170-487: DC Studios is an American film and television production company that is a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment , a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It is responsible for the production of live-action and animated films and television series, as well as some video games, based on characters from the American comic book publisher DC Comics , primarily as part of its flagship media franchise and shared universe ,
340-474: A Justice League film. The news came around the same time that Joss Whedon 's long-developed Wonder Woman film was canceled, as well as The Flash , written and directed by David S. Goyer . Reportedly titled Justice League: Mortal , the script by Michele and Kieran Mulroney was submitted to Warner Bros. in June 2007, receiving positive feedback, which prompted the studio to immediately fast track production in
510-403: A Justice League movie, whether it's now or 10 years from now. But we're not going to do it and Warners is not going to do it until we know it's right. —Producer Gregory Noveck, on whether Warner Bros. is going to do a Justice League film, 2008. In February 2007, it was announced that Warner Bros. Pictures had hired husband-and-wife duo Michele and Kieran Mulroney to write a script for
680-463: A league of their own . During a scene a half-hour into the film, depicting Steppenwolf's first invasion thousands of years earlier, Olympian Old Gods Zeus , Ares , and Artemis are portrayed by fitness model Sergi Constance, stuntman Nick McKinless, and MMA fighter Aurore Lauzeral, respectively. All three were required to reach a specific degree of physicality, with Snyder instructing McKinless to sport "veins like worms and paper thin skin". In
850-756: A lithograph company. After establishing Warner Bros. Music, Harry appointed his son, Lewis, to manage the company. By 1931, the studio began to feel the effects of the Great Depression, reportedly losing $ 8 million, and an additional $ 14 million the following year. In 1931, Warner Bros. Music head Lewis Warner died from an infected wisdom tooth . Around that time, Zanuck hired screenwriter Wilson Mizner , who had little respect for authority and found it difficult to work with Jack, but became an asset. As time passed, Warner became more tolerant of Mizner and helped invest in Mizner's Brown Derby restaurant. Mizner died of
1020-459: A weighted average , assigned the film a score of 45 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, and those by PostTrak gave the film an 85% overall positive score (average 4 out of 5 stars) and a 69% "definite recommend". Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave
1190-420: A " Snyder Cut ". In March 2019, Snyder confirmed his original cut existed, and stated that it was up to Warner Bros. to release it. In November, an insider claimed that Warner Bros. was unlikely to release Snyder's version of Justice League in theaters, calling it a "pipe dream". In December, Snyder posted a photo in his Vero account, which showed boxes with tapes labeled "Z.S. J.L Director's cut", and with
1360-653: A " box office bomb " or "flop". In the United States and Canada, industry tracking initially forecast the film debuting to $ 110–120 million from 4,051 theaters (including 400 IMAX screens). It made $ 13 million from Thursday night previews, up from the $ 11 million made by Wonder Woman the previous June. However, after making $ 38.5 million on its first day (including Thursday previews), weekend projections were lowered to $ 95 million. It ended up debuting to $ 93.8 million, down 45% from Batman v Superman ' s opening of $ 166 million, and being
1530-421: A "gangster studio". The studio's first gangster film, Little Caesar , was a great box office success and Edward G. Robinson starred in many of the subsequent Warner gangster films. The studio's next effort, The Public Enemy , made James Cagney arguably the studio's new top star, and Warner Bros. made more gangster films. "Movie for movie, Warners was the most reliable source of entertainment through
1700-545: A $ 185 million international debut from 65 countries, including $ 57.1 million from China, $ 9.8 million from the United Kingdom, $ 9.6 million from Mexico, and $ 8.8 million from South Korea. The film broke a record in the Philippines with a debut of $ 1.12M (PHP 57.3M), making it the biggest industry opening day for a film in 2017 and eventually becoming the 7th-most successful film of all time . In Brazil,
1870-599: A 40 percent tax rebate as they felt they had not hired enough Australian actors. Miller was frustrated, stating that "A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Australian film industry is being frittered away because of very lazy thinking. They're throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars of investment that the rest of the world is competing for and, much more significantly, highly skilled creative jobs." Production offices were then moved to Vancouver Film Studios in Canada. Filming
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#17328581447782040-485: A Bosko clone. By the end of World War II, a new Schlesinger production team, including directors Friz Freleng (started in 1934), Tex Avery (started in 1935), Frank Tashlin (started in 1936), Bob Clampett (started in 1937), Chuck Jones (started in 1938), and Robert McKimson (started in 1946), was formed. Schlesinger's staff developed a fast-paced, irreverent style that made their cartoons globally popular. In 1935, Avery directed Porky Pig cartoons that established
2210-411: A Warner Bros.–based production company with Roy Lee . Johns was expected to remain involved in future DC films moving forward in an advisory role while continuing as the president and chief creative officer of DC Entertainment, with Warner Bros. expected to hire a new studio head. In January 2018, Warner Bros. executive Walter Hamada was appointed as the new president of DC Films, to oversee the films in
2380-422: A cash settlement. Nevertheless, Cagney left the studio to establish an independent film company with his brother Bill. The Cagneys released their films though Grand National Films ; however, they were not able to get good financing and ran out of money after their third film. Cagney then agreed to return to Warner Bros., after Jack agreed to a contract guaranteeing Cagney would be treated to his own terms. After
2550-404: A consultant at DC Films, helping the studio find its next creative leader. Later that month, it was reported that De Luca had been effectively running DC Films in place of Hamada. On October 19, Hamada departed the company, two days before the release of Black Adam . Less than a week after Hamada's departure, filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran , who had previously worked together on
2720-540: A cover of the Beatles ' " Come Together " performed by Gary Clark Jr. and Junkie XL. WaterTower Music released the soundtrack album digitally on November 10 the same year, with a release of the physical format on December 8. Superman was intentionally left out on all early Justice League marketing materials, including trailers, clips, and posters, which actor Cavill commented as "ridiculous". Despite his character being hidden from promotional materials, Cavill still joined
2890-664: A director/writer for future DCEU films suggesting a direct sequel to his version of Justice League remained unlikely. Later in August, DC Films producer Charles Roven stated that a Justice League sequel was still possible, though it would be several years away. A sequel was once again under consideration while De Luca and Abdy were in charge of DC Films (later renamed DC Studios), before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over in 2022. In October 2023, Variety reported that no actors cast in Snyder's DCEU films would reprise their respective roles in
3060-529: A dog brought from France after World War I by an American soldier, established their reputation. Rin Tin Tin's third film was the feature Where the North Begins , which was so successful that Jack signed the dog to star in more films for $ 1,000 per week. Rin Tin Tin became the studio's top star. Jack nicknamed him "The Mortgage Lifter" and the success boosted Darryl F. Zanuck 's career. Zanuck eventually became
3230-684: A few films each year under the First National name until 1938. For thirty years, certain Warner productions were identified (mainly for tax purposes) as 'A Warner Bros.–First National Picture.' In the latter part of 1929, Jack Warner hired George Arliss to star in Disraeli , which was a success. Arliss won an Academy Award for Best Actor and went on to star in nine more movies for the studio. In 1930, Harry acquired more theaters in Atlantic City , despite
3400-470: A first step." The film included references to the existence of other superheroes in the DC Universe , and set the tone for a shared fictional universe of DC Comics characters on film. Goyer stated that should Green Lantern appear in a future installment, it would be a rebooted version of the character, unconnected to the 2011 film. With the release of Man of Steel in June 2013, Goyer was hired to write
3570-460: A heart attack on April 3, 1933. By 1932, musicals were declining in popularity, and the studio was forced to cut musical numbers from many productions and advertise them as straight comedies. The public had begun to associate musicals with color, and thus studios began to abandon its use. Warner Bros. had a contract with Technicolor to produce two more pictures in that process. As a result, the first horror films in color were produced and released by
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#17328581447783740-564: A major loan. With this new money, the Warners bought the pioneer Vitagraph Company which had a nationwide distribution system. In 1925, Warners' also experimented in radio, establishing a successful radio station, KFWB , in Los Angeles. Warner Bros. was a pioneer of films with synchronized sound (then known as "talking pictures" or "talkies"). In 1925, at Sam's urging, Warner's agreed to add this feature to their productions. By February 1926,
