{"id":111935,"date":"2024-10-08T22:37:43","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T15:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=111935"},"modified":"2024-10-08T22:37:43","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T15:37:43","slug":"joker-folie-a-deux-shows-the-downside-of-dcs-elseworlds-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=111935","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Joker: Folie \u00e0 Deux\u2019 Shows the Downside of DC\u2019s Elseworlds Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"e-image\">\n  <span class=\"e-image__inner\"><\/p>\n<p>    <span class=\"e-image__image \" data-original=\"https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg\"><\/p>\n<picture class=\"c-picture\" data-cid=\"site\/picture_element-1728401315_9772_257267\" data-cdata=\"{\" asset_id=\"\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/QdybRa5icb2eClJJpfe6Yo74IO8=\/0x0:4400x400\/320x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/BirGJCA7nWXaMr-vTpO29hZKI-M=\/0x0:4400x400\/520x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 520w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/B0Qy8q9IdFftjjT9eepBs8lFeZM=\/0x0:4400x400\/720x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/TP5TSA6drOOq5DcOkOZIYAf7v-g=\/0x0:4400x400\/920x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 920w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/Zed0hiyn7-plq47vh747T50vQH4=\/0x0:4400x400\/1120x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/rrccy_bNxRuxomTUwzpAEjuRnww=\/0x0:4400x400\/1320x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/LSTcjApO23pZ__qCH7loU1NAT0E=\/0x0:4400x400\/1520x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1520w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/3_zF038dJqaZ7XNxhXdPlCgCFrY=\/0x0:4400x400\/1720x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1720w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/HCyLrtU81zbwc6QuveoKYKk2Q1g=\/0x0:4400x400\/1920x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):format(webp):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/2sIjuaHNHxvy_NTmY7HwFwmlFEU=\/0x0:4400x400\/320x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/y6jhncauomtZPS5joRgCMDiITiI=\/0x0:4400x400\/520x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 520w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/UTjP7vjJag0w_pqC6hWrvY-YJEM=\/0x0:4400x400\/720x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/2IyYzXgeh9fD635G1X0x8sCxhQ4=\/0x0:4400x400\/920x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 920w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/mtDc4j-71MSoQSIKO5dL88ZRFR0=\/0x0:4400x400\/1120x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/P4EORQO7KBnHklCm_aYJkjlp9QM=\/0x0:4400x400\/1320x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/jMKzweG87g9pgZ4fyvPHsoAcYU4=\/0x0:4400x400\/1520x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1520w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/Gb6XoM0sAtR8-daRGBl3nSt7-S8=\/0x0:4400x400\/1720x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1720w, https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/4C21H2-AbZq0vNBishvkNRaTmro=\/0x0:4400x400\/1920x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" data-upload-width=\"4400\" width=\"4400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/bEWx7PxR85nK0KJbe98L_fpB3NA=\/0x0:4400x400\/1200x0\/filters:focal(0x0:4400x400):no_upscale()\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25664426\/spoiler_warning_v2.2.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p><\/source><\/picture>\n<p>    <\/span><\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"wDBFCd\"><em>Joker<\/em> was envisioned as a stand-alone story about a failed stand-up comedian who descends into a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City. But upon its release in 2019, it became the first R-rated movie to gross more than $1 billion at the box office, as well as the most decorated comic book movie ever made, by virtue of 11 Oscar nominations (including two wins) and the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice International Film Festival. Regardless of what you think of the divisive, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/culture\/culture-features\/joker-criticism-fallout-891081\/\">controversial<\/a> film, <em>Joker <\/em>was a stunning success for Warner Bros. Pictures and the DC Comics brand.<\/p>\n<p id=\"i3SYP2\">Given all the rewards reaped from a movie that cost only $55 million to make, a sequel was perhaps always inevitable\u2014and <em>Joker <\/em>star Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips were both on board for it. But how do you build on a film that succeeded thanks in large part to its element of surprise?<\/p>\n<p id=\"Ou9p7l\">\u201cThe question became, \u2018How can we top ourselves?\u2019\u201d Phillips <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2024\/film\/features\/todd-phillips-joker-2-movie-interview-1236111122\/\">told <em>Variety<\/em><\/a> in August. \u201cAnd you can only do that if you do something dangerous. But there were days on set where you\u2019d look around and think, \u2018Holy fucking shit! What did we do?