WithBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Warner Bros. officially launched their DC Extended Universe, but the big debut didn’t go exactly to plan.Zach Snyder’s superhero bonanza was critically panned, and it didn’t fare as well as expected with audiences either, earning a less-than-average “B” CinemaScore. One of the most common complaints being that the film is utterly joyless, a surprisingly dark and dreary affair that left audiences looking ahead toDavid Ayer’s villain-centricSuicide Squad. Especially after that “Bohemian Rhapsody” backed trailer that brought big action and a few good laughs.
Shortly afterBatman v Supermanarrived, word hit that Warner Bros. was dropping millions of dollars onSuicide Squadreshoots. Why? Sources claimed that just about every joke in the movie was crammed into the trailer that had audiences so intrigued, and the studio wanted tolighten up the tone of the movieafter the criticism lobbied atBvS. Now it turns out that may not be the case, at least according to starJai Courtneywho plays the surprise trailer standout, Captain Boomerang.
In an interview withET, Courtney denied rumors that the reshoots were intended to add levity to the film, saying instead that they’re aimed at adding additional action elements.
I think there’s plenty of [humor] in it. I wouldn’t say we’re going back to make it funnier, there’s some additional action stuff that we’ve been doing, which is pretty dope. Really we’re just kind of adding in that sense.
Now, it’s entirely possible and quite likely that the reshoots will add extra action sequences (in fact, another common complaint aboutBvSwas the lack of action set pieces), but the reshoots do seem a bit suspiciously timed considering the blowback to BvS. It’s possible that timing is coincidental –Suicide Squadis due in theaters in a matter of months, so if any reshoots were going to happen, now would be the time – but the initialSuicide Squadsizzle reel seen at Comic-Con, aka before audiences expressed concerns about the tone ofBvStrailers, was noticeably more somber. At the same time, that teaser was leaked and never meant to be seen by wide audiences, so at this point, it’s impossible to say what Ayer and Warner Bros. set out to make vs what will be arriving in theaters on August 5th.
Even if the reshoots are aimed at levity, it’s unlikely that the studio would want to admit that they miscalculated the foundation of such a massive franchise, so Courtney may have been prepped with a soundbite or two before hitting the press. We do know thatBatman v Superman’s disappointing performance is causingWarner Bros. to reconsider their entire release model,so adjusting the tone ofSuicide Squadcertainly isn’t out of the question.
What do you guys think? Are the reshoot rumors just rumors, or is the studio course correcting? Is Jai telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, or is there a little damage control going on? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.
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