3910-540: A mascot to Warner Bros., its various divisions, and Six Flags (which Time Warner once owned). The success of the compilation film The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie in 1979, featuring the archived film of these characters, prompted Warner Bros. to organize Warner Bros. Animation as a new production division to restart production of original material. According to Warner's autobiography, prior to US entry in World War II , Philip Kauffman, Warner Bros. German sales head,
4080-635: A member of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). The company is known for its film studio division, the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group , which includes Warner Bros. Pictures , New Line Cinema , Warner Bros. Pictures Animation , Castle Rock Entertainment , DC Studios , and the Warner Bros. Television Group . Bugs Bunny , a character created for the Looney Tunes series, is the company's official mascot. The company's name originated from
4250-413: A month-long strike. In retaliation, Warner—during his 1947 testimony before Congress about Mission to Moscow —accused multiple employees of ties to Communists. By the end of 1947, the studio reached a record net profit of $ 22 million (equivalent to $ 300 million in 2023). Warner acquired Pathé News from RKO in 1947. On January 5, 1948, Warner offered the first color newsreel , covering
4420-428: A net profit of $ 674,158.00. By 1936, contracts of musical and silent stars were not renewed, instead being replaced by tough-talking, working-class types who better fit these pictures. As a result, Dorothy Mackaill , Dolores del Río , Bebe Daniels , Frank Fay , Winnie Lightner , Bernice Claire , Alexander Gray, Alice White , and Jack Mulhall that had characterized the urban, modern, and sophisticated attitude of
4590-598: A post-credits scene as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke and Lex Luthor , respectively. Michael McElhatton appears as the leader of a group of terrorists who clash with Wonder Woman early in the film, while Holt McCallany makes an uncredited appearance as a burglar. Marc McClure , who portrayed Jimmy Olsen in the Christopher Reeve Superman film series, has a brief cameo as a police officer. Willem Dafoe and Kiersey Clemons filmed scenes as Nuidis Vulko and Iris West , although their roles were cut from
4760-553: A projected $ 220 million budget. The following month, roughly 40 actors and actresses auditioned for the ensemble superhero roles, among them Joseph Cross , Michael Angarano , Max Thieriot , Minka Kelly , Adrianne Palicki , and Scott Porter . Miller had intended to cast younger actors, as he wanted them to "grow" into their roles over the course of several films. D. J. Cotrona was cast as Superman, along with Armie Hammer as Batman. Jessica Biel reportedly declined to play Wonder Woman role after negotiations. The character
4930-431: A result of losses from the Great Depression, and Harry refused to restore it as the company recovered. Zanuck established his own company. Harry thereafter raised salaries for studio employees. In 1933, Warner was able to link up with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst 's Cosmopolitan Films. Hearst had previously worked with MGM, but ended the association after a dispute with head producer Irving Thalberg over
5100-425: A result of their financial problems, Warner Bros. took the next step and released The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson . This movie, which includes little sound dialogue, but did feature sound segments of Jolson singing, was a sensation. It signaled the beginning of the era of "talking pictures" and the twilight of the silent era. However, Sam died the night before the opening, preventing the brothers from attending
5270-453: A result, Harry Warner—while speaking at a convention of 1,500 independent exhibitors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin—was able to convince the filmmakers to spend $ 500,000 in newspaper advertising, and Harry saw this as an opportunity to establish theaters in places such as New York City and Los Angeles. As the studio prospered, it gained backing from Wall Street , and in 1924 Goldman Sachs arranged
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5440-511: A sequel, as well as a new Justice League , with the Beall draft being scrapped. The sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , not only had a new Batman sharing the same universe as Superman but helped set up the Justice League film by introducing other superpowered DC heroes through in-universe footage cameos and teasing an impending doom through cryptic and ominous dreams and warnings. Though
5610-417: A solo Green Lantern film, released in 2011 as a critical and financial disappointment. Meanwhile, film adaptations for The Flash and Wonder Woman continued to languish in development, while filming for a Superman reboot commenced in 2011 with Man of Steel , produced by Nolan and written by Batman screenwriter David S. Goyer. In October 2012, following its legal victory over Joe Shuster 's estate for
5780-509: A top producer and between 1928 and 1933 served as Jack's right-hand man and executive producer , with responsibilities including day-to-day film production. More success came after Ernst Lubitsch was hired as head director; Harry Rapf left the studio to join Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . Lubitsch's film The Marriage Circle was the studio's most successful film of 1924, and was on The New York Times best list for that year. Despite
5950-511: A top star and signed him to a new contract, tripling his salary. In 1936, Harry's daughter Doris read a copy of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind and was interested in making a film adaptation. Doris offered Mitchell $ 50,000 for screen rights. Jack vetoed the deal, realizing it would be an expensive production. Major Paramount star George Raft also eventually proved to be a problem for Jack. Warner had signed him in 1939, finally bringing
6120-672: A top star. Following High Sierra and after Raft had once again turned the part down, Bogart was given the leading role in John Huston 's successful 1941 remake of the studio's 1931 pre-Code film, The Maltese Falcon , based upon the Dashiell Hammett novel. Warner's cartoon unit had its roots in the independent Harman and Ising studio. From 1930 to 1933, Walt Disney Studios alumni Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising produced musical cartoons for Leon Schlesinger , who sold them to Warner. Harman and Ising introduced their character Bosko in
6290-540: A top studio in Hollywood , but this changed after 1935 as other studios, notably MGM, quickly overshadowed the prestige and glamor that previously characterized Warner Bros. However, in the late 1930s, Bette Davis became the studio's top draw and was even dubbed as "The Fifth Warner Brother". In 1935, Cagney sued Jack Warner for breach of contract. Cagney claimed Warner had forced him to star in more films than his contract required. Cagney eventually dropped his lawsuit after
6460-460: A very successful musical under the direction of Lloyd Bacon. Warner assigned Bacon to "more expensive productions including Footlight Parade , Wonder Bar , Broadway Gondolier " (which he also starred in), and Gold Diggers that saved the company from bankruptcy. In the wake of 42nd Street 's success, the studio produced profitable musicals. These starred Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell and were mostly directed by Busby Berkeley . In 1935,
6630-486: Is also notable for how Ben Affleck, donning the bat suit for the second time, looks like he'd rather be almost anywhere else but here." Writing for The Washington Post , Alyssa Rosenberg also returned with a negative review, and described the film was a "symbol of just how entrenched superhero movies have become in the Hollywood ecosystem, it's also a potent illustration that success hasn't necessarily artistically elevated
6800-570: Is exhumed and placed in the amniotic fluid of the genesis chamber in the Kryptonian scout ship, along with the Mother Box, successfully resurrecting him. However, his memories have not returned, and he attacks the group. Batman enacts his contingency plan: Lois Lane . Superman calms down and leaves with her to his family home in Smallville , where his memories come back. In the turmoil, the last Mother Box
6970-572: Is left unguarded, allowing Steppenwolf to retrieve it. Without Superman to aid them, the five heroes travel to a village in Russia , where Steppenwolf's lair is located. They fight their way through the Parademons; just when all hope seems lost, Superman arrives and assists Stone in separating the Mother Boxes. The team defeats Steppenwolf, who is attacked by his own Parademons when they smell his fear. After
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7140-499: Is seeking the Mother Box protected by humanity. Steppenwolf attacks an Atlantean outpost to retrieve the next Mother Box, forcing Curry into action. Stone retrieves the last Mother Box for the group, revealing that his father used it to rebuild Stone's body after an accident almost killed him. Knowing this information, Wayne decides to use the Mother Box to resurrect Superman, not only to help them fight off Steppenwolf's invasion but also to restore hope to humanity. Clark Kent 's body
