular show on a crazy whim, or misplacing $20-30 million. Budgets are everything. And finding out they were going to take a bath on it would be the exact kind of thing that would cause them to pull the plug abruptly and permanently. Television shows get retooled for creative reasons all the time. Being in the red tens of millions of dollars is a situation they can't recover from.
What a gakky situation.
WB shut down Young Justice for years because it was very popular with girls and the execs thought it should be targeted at boys. It didn't matter that boys ALSO loved the show. It got canceled all the same. Same thing for classic Teen Titans. WB cancels popular gak on a whim basically constantly.
These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
2019/06/07 15:11:26
Subject: DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Cancelled after multiple entire seasons...not one episode. And they wouldn't risk undermining the ratings of a show just *beginning* its run solely for creative reasons. If the issue is creative, you let the season play out and then do what you need to do.
Other factors here include the purchase of WB by AT&T, and the possibility that DC Universe will be folded into the new WB streaming service somehow. They may be hyperfocused on the bottom line at this time. And if they're out $20-30 million and the show can basically never pay for itself...wow. A lot of people may be worried about their jobs right now even if it wasn't really their fault.
The other, related wow for me is the $80 million budget. I think the Netflix Marvel shows had budgets half that. I'll try to catch up with the show tonight.
It’s understandable why viewers would still be scratching their heads over trying to figure out the decision-making process behind DC Universe cancelling Swamp Thing: the show received audience and critical praise (and a 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes) before its second episode even aired. Now, Business Insider spoke with seven individuals close to the production (who asked to remain anonymous) about the series’ end – and some truly heart-breaking words of what might have been:
* A producer said, “Cancellation came as a surprise, 100%. It came out of left field.”
* Because of strong buzz and what they said as positive feedback from the studio, “We walked away with the sets standing. We didn’t tear them down and go home” – under the assumption that more seasons were to come.
* Here’s where the hearbreaking part comes in:
“One source close to the production told Business Insider that the show had a possible three-season arc, and the feeling on set was that it could have gone past that if it was a hit, with characters spinning off into their own shows. The source used the specific example of a potential “Justice League Dark” team-up series.”
* Sources in the article did not believe that finanacial matters were the reason for the cancellation, with one crew member certin that the work being produced was being financially supported:
“We knew we were getting good stuff on set and we kept hearing that the studio was very happy. There were also a lot of sunk costs where it felt like if things were going well at all, they’d probably keep going because they had so much invested in it. The swamp we built was incredible and was a very expensive set to build.”
* Another sources believes that the cancellation was a result of WarnerMedia’s shifting streaming plans, and the possibility that DC Universe will be merged into the new service.
Executive director James Wan (Aquaman, The Conjuring franchise) took to Instagram to express his confusion over the streaming service’s decision:
“Don’t really know or understand why #Swampthing was cancelled, but I can tell you this — all the cast and crew, and producing/writing team poured their hearts into this. Really proud of everyone’s hard work. Go watch episode 2, and immortalize these 10 episodes. Swampy deserves it.”
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2019/06/12 14:09:29
Subject: Re:DC comics TV streaming network :titans trailer page 2
Methinks that crew member was too close to the situation to understand the import of what he was saying.
"We were spending a gakload of money, so clearly the issue couldn't have been finances!"
This really doesn't seem like a big mystery to me. New corporate boss + expensive show + possible rebate shortfall + new streaming service ready to swallow DCU = ch-ch-changes. ST (big budget and all) was probably worth a lot more to a standalone DCU service than a comprehensive WB service. New bosses probably took one look at the $80 mil price tag and axed it. Note that the well-received Doom Patrol also hasn't been renewed yet, and that probably should have happened already.
They'll probably release the stuff already in the pipeline (like Titans season 2, Young Justice and Stargirl), and then put original content on hold until they have a plan for the path forward. It could be that live action original content gets the axe altogether, and that the DCU portion of the new service just becomes a library for comics and DC movies and TV. *shrug*
Yeah the reasoning can be followed, it just seems like dumb reasoning IMO.
The show looks to have been good, if they're considering rolling DCTV stuff into the WB streaming service they clearly want some DC-related content on it, and they'd already spent all the cash to set everything up. It seems silly to gakcan the whole thing when they could have just gone to the show's team and said "hey, you're gonna have to wait an extra few months to work on season 2 so it can go on the WB service, and you'll have to make do with a smaller budget so plot the story accordingly". At least spread the cost of those sets out over another few episodes of content, and if it proves to be a big hit it might pull people across to the new service.
As it stands I don't see any reason anyone would sub to the WB thing, since if they're cancelling stuff like Swamp Thing and probably Doom Patrol they've clearly got a rubbish sense of what constitutes good TV.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/06/12 23:13:44
"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal
Maybe they hoped it'll change the narrative? 