7310-752: Is still in mourning two years after the death of Superman , which triggered the Mother Boxes' reactivation and Steppenwolf's return to Earth. Steppenwolf aims to gather the boxes to form "The Unity", which will destroy Earth's ecology and terraform it in the image of Steppenwolf's homeworld. Steppenwolf retrieves one Mother Box from Themyscira , prompting Queen Hippolyta to warn her daughter Diana . Diana joins Bruce Wayne in an attempt to unite other metahumans to their cause: Wayne goes after Arthur Curry and Barry Allen , while Diana locates Victor Stone . Wayne fails to persuade Curry but finds Allen enthusiastic. Stone joins after his father Silas and other S.T.A.R. Labs employees are kidnapped by Steppenwolf, who
7480-399: Is the first DC Studios production and the first series to be released under that banner. In October 2024, DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation greenlit the theatrical animated film Dynamic Duo (2028), which is DC Studios's first animated film and the first new project to move forward at the studio following its DCU announcements. The film Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) is part of
7650-672: The Swamp Thing film, and said the following month that there were plans to incorporate characters from the DC-owned Milestone Media , such as Static . In February 2024, Gunn and Safran worked with Warner Bros. Discovery corporate siblings to acquire the Christopher Reeve documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024). This is the first film to be released under the DC Studios banner, while The Penguin (2024)
7820-581: The Batman theme music from the 1989 film Batman . The John Williams' Superman theme was used during "a dark, twisted moment" in the film where a resurrected Superman fights the Justice League and later during the climax where Superman arrives to defeat Steppenwolf. The film features a cover of Leonard Cohen 's " Everybody Knows " performed by Sigrid , " Icky Thump " performed by the White Stripes , and
7990-473: The DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by Zack Snyder who was replaced by Joss Whedon after Snyder left the project and written by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon, the film features an ensemble cast including Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , Gal Gadot , Ezra Miller , Jason Momoa , Ray Fisher , Amy Adams , Jeremy Irons , Diane Lane , Connie Nielsen , and J. K. Simmons . In the film, following
8160-506: The DC Universe (DCU). The studio has been led by filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran as its co-chairmen and co-CEOs since it was formed in November 2022. The studio's predecessor, DC Films , was formed in May 2016 as a division of Warner Bros. Pictures to oversee DC Comics–based film productions, primarily those from its shared universe franchise the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It
8330-460: The Justice League production to cover the costs of digitally re-adding Cavill's facial hair back for Fallout until it regrew. Paramount executives eventually intervened and refused permission altogether, necessitating the mustache to be digitally removed for Justice League . Whedon received a screenwriting credit on the film alongside Chris Terrio , while Snyder received sole director's credit. Producer Charles Roven said in an interview that
8500-416: The Justice League storyline would be more linear and simple, compared to the theatrical version of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . Johns confirmed on June 3, 2016, that the title of the film is Justice League , and later stated that the film would be "hopeful and optimistic" in comparison to previous DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films. Justice League had a troubled production. During filming, it
8670-565: The Poverty Row section of Hollywood, and acquire a much larger studio lot in Burbank . They expanded by acquiring the Stanley Corporation, a major theater chain. This gave them a share in rival First National Pictures , of which Stanley owned one-third. In a bidding war with William Fox , Warner Bros. bought more First National shares on September 13, 1928; Jack also appointed Zanuck as
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#17328581447788840-776: The Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game . In 1948, Bette Davis, still their top actress and now hostile to Jack, was a big problem for Harry after she and others left the studio after completing the film Beyond the Forest . Warner was a party to the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. antitrust case of the 1940s. This action, brought by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission , claimed
9010-412: The Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California , and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Founded in 1923 by four brothers, Harry , Albert , Sam , and Jack Warner , the company established itself as a leader in the American film industry before diversifying into animation , television , and video games , and is one of the "Big Five" major American film studios , as well as
9180-523: The Westfjords of Iceland . Snyder's longtime cinematographer Larry Fong was replaced by Fabian Wagner due to scheduling conflicts. Ben Affleck served as executive producer. In May 2016, it was revealed that Geoff Johns and Jon Berg would produce the Justice League films, and would also be in charge of the DC Extended Universe , after the largely negative critical reception of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . The same month, Irons stated that
9350-471: The box office and the studio's net loss increased. During this time, Harry and six other movie studio figures were indicted for conspiracy to violate the Sherman Antitrust Act , through an attempt to gain a monopoly over St Louis movie theaters. In 1935, Harry was put on trial; after a mistrial, Harry sold the company's movie theaters and the case was never reopened. 1935 also saw the studio make
9520-576: The movie theater business, having acquired a movie projector with which they showed films in the mining towns of Pennsylvania and Ohio . In the beginning, Sam and Albert Warner invested $ 150 to present Life of an American Fireman and The Great Train Robbery . They opened their first theater, the Cascade , in New Castle, Pennsylvania , in 1903. When the original building was in danger of being demolished,
9690-449: The " DC Elseworlds " label and was overseen by Warner Bros. Pictures co-chiefs De Luca and Abdy, without the involvement of Gunn, Safran, or DC Studios, although the DC logo used before that studio's formation is included in the credits. At the time of the film's release later that month, Gunn said that "[a]ll future films with DC characters [would] be DC Studios" productions moving forward. All of
9860-452: The "superhero business", though he would later score X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Wonder Woman 1984 . Junkie XL , who wrote and composed the soundtrack of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with Zimmer, was originally scoring the film, but was replaced by Danny Elfman the following year in June. Elfman had previously composed the films Batman and Batman Returns , and the theme music for Batman: The Animated Series . Elfman used
10030-464: The 1920s gave way to James Cagney , Joan Blondell , Edward G. Robinson , Warren William and Barbara Stanwyck , who would be more acceptable to the common man. The studio was one of the most prolific producers of Pre-Code pictures and had a lot of trouble with the censors once they started clamping down on what they considered indecency (around 1934). As a result, Warner Bros. turned to historical pictures from around 1935 to avoid confrontations with
10200-507: The 2017 cut to be the official version. A sequel was originally scheduled to be released in June 2019 but was subsequently delayed to accommodate the release for The Batman . By March 2017, producer Charles Roven said that Zack Snyder would direct the film and in October J. K. Simmons stated that the studio was working on the script of the sequel, alongside The Batman . Shortly after the release of Justice League , Henry Cavill said that he
10370-543: The B's". Foy was able to garnish arguably more profits than any other B-film producer at the time. During Foy's time at the studio, however, Warner fired him seven different times. During 1936, The Story of Louis Pasteur proved a box office success and star Paul Muni won the Oscar for Best Actor in March 1937. The studio's 1937 film The Life of Emile Zola gave the studio the first of its seven Best Picture Oscars . In 1937,
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#173285814477810540-511: The Breen office. In 1936, following the success of The Petrified Forest , Jack signed Humphrey Bogart to a studio contract. Warner, however, did not think Bogart was star material, and cast Bogart in infrequent roles as a villain opposite either James Cagney or Edward Robinson over the next five years. After Hal B. Wallis succeeded Zanuck in 1933, and the Hays Code began to be enforced in 1935,
10710-490: The DC label, reporting directly to Zaslav, while also working alongside but independently of the heads of other divisions (such as Warner Bros. Pictures , Warner Bros. Pictures Animation , Warner Bros. Television , HBO and the streaming service Max , Warner Bros. Animation , and Warner Bros. Games ). Gunn oversees the creative development of DC projects, while Safran supervises the production side. Their roles officially began on November 1, 2022. In November, Gunn said that
10880-485: The DCEU projects The Suicide Squad (2021) and its spin-off series Peacemaker (2022), were announced as the co-CEOs and co-chairmen of DC Studios, a newly-created production entity under Warner Bros. Entertainment . DC Films was dissolved, and DC Studios helped oversee the remaining films from the studio that were pending release in 2023. The duo was tasked with leading the production of films, television, and animation under
11050-405: The DCEU. Hamada was closely associated with New Line Cinema , and helped develop horror films, such as It (2017) and The Conjuring film franchise. Johns subsequently left his role at DC Entertainment that June and he was no longer involved with the DCEU. In April 2022, after the merger between Warner Bros.' parent company WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery ,
11220-742: The Flame (1930), Song of the West (1930), The Life of the Party (1930), Sweet Kitty Bellairs (1930), Under a Texas Moon (1930), Bride of the Regiment (1930), Viennese Nights (1931), Woman Hungry (1931), Kiss Me Again (1931), 50 Million Frenchmen (1931) and Manhattan Parade (1932). In addition to these, scores of features were released with Technicolor sequences, as well as numerous Technicolor Specials short subjects . The majority of these color films were musicals. In 1929, Warner Bros. bought
11390-471: The League members together, bickering and bonding, spike the film with humor and genuine feeling, creating a rooting interest in the audience. Without it, the film would crumble." Conversely, Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter , while praising Gadot and Miller, called the film visually ugly and boring, saying, "Fatigue, repetition and a laborious approach to exposition are the keynotes of this affair, which
11560-654: The St. Louis-based theater chain Skouras Brothers Enterprises . Following this takeover, Spyros Skouras , the driving force of the chain, became general manager of the Warner Brothers Theater Circuit in America. He worked successfully in that post for two years and turned its losses into profits. Harry produced an adaptation of a Cole Porter musical titled Fifty Million Frenchmen . Through First National,
11730-400: The United States and Canada and $ 432.3 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $ 661.3 million. It had a worldwide opening of $ 278.8 million. Up against an estimated break-even point of as much as $ 750 million, Deadline Hollywood reported that the film lost the studio around $ 60 million. Due to the film losing the studio money, the movie was deemed
11900-503: The action scenes of the film went "start and stop and then start again, [and] then go in different directions." Ebiri also describes the film had a "few moments into the Big Climactic Face-Off," but the "rhythms actually lend the film a pleasant unpredictability." Writing for Rolling Stone , Peter Travers gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, praising the cast but criticizing the action sequences and writing, saying: "The scenes of
12070-488: The battle, Bruce and Diana set up a base of operations for the team. Diana and Arthur resume their heroic duties; Barry acquires a job in Central City 's police department; Victor continues to enhance his abilities with his father in S.T.A.R. Labs; Superman resumes his life as reporter Clark Kent and protector of Earth. In a post-credits scene , Lex Luthor has escaped from Arkham Asylum and recruits Slade Wilson to form
12240-521: The beginning of every showing of Don Juan across the country) in 1926. Many film production companies questioned the necessity. Don Juan did not recoup its production cost and Lubitsch left for MGM. By April 1927, the Big Five studios (First National, Paramount, MGM, Universal Pictures , and Producers Distributing) had ruined Warners, and Western Electric renewed Warner's Vitaphone contract with terms that allowed other film companies to test sound. As
12410-420: The beginning of the Great Depression. In July 1930, the studio's banker, Motley Flint, was murdered by a disgruntled investor in another company. Harry acquired a string of music publishers (including M. Witmark & Sons , Remick Music Corp. , and T.B. Harms, Inc. ) to form Warner Bros. Music. In April 1930, Warner Bros. acquired Brunswick Records . Harry obtained radio companies, foreign sound patents and
12580-423: The box office, behind newcomer Coco . It was the second-best second weekend hold of the DCEU, behind Wonder Woman ' s 43%, but the lowest overall gross. In its third week it again finished second behind Coco , grossing $ 16.7 million. It made $ 9.7 million in its fourth week and $ 4.3 million in its fifth, finishing a respective second and fifth at the box office. In 2018, Forbes compared
12750-401: The brothers acquired the studio in 1928. Thanks to the success of The Jazz Singer , the studio was cash-rich. Jolson's next film for the company, The Singing Fool was also a success. With the success of these first talkies ( The Jazz Singer , Lights of New York , The Singing Fool and The Terror ), Warner Bros. became a top studio and the brothers were now able to move out from
12920-507: The caption "Is it real? Does it exist? Of course it does". Snyder officially confirmed in May 2020 that his cut of Justice League will be released for HBO Max service in 2021. The cut cost $ 70+ million to complete the special effects, musical score, and editing. Some of the film's original cast, including Affleck, Fisher, and Miller (remotely), returned to help complete the project, which also included limited additional filming. Jared Leto , Amy Adams , and J. K. Simmons appeared in
13090-598: The character as the studio's first animated star. In addition to Porky, Daffy Duck (who debuted in 1937's Porky's Duck Hunt ), Elmer Fudd ( Elmer's Candid Camera , 1940), Bugs Bunny ( A Wild Hare , 1940), and Tweety ( A Tale of Two Kitties , 1942) would achieve star power. By 1942, the Schlesinger studio had surpassed Walt Disney Studios as the most successful producer of animated shorts. Warner Bros. bought Schlesinger's cartoon unit in 1944 and renamed it Warner Bros. Cartoons . However, senior management treated
13260-412: The character of Steppenwolf. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 40% of 412 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.3/10. The website's consensus reads: " Justice League leaps over a number of DC movies, but its single bound isn't enough to shed the murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action that continue to dog the franchise." Metacritic , which uses
13430-434: The co-executives of Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. They were also temporarily signed to oversee the remaining units of the group until the new positions were filled. When the release of the film Batgirl was canceled by Warner Bros. Discovery in August, Hamada was not consulted regarding the decision and only learned about it when De Luca and Abdy informed him at a test screening for Black Adam (2022). Hamada
13600-515: The company's remaining one-third share from Fox. The Justice Department agreed to allow the purchase if First National was maintained as a separate company. When the Great Depression hit, Warner asked for and got permission to merge the two studios. Soon afterward Warner Bros. moved to the First National lot in Burbank. Though the companies merged, the Justice Department required Warner to release
13770-460: The cut as the Joker, Lois Lane, and James Gordon , respectively. As a result of the new cut, the original theatrical cut is referred to by fans as the "Whedon Cut" or "Josstice League", referring to the film's replacement director Joss Whedon. Despite being far better received than the theatrical version, Snyder stated that his cut would not be made canon to the DCEU, with Warner Bros. still considering
13940-419: The drastic incohesive shift from Snyder's darker films Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to the lighter Justice League (co-written by Whedon), to the similarly drastic and incohesive change in tone experienced from the older 1989 and 1992 Tim Burton's Batman films to the direct light-hearted sequels directed by Schumacher, although noting the former shift in tone was better received than
14110-516: The early 1920s they acquired their first studio facilities on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Sam and Jack produced the pictures, while Harry and Albert, along with their auditor and now-controller Chase, handled finance and distribution in New York City. During World War I their first nationally syndicated film, My Four Years in Germany , based on a popular book by former ambassador James W. Gerard ,
14280-528: The elder Wonsal children gradually acquired anglicized versions of their Yiddish -sounding names: Szmuel Wonsal became Samuel Warner (nicknamed "Sam"), Hirsz Wonsal became Harry Warner, and Aaron Wonsal (although born with a given name common in the Americas) became Albert Warner. Jack, the youngest brother, was born in London, Ontario , during the family's two-year residency in Canada. The three elder brothers began in
14450-538: The events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Batman and Wonder Woman recruit The Flash , Aquaman , and Cyborg after the death of Superman to save the world from the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons . Warner Bros. began to develop a live-action Justice League film in 2007 with George Miller set to direct, but the project was canceled due to production delays and budgetary concerns. Principal photography took place from April to October 2016. After Snyder stepped down from
14620-688: The feature Don Juan starring John Barrymore . The film was silent, but it featured a large number of Vitaphone shorts at the beginning. To hype Don Juan ' s release, Harry acquired the large Piccadilly Theater in Manhattan , New York City , and renamed it Warners' Theatre. Don Juan premiered at the Warners' Theatre in New York on August 6, 1926. Throughout the early history of film distribution, theater owners hired orchestras to attend film showings, where they provided soundtracks . Through Vitaphone, Warner Bros. produced eight shorts (which were played at
14790-461: The film Superman in 2025. Productions that are not part of the DCU are set to be part of the " DC Elseworlds " label. The studio's first animated film is Dynamic Duo (2028). After the divisive reception to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros. Pictures sought to stabilize the direction of its media franchise and shared universe , the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). In May 2016,
14960-471: The film 3.5 out of 4 stars, praising the cast, especially Gadot, and saying "It's a putting-the-band-together origins movie, executed with great fun and energy." Owen Gleiberman of Variety gave the film a positive review, which conceived the film and described it was not "messy or bombastic", and light, clean, and simple. Bilge Ebiri of the Village Voice similarly gave it a positive review, and said
15130-488: The film following the death of his daughter, Whedon was hired to oversee the remainder of post-production, including writing and directing additional scenes, as well as reshooting a large portion of the film, which changed many aspects of it; Snyder ultimately retained sole credit as director. With an estimated production budget of $ 300 million, Justice League is one of the most expensive films ever made . Justice League premiered in Los Angeles on November 13, 2017, and
15300-451: The film in the hands of Joss Whedon, has led to an argument comparing the situation to the one experienced by the film Superman II (1980). Both Justice League and Superman II feature a director who was replaced, for different reasons, before completion of a film, which led to a second director coming in and making substantial changes to the tone of each film. Although the reasoning behind each director's departure differs, Richard Donner
15470-418: The film opened to $ 14.2 million, the biggest opening in the country's history. Outside North America, the film's largest markets were China ($ 106 million), Brazil ($ 41 million), Mexico ($ 24.8 million), and United Kingdom ($ 24 million). Justice League received mixed reviews, which praised the chemistry of the cast and the direction, but compared it unfavorably to Marvel and criticized
15640-483: The film to the point the characters were not being portrayed as previously shown in past films. Justice League received each nomination at two Golden Trailer Awards ceremonies: Best Action Poster (2017) and Best Wildposts (Teaser Campaign) (2018). Ezra Miller was nominated for Best Comedic Performance at the San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2017 . At the 2018 Kids' Choice Awards ,
15810-409: The film was nominated for Favorite Movie Actor (Affleck) and Favorite Movie Actress (Gadot). Justice League garnered nominations for Choice Action Movie , Choice Action Movie Actor (Cavill), and Choice Action Movie Actress (Adams and Gadot) at the 2018 Teen Choice Awards . The divisive reaction towards the theatrical cut of the film, with Zack Snyder leaving directorial duties and the final cut of
15980-436: The film was shot originally by eighty to eighty-five percent. Conversely, Snyder estimates that only a fourth of his material was used in the theatrical version based on what he has been told of the theatrical cut, as he has not watched it. Cinematographer Fabian Wagner estimates that only 10% of the original footage shot by him and Snyder was used in the final cut. Whedon's rewrites were around 80 pages, further confirming that
16150-448: The film would be released in two parts, with Part One being released on November 17, 2017 and Part Two on June 14, 2019. Snyder was set to direct both films. In early July 2015, EW revealed that the script for Justice League Part One had been completed by Terrio. Zack Snyder stated that the film would be inspired by the New Gods comic series by Jack Kirby . Although Justice League
16320-431: The film's cast and crew was "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable." Justice League and Batman v Superman writer Chris Terrio called the theatrical cut an act of vandalism, and attempted unsuccessfully to get his name removed from the film. In March 2016, Hans Zimmer , who co-composed the score for Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , stated that he had officially retired from
16490-662: The film—sued the studio for displaying "vicious, untrue and false attacks" against him in the film. After appearing in the Warner's film The Man Who Played God , Bette Davis became a top star. In 1933, relief for the studio came after Franklin D. Roosevelt became president and began the New Deal . This economic rebound allowed Warner Bros. to again become profitable. The same year, Zanuck quit. Harry Warner's relationship with Zanuck had become strained after Harry strongly opposed allowing Zanuck's film Baby Face to step outside Hays Code boundaries. The studio reduced his salary as
16660-419: The final film. A scene depicting Green Lanterns Kilowog and Tomar-Re visiting Batman was filmed as an additional post-credits scene, further teasing the upcoming Green Lantern Corps , but the scene was later scrapped. Other scenes that were filmed, but cut from the theatrical film, include: Ryan Zheng as Ryan Choi , setting up the character's future as The Atom; a fight between Ares and Darkseid , with
16830-615: The finished film, McKinless' face was replaced with that of David Thewlis using special effects ; Thewlis received the credit as Ares. The scene also shows a Green Lantern , named Yalan Gur , created through motion-capture CGI and embodied by an uncredited actor. Two ancient leaders of Earth appear during the scene, including King Atlan of Atlantis and King Arthur Pendragon of ancient England; portrayed by Julian Lewis Jones and Francis Magee , respectively. Billy Crudup appears, uncredited, as Henry Allen , Barry Allen's father. Joe Manganiello and Jesse Eisenberg appear uncredited in
17000-471: The first Looney Tunes cartoon, Sinkin' in the Bathtub , and created a sister series, Merrie Melodies , in 1931. Harman and Ising broke away from Schlesinger in 1933 due to a contractual dispute, taking Bosko with them to MGM. As a result, Schlesinger started his own studio, Leon Schlesinger Productions , which continued with Merrie Melodies while starting production on Looney Tunes starring Buddy ,
17170-544: The first chapter of their universe, titled " Gods and Monsters ", on January 31, 2023. They also assembled a writers' room that included Drew Goddard , Jeremy Slater , Christina Hodson , Christal Henry, and Tom King . Projects that are not a part of the shared universe will be branded as " DC Elseworlds ". The following month, Gunn confirmed development for animated films within both the DCU and DC Elseworlds. Gunn said in March that they were working on potentially incorporating characters from DC's Vertigo Comics imprint beyond
17340-457: The first film of the DCEU to open under $ 100 million. Deadline attributed the low figure to lukewarm audience reaction to the film and most of its predecessors, as well as poor critical reception, and film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes not posting their aggregated score until the day before release, causing speculation and doubt from filmgoers. In its second weekend, the film dropped 56% to $ 41.1 million, finishing second at
17510-453: The five integrated studio-theater chain combinations restrained competition. The Supreme Court heard the case in 1948, and ruled for the government. As a result, Warner and four other major studios were forced to separate production from the exhibition. In 1949, the studio's net profit was only $ 10 million (equivalent to $ 128.06 million in 2023). Warner Bros. had two semi-independent production companies that released films through
17680-585: The founding Warner brothers (born Wonsal, Woron, and Wonskolaser before Anglicization): Harry , Albert , Sam , and Jack Warner. Harry, Albert and Sam emigrated as young children with their Polish-Jewish mother to the United States from Krasnosielc , Poland (then part of Congress Poland within the Russian Empire ), in October 1889, a year after their father emigrated to the U.S. and settled in Baltimore , Maryland . As in many other immigrant families,
17850-496: The genre." Rosenberg felt the film was nearly identical to lots of superhero films that "have come before", and featured some of "the ugliest, most pointless special effects." James Berardinelli gave it 2 out of 4 stars, said that the film and DC Films "came late to the party", as Marvel Studios planned their Cinematic Universe , which they were "sometimes criticized for overthinking and overplanning," and compared to The Avengers , which has its "formula worked", and The Avengers
18020-451: The governments of England and the United States. By the middle of 1943, however, audiences had tired of war films, but Warner continued to produce them, losing money. In honor of the studio's contributions to the cause, the Navy named a Liberty ship after the brothers' father, Benjamin Warner. Harry christened the ship. By the time the war ended, $ 20 million in war bonds were purchased through
18190-493: The hope of beginning filming before the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike . Warner Bros. was less willing to proceed with development of a sequel to Superman Returns , having been disappointed with its box office. Brandon Routh was not approached to reprise the role of Superman in Justice League: Mortal , nor was Christian Bale from Batman Begins . Warner Bros. intended for Justice League: Mortal to be
18360-436: The live-action and animated films by DC Films and DC Studios are distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures . All of the live-action television series by DC Studios are co-produced in association with Warner Bros. Television . Warner Bros. Entertainment Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. , or abbreviated as WB , or WBEI ) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at
18530-429: The manager of First National Pictures. In 1928, Warner Bros. released Lights of New York , the first all-talking feature. Due to its success, the movie industry converted entirely to sound almost overnight. By the end of 1929, all the major studios were exclusively making sound films. In 1929, First National Pictures released their first film with Warner Bros., Noah's Ark . Despite its expensive budget, Noah's Ark
18700-490: The modern Warner Bros. called the current building owners and arranged to save it. The owners noted people across the country had asked them to protect it for its historical significance. In 1904, the Warners founded the Pittsburgh -based Duquesne Amusement & Supply Company, to distribute films. In 1912, Harry Warner hired an auditor named Paul Ashley Chase . By the time of World War I , they had begun producing films; in
18870-652: The new CEO David Zaslav was exploring a restructuring of DC Entertainment, including having a creative leader akin to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to lead its film and television projects. Later in July, Toby Emmerich stepped down as the head of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group. The group was restructured to give DC Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, and Warner Animation Group respective leadership. Former MGM executives Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy became
19040-461: The one in Justice League , affecting box office, due to going against the expectations of Snyder fans in its attempt to reach a higher demographic, while alienating its own established core audience. In other territories, the film was projected to debut to $ 215–235 million for a worldwide opening of $ 325–355 million. It made $ 8.5 million on its first day from nine countries, including South Korea, France, and Brazil. It ended up having
19210-426: The premiere. Jack became sole head of production. Sam's death also had a great effect on Jack's emotional state, as Sam was arguably Jack's inspiration and favorite brother. In the years to come, Jack kept the studio under tight control. Firing employees was common. Among those whom Jack fired were Rin Tin Tin (in 1929) and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (in 1933), the latter having served as First National's top star since
19380-408: The project. In 2019, after previously declining an offer to direct the first film, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins noted she was open to directing a Justice League sequel. Though Snyder's cut of Justice League has been described by DC Films executives as "a storytelling cul-de-sac" with no sequels planned, Snyder stated that he would be willing to return to direct the sequels if
19550-488: The responsibilities were assumed by Weta Workshop . However, the writers strike began that same month and placed the film on hold. Warner Bros. had to let the options lapse for the cast, but development was fast tracked once more in February 2008 when the strike ended. Warner Bros. and Miller wanted to start filming immediately, but production was pushed back three months. Originally, the majority of Justice League: Mortal
19720-489: The rest of the cast on the film's press tour. Clark Kent was revealed in a final trailer before the release of the film, but edited in a way that writers felt Lois Lane was dreaming about Clark. Sponsorship and marketing partners of the film included AT&T , Gillette , Mercedes-Benz , and TCL . Justice League had its world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles , on November 13, 2017, and
19890-551: The revival was affected by Berkeley's arrest for killing three people while driving drunk. By the end of the year, people again tired of Warner Bros. musicals, and the studio — after the huge profits made by 1935 film Captain Blood — shifted its focus to Errol Flynn swashbucklers . With the collapse of the market for musicals, Warner Bros., under Zanuck, turned to more socially realistic storylines. Because of its many films about gangsters, Warner Bros. soon became known as
20060-420: The rights to Superman, Warner Bros. announced that it planned to move ahead with the Justice League film. Shortly after filming on Man of Steel was complete, Warner Bros hired Will Beall to write the script for a new Justice League film. Warner Bros. president Jeff Robinov explained that Man of Steel would be "setting the tone for what the movies are going to be like going forward. In that, it's definitely
20230-520: The role. Henry Cavill was not set to return as Superman , while Ben Affleck , who portrayed Bruce Wayne / Batman in the DCEU, was reported to be in talks to direct a new DC Studios project, before Affleck stated that he was not interested in directing a DC film. Gunn later revealed that new DC films would have an equal focus on popular and obscure characters, drawing inspiration from the DC animated series Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006) and Young Justice (2010–2022). Gunn and Safran announced
20400-534: The shared universe, while continuing with the Wonder Woman films and occasionally other films, as Warner Bros. had other franchises they could work with. Despite this, in December, the studio reiterated their planned film slate for the DCEU. That same month, Warner Bros. announced that a new strategy and organization of DC Films would occur, with Berg leaving his position as the studio's co-president of production to form
20570-697: The start of a new film franchise, and to branch out into separate sequels and spin-offs. Shortly after filming The Dark Knight , Bale stated in an interview that "It'd be better if it doesn't tread on the toes of what our Batman series is doing," and felt it would make more sense for Warner Bros. to release the film after The Dark Knight Rises . Jason Reitman was the original choice to direct Justice League , but he turned it down, as he considers himself an independent filmmaker and prefers to stay out of big budget superhero films. George Miller signed to direct in September 2007, with Barrie Osbourne producing on
20740-491: The story since rough cuts can be fixed up with reshoots, rewrites, etc.", Goldberg wrote. According to DC Comics publisher, comic book artist Jim Lee , Snyder was not fired. Speaking at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, Lee stated "that [Snyder] was not fired at all and that he stepped down from the production due to a family matter", as far as he knew. In July 2020, Ray Fisher claimed that Whedon's on-set treatment of
20910-564: The studio hired Midwestern radio announcer Ronald Reagan , who would eventually become the President of the United States . Although Reagan was initially a B-film actor, Warner Bros. was impressed by his performance in the final scene of Knute Rockne, All American , and agreed to pair him with Flynn in Santa Fe Trail (1940). Reagan then returned to B-films. After his performance in the studio's 1942 Kings Row , Warner decided to make Reagan
21080-481: The studio offered him the chance. In January 2021, Ray Fisher (who had a fallout with Joss Whedon, Geoff Johns, Jon Berg and former DC Films president Walter Hamada ) stated that he would only be willing to reprise his role as Cyborg in a future DCEU film if Justice League Part Two were to be made by Snyder. However, shortly after the "Snyder Cut" was released, Warner Bros CEO Ann Sarnoff said in March that there were no current plans in place for Snyder to return as
21250-673: The studio reorganized to have genre-responsible film executives, thus DC Entertainment films under Warner Bros. Pictures were placed under a new division, DC Films, to be led by Warner Bros. executive vice president , Jon Berg, and the chief creative officer of DC Comics , Geoff Johns . This was done in hopes of competing more directly with Marvel Studios ' franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Johns kept his role at DC Comics, and reported to DC Entertainment's president, Diane Nelson , while Berg reported to Warner Bros. Pictures' president, Greg Silverman. The division's formation
21420-411: The studio reported a net loss of $ 333,413. After a long period denying Sam's request for sound, Harry agreed to change, as long as the studio's use of synchronized sound was for background music purposes only. The Warners signed a contract with the sound engineer company Western Electric and established Vitaphone . In 1926, Vitaphone began making films with music and effects tracks, most notably, in
21590-467: The studio since 1935. The court ruled in de Havilland's favor and she left the studio in favor of RKO Radio Pictures, and, eventually, Paramount. Through de Havilland's victory, many of the studio's longtime actors were now freed from their contracts, and Harry decided to terminate the studio's suspension policy. The same year, Jack signed newly released MGM actress Joan Crawford , a former top star who found her career fading. Crawford's first role with
21760-587: The studio was 1944's Hollywood Canteen . Her first starring role at the studio, in the title role as Mildred Pierce (1945), revived her career and earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. In the post-war years, Warner Bros. prospered greatly and continued to create new stars, including Lauren Bacall and Doris Day . By 1946, company payroll reached $ 600,000 a week and net profit topped $ 19.4 million (equivalent to $ 303.1 million in 2023). Jack Warner continued to refuse to meet Screen Actors Guild salary demands. In September 1946, employees engaged in
21930-399: The studio was forced to abandon this realistic approach in order to produce more moralistic, idealized pictures. The studio's historical dramas, melodramas (or "women's pictures"), swashbucklers, and adaptations of best-sellers, with stars like Bette Davis , Olivia de Havilland , Paul Muni , and Errol Flynn , avoided the censors. In 1936, Bette Davis, by now arguably the studio's top star,
22100-410: The studio would focus on multiple DCU live-action and animated projects, but also stated that they would acknowledge fan responses and complaints, and confirmed all subsequent DC projects would be released under the DC Studios banner, including those that were filmed before the formation of the studio. In December, Gunn announced that he was writing a new Superman film that would feature a younger actor in
22270-422: The studio's film Aquaman (2018) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time, with Joker becoming the first R-rated film to gross over $ 1 billion. The first DC Studios production is the television series The Penguin (2024), a spin-off from The Batman . DC Studios plans to release films and television series within the DCU, starting with the animated series Creature Commandos in 2024, and
22440-408: The studio's profit increased substantially. After the success of the studio's 1929 First National film Noah's Ark , Harry agreed to make Michael Curtiz a major director at the Burbank studio. Mort Blumenstock, a First National screenwriter, became a top writer at the brothers' New York headquarters. In the third quarter, Warner Bros. gained complete control of First National, when Harry purchased
22610-508: The studio's top gangster stars after appearing in the successful film, which convinced audiences to question the American legal system. By January 1933, the film's protagonist Robert Elliot Burns—still imprisoned in New Jersey—and other chain gang prisoners nationwide appealed and were released. In January 1933, Georgia chain gang warden J. Harold Hardy—who was also made into a character in
22780-1038: The studio, the Red Cross collected 5,200 pints of blood plasma from studio employees and 763 of the studio's employees served in the armed forces, including Harry Warner's son-in-law Milton Sperling and Jack's son Jack Warner Jr. Following a dispute over ownership of Casablanca 's Oscar for Best Picture, Wallis resigned. After Casablanca made Bogart a top star, Bogart's relationship with Jack deteriorated. In 1943, Olivia de Havilland (whom Warner frequently loaned to other studios) sued Warner for breach of contract. De Havilland had refused to portray famed abolitionist Elizabeth Blackwell in an upcoming film for Columbia Pictures . Warner responded by sending 150 telegrams to different film production companies, warning them not to hire her for any role. Afterwards, de Havilland discovered employment contracts in California could only last seven years ; de Havilland had been under contract with
22950-474: The studio. One of these was Sperling 's United States Pictures . Justice League (film) Justice League is a 2017 American superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name . Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures , DC Films , RatPac-Dune Entertainment , Atlas Entertainment , and Cruel and Unusual Films , and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the fifth installment in
23120-656: The studio: Doctor X (1932) and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). In the latter part of 1931, Harry Warner rented the Teddington Studios in London, England. The studio focused on making " quota quickies " for the domestic British market and Irving Asher was appointed as the studio's head producer. In 1934, Harry officially purchased the Teddington Studios. In February 1933, Warner Bros. produced 42nd Street ,
23290-410: The success of Yankee Doodle Dandy at the box office, Cagney again questioned if the studio would meet his salary demand and again quit to form his own film production and distribution company with Bill. Another employee with whom Warner had troubles was studio producer Bryan Foy . In 1936, Wallis hired Foy as a producer for the studio's low budget B movies leading to his nickname "the keeper of
23460-688: The success of Rin Tin Tin and Lubitsch, Warner's remained a lesser studio. Sam and Jack decided to offer Broadway actor John Barrymore the lead role in Beau Brummel . The film was so successful that Harry signed Barrymore to a long-term contract; like The Marriage Circle , Beau Brummel was named one of the ten best films of the year by the Times . By the end of 1924, Warner Bros. was arguably Hollywood's most successful independent studio, where it competed with "The Big Three" Studios ( First National , Paramount Pictures , and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)). As
23630-486: The theatrical cut was mostly his work. Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara mandated the film to be under two hours. In consequence, the final cut runs for that exact time. The company also did not opt to delay the film's release despite the fact that there had been numerous problems in post-production, so that the executives would receive their cash bonuses before the company's merger with AT&T . In February 2018, it
23800-459: The third top 1930s gangster actor into the Warners fold, knowing that he could carry any gangster picture when either Robinson or Cagney were on suspension. Raft had difficulty working with Bogart and refused to co-star with him. Eventually, Warner agreed to release Raft from his contract in 1943. After Raft had turned the role down, the studio gave Bogart the role of "Mad Dog" Roy Earle in the 1941 film High Sierra , which helped establish him as
23970-472: The thirties and forties, even though it was clearly the most budget-conscious of them all." — Film historian Andrew Sarris in "You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet.": The American Talking Film History & Memory, 1927–1949 . Another gangster film the studio produced was the critically acclaimed I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang , based on a true story and starring Paul Muni , joining Cagney and Robinson as one of
24140-610: The treatment of Hearst's longstanding mistress, actress Marion Davies , who was struggling for box office success. Through his partnership with Hearst, Warner signed Davies to a studio contract. Hearst's company and Davies' films, however, did not increase the studio's profits. In 1934, the studio lost over $ 2.5 million, of which $ 500,000 was the result of a 1934 fire at the Burbank studio, destroying 20 years' worth of early Vitagraph, Warner Bros. and First National films. The following year, Hearst's film adaption of William Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) failed at
24310-424: The typical $ 6–10 million additional filming costs, which brought the budget of the film up to $ 300 million. The reshoots coincided with Cavill's schedule for Paramount Pictures ' Mission: Impossible – Fallout , for which he had grown a mustache which he was contracted to keep while filming. Director Christopher McQuarrie , unwilling to let Cavill shave unless compensated, requested $ 3 million from
24480-446: The unit with indifference, beginning with the installation as senior producer of Edward Selzer , whom the creative staff considered an interfering incompetent. Jack Warner had little regard for the company's short film product and reputedly was so ignorant about the studio's animation division that he was mistakenly convinced that the unit produced cartoons of Mickey Mouse , the flagship character of Walt Disney Productions . He sold off
24650-464: The unit's pre-August 1948 library for $ 3,000 each, which proved a shortsighted transaction in light of its eventual value. Warner Bros. Cartoons continued, with intermittent interruptions, until 1969 when it was dissolved as the parent company ceased its production of film shorts entirely. Characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety , Sylvester , and Porky Pig became central to the company's image in subsequent decades. Bugs in particular remains
24820-533: The universe of Man of Steel was separate from that of Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, he was still involved as an executive producer on both Batman v Superman and the Justice League film. In April 2014, it was announced that Zack Snyder would also direct Goyer's Justice League script. Warner Bros. was reportedly courting Chris Terrio to rewrite Justice League the following July, after having been impressed with his rewrite of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . On October 15, 2014, Warner Bros. announced
24990-543: The villain portrayed by Ray Porter ; Harry Lennix reprising his role from Man of Steel and Batman v Superman as Calvin Swanwick , in a scene where it would have been revealed that his character is actually J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter ; and scenes featuring Darkseid's servant DeSaad , with the character voiced by Peter Guinness . These characters were included in Zack Snyder's Justice League . We're going to make
25160-516: The war, eliminating its B Pictures unit in 1941. Bryan Foy joined Twentieth Century Fox. During the war era, the studio made Casablanca ; Now, Voyager ; Yankee Doodle Dandy (all 1942); This Is the Army , and Mission to Moscow (both 1943). The last of these films became controversial a few years afterwards. At the premieres of Yankee Doodle Dandy (in Los Angeles, New York, and London), audiences purchased $ 15.6 million in war bonds for
25330-646: Was "a popcorn bliss [and] a superhero nirvana". Writing for the Film Ireland Magazine , Ellen Murray found the characters interesting, but their setting unworthy, said that "there is something undeniably thrilling in seeing these iconic characters work together on the big screen." Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins particularly disliked Justice League because the film itself seemed to contradict her film, as both she and Zack Snyder worked together to keep continuity between their films, in details like not changing Wonder Woman's costume, but Joss Whedon reshot
25500-449: Was able to complete his Superman II cut in 2006. In the belief that Snyder had shot enough material for a finished film, a campaign for a "Snyder Cut" was started to allow Snyder to receive a similar treatment to Donner. Arguments were made that Snyder's vision would be more cohesive to the previous films than the actual theatrical cut, which Snyder has refused to see. Warner Bros. initially remained silent regarding any intention of making
25670-480: Was also linked to actresses Teresa Palmer and Shannyn Sossamon , along with Mary Elizabeth Winstead , who confirmed that she had auditioned. Ultimately, Megan Gale was cast as Wonder Woman, while Palmer was cast as Talia al Ghul , whom Miller had in mind to act with a Russian accent. The script for Justice League: Mortal would have featured John Stewart as Green Lantern, a role originally offered to Columbus Short . Hip hop recording artist and rapper Common
25840-427: Was cast, with Adam Brody as Barry Allen / Flash , and Jay Baruchel as the lead villain, Maxwell Lord . Longtime Miller collaborator Hugh Keays-Byrne had been cast in an unnamed role, rumored to be Martian Manhunter . Santiago Cabrera was eventually revealed to be Aquaman after the film was cancelled. Marit Allen was hired as the original costume designer before her untimely death in November 2007, and
26010-429: Was filming. Filming wrapped in October 2016. In May 2017, Snyder stepped down from directorial duties on Justice League to cope with his daughter Autumn's suicide, and Whedon assumed his position to oversee post-production and complete the film. That July, it was announced the film was undergoing two months of reshoots in London and Los Angeles, with Warner Bros. putting about $ 25 million into them, more than
26180-569: Was initially announced as a two-part film, with the second part set for release two years after the first, Snyder stated in June 2016 that they would be two distinct, separate films and not one film split into two parts , both being stand-alone stories. Principal photography began on April 11, 2016, with shooting taking place at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden , as well as various locations around London and Scotland . Additional filming took place in Chicago, Illinois ; Los Angeles ; and Djúpavík , in
26350-615: Was led by DC comic book and television writer Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. producer Jon Berg as its co-chairmen. After several DCEU films received poor reception and underperformed financially, the duo stepped down by the end of 2017, and the division was reorganized, with Walter Hamada hired as the studio's president. Following the merger between DC and Warner Bros. owner WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. in April 2022, WBD overhauled operations, resulting in Hamada stepping down in October 2022. DC Films
26520-588: Was murdered by the Nazis in Berlin in 1936. Harry produced the successful anti-German film The Life of Emile Zola (1937). After that, Harry supervised the production of more anti-German films, including Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939), The Sea Hawk (1940), which made King Philip II an equivalent of Hitler , Sergeant York , and You're In The Army Now (1941). Harry then decided to focus on producing war films. Warners' cut its film production in half during
26690-494: Was not designed to override the "director-driven" mandate. Justice League (2017) had one of the biggest film budgets (nearly $ 300 million) but grossed about $ 96 million in its opening weekend. An analysis in The Washington Post expected that there would be a course correction again, with a possible change in leadership. Forbes contributors felt that the course correction would be for DC Films to give up on
26860-494: Was profitable. In 1929, Warner Bros. released On with the Show! , the first all-color all-talking feature. This was followed by Gold Diggers of Broadway which would play in theaters until 1939. The success of these pictures caused a color revolution. Warner Bros. color films from 1929 to 1931 included The Show of Shows (1929), Sally (1929), Bright Lights (1930), Golden Dawn (1930), Hold Everything (1930), Song of
27030-471: Was pushed back to July 2008, while Warner Bros was still confident they could produce the film for a summer 2009 release. With production delays continuing, and the success of The Dark Knight in July 2008, Warner Bros. decided to focus on the development of individual films featuring the main heroes, allowing director Christopher Nolan to separately complete his Batman trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises in 2012. Warner Bros. relaunched development for
27200-475: Was released in the United States four days later. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $ 661.3 million worldwide against an assumed break-even point of $ 750 million, becoming a box-office bomb and losing Warner Bros. an estimated $ 60 million. Whedon's major involvement during post-production also received harsh criticism, including from cast members such as Gadot and Fisher. A director's cut, titled Zack Snyder's Justice League ,
27370-780: Was released in the United States on November 17, 2017. The film was released on digital download on February 13, 2018, and was released on Blu-ray Disc , Blu-ray 3D , 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray , and DVD on March 13, 2018, in various international markets. The Blu-ray features two deleted scenes titled Return of Superman . It is also notable for having no director commentary from either Zack Snyder or Joss Whedon. As of August 20, 2021 , it has made $ 30.4 million in DVD sales and $ 41.5 million in Blu-ray sales, totaling an estimated $ 71.9 million in domestic video sales according to The Numbers . Justice League grossed $ 229 million in
27540-588: Was released on HBO Max in 2021, following a fan campaign that advocated for Snyder's vision for the film. Steppenwolf and his legions of Parademons attempt to take over the Earth using the combined energies of the three Mother Boxes . The attempt is foiled by a unified alliance including the Olympian Gods , Amazons , Atlanteans , humanity, and extraterrestrial beings. The Mother Boxes are separated and hidden in different locations. Thousands of years later, humanity
27710-431: Was released. On April 4, 1923, with help from money loaned to Harry by his banker Motley Flint, they formally incorporated as Warner Bros. Pictures, Incorporated . (As late as the 1960s, Warner Bros. claimed 1905 as its founding date.) The first important deal was the acquisition of the rights to Avery Hopwood 's 1919 Broadway play, The Gold Diggers , from theatrical impresario David Belasco . However, Rin Tin Tin ,
27880-472: Was reported that Snyder was fired from directorial duties from Justice League , after his cut was deemed "unwatchable" according to Collider's Matt Goldberg. "I'd heard similar things from separate sources over the last year as well, I also heard that Snyder's rough-cut of the movie was 'unwatchable' (a word that jumped out at me because it's rare you hear two separate sources use exactly the same adjective). Of course, even if that's true, there's obviously more to
28050-501: Was reported that the rewrites by Geoff Johns caused issues with Chris Terrio and Warner Bros. executives. Warner Bros. was unsatisfied with how the film was shaping up under Snyder due to the negative feedback that the theatrical version of Batman v Superman received. It was reported that Warner Bros. held a footage summit for writers that include Whedon, Wonder Woman screenwriter Allan Heinberg , Seth Grahame-Smith , and Andrea Berloff . This caused numerous rewrites as Justice League
28220-550: Was then dissolved in favor of DC Studios, a new division with greater oversight of DC media. Gunn and Safran, who had worked on some DCEU projects, were hired to lead the studio, and the duo began work on the DCU as a new franchise to serve as a reboot of the DCEU. From 2016 to 2023, DC Films produced 13 films within the DCEU, from Suicide Squad (2016) to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), alongside two standalone films, Joker (2019) and The Batman (2022). Joker and
28390-525: Was to be shot at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney, with other locations scouted nearby at local colleges, and Sydney Heads doubling for Happy Harbor . The Australian Film Commission had a say with casting choices, giving way for George Miller to cast Gale, Palmer and Keays-Bryne, all Australian natives. The production crew was composed entirely of Australians, but the Australian government denied Warner Bros.
28560-455: Was under contract with Warner Bros. to play Superman for one more film. In December, it was revealed that there were "no immediate plans" for Zack Snyder to direct any future DC films, being relegated to an executive producer position instead. This came after a reshuffling of film production staff at Warner Bros. due to the film's mixed critical reception and disappointing financial performance. By 2019, Warner Bros. had prioritized solo films over
28730-447: Was unhappy with her roles. She traveled to England and tried to break her contract. Davis lost the lawsuit and returned to America. Although many of the studio's employees had problems with Jack Warner, they considered Albert and Harry fair. In the 1930s many actors and actresses who had characterized the realistic pre-Code era, but who were not suited to the new trend into moral and idealized pictures, disappeared. Warner Bros. remained
28900-487: Was upset and considered resigning, but agreed to stay until Black Adam 's release. Later that month, Dan Lin entered talks to oversee DC's film and television divisions. From this position, Lin was expected to report directly to Zaslav, while Hamada would depart the studio. In September, Lin and Warner Bros. Discovery ended negotiations and agreed to part ways. During Black Adam 's Times Square premiere in October, star and producer Dwayne Johnson said he could be
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