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"448RaV\">Phillips\u2019s \u201cdangerous\u201d follow-up, <em>Joker: Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em>, has been almost as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/movies\/2024\/10\/4\/24261502\/joker-folie-a-deux-movie-review\">remarkable a failure<\/a> as its predecessor was a success. The <em>Joker <\/em>sequel, which was released on Friday, earned just $40 million in the U.S. over its opening weekend, well below projections of $50 to $65 million and less than half of what <em>Joker <\/em>grossed in its massive $96 million opening debut five years ago. Worse still, <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux <\/em>reportedly had a budget of $200 million, with Phoenix, costar Lady Gaga, and Phillips alone costing the studio more than $50 million, <a href=\"https:\/\/puck.news\/newsletter_content\/what-im-hearing-caas-scare-tactics-wicked-vs-gladiator-joker-folies-3\/\">according to <em>Puck<\/em>\u2019s Matthew Belloni<\/a>. The film sports a putrid critics\u2019 score of 33 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and it became the first Hollywood comic book movie ever to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/movies\/movie-news\/joker-folie-a-deux-box-office-d-cinemascore-1236025168\/\">earn a \u201cD\u201d CinemaScore from audiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"r0K7Nt\">Although <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/2024\/10\/joker-folie-a-deux-global-international-box-office-1236108629\/\">opened bigger overseas<\/a>, its bloated budget leaves it with <em>a lot <\/em>of ground to make up in order to break even, and word of mouth won\u2019t be kind to it. The <em>Joker <\/em>sequel will almost certainly go down as a colossal flop. And now that Phillips has confirmed that a <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2024\/film\/features\/todd-phillips-joker-2-movie-interview-1236111122\/\">third installment won\u2019t be happening<\/a>, the <em>Joker <\/em>franchise is coming to a bitter end. Considering all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/danidiplacido\/2019\/10\/07\/the-strange-story-of-joker-a-modern-moral-panic\/\">controversy and hysteria<\/a> that surrounded <em>Joker<\/em>\u2019s release in 2019, and the divergent receptions the film and its sequel received, the franchise will surely leave behind a complicated legacy. Together, the two <em>Joker <\/em>films\u2014along with HBO\u2019s <em>The Penguin<\/em>\u2014show the risk and reward of DC Studios\u2019 new Elseworlds approach, with <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux <\/em>now raising plenty of questions for the company as DC Studios cohead James Gunn continues to map out its new era of entertainment.<\/p>\n<p id=\"HqdIJw\"><em>Folie \u00e0 Deux <\/em>has arrived during a critical transition period for Warner Bros. and DC Studios, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/dc\/2023\/2\/1\/23581613\/james-gunn-peter-safran-dc-studios-dcu-chapter-1-gods-and-monsters-explained\">Gunn and cohead Peter Safran attempt to revive the DC brand<\/a> after the messy Snyderverse era. The new DCU will launch when the animated series <em>Creature Commandos<\/em> premieres in December, with Gunn\u2019s <em>Superman <\/em>following next summer as the first live-action film. When Gunn and Safran showcased what the next generation of DC films and TV shows would look like in January 2023, they discussed the lack of organization in DC\u2019s previous era and how they planned to do things differently, such as by branding projects that fall outside DC\u2019s main continuity as \u201cElseworlds\u201d stories.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"iRk39f\">\n<\/aside>\n<p id=\"2vGMNw\">\u201cThe DCU\u2019s a multiverse, but we\u2019re going to be focusing on one universe from that multiverse,\u201d Safran <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dc.com\/blog\/2023\/01\/31\/the-next-generation-of-dc-movies-and-tv-has-arrived?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=organic_dccomics&amp;utm_campaign=film_clicks&amp;utm_content=20230131_DCStudios_static&amp;linkId=199349163\">explained<\/a>. \u201cAnd if something isn\u2019t DCU, we\u2019re going to make that very clear. So, strictly adult fare like Todd Phillips\u2019s <em>Joker<\/em>, or kids animation like <em>Teen Titans Go!<\/em>, we\u2019re going to make it very clear that those are DC Elseworlds, just the same way that they do it in the comic books.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"DLFqXb\">The Elseworlds premise does indeed have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dc.com\/blog\/2023\/11\/03\/explaining-elseworlds-exploring-dc-s-extraordinary-imprint\">rich history<\/a> in the comics, where it gives free rein to writers and artists to reimagine DC\u2019s iconic characters in bold new ways, such as a version of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gotham_by_Gaslight\">Batman who fights Jack the Ripper<\/a> in a Victorian-era Gotham or a version of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Superman:_Red_Son\">Superman who grows up in Communist Russia<\/a> instead of Smallville. While applying this concept to film and TV sounds good in theory, the new Elseworlds branding has been anything but clear. <\/p>\n<p id=\"CXwjaf\">Although <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em> was <a href=\"https:\/\/thedirect.com\/article\/dc-studios-elseworlds-movies-slate\">previously described<\/a> as being one of the first Elseworlds projects, the film doesn\u2019t even feature the DC Studios logo in its opening credits, let alone any Elseworlds signage. And that\u2019s because DC Studios had no direct impact on the film, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.slashfilm.com\/1669965\/james-gunn-dc-studios-joker-2-changes\/\">according to Phillips<\/a> at a prescreening Q&amp;A in September. \u201cWith all due respect to [Gunn and Safran],\u201d the director said, \u201cthis is kind of a Warner Brothers movie, and that\u2019s them also wanting it to be like, \u2018OK, Todd did his thing. Let Todd continue to do his thing.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"TrNLDR\">Gunn also distanced DC Studios from any involvement in <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em>, telling fans on Threads that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.net\/@jamesgunn\/post\/DAvsRt7PITb?xmt=AQGzMOL9BzS-zrIB-imqUns-3_q_ZPE_XxDK8pshAr9HFTU\">it\u2019s not a DC Studios film<\/a>,\u201d in addition to his previous comments about how the new DCU Elseworlds intro \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.net\/@jamesgunn\/post\/C1UnY9Pr9Cl\">won\u2019t debut until the films we\u2019ve worked on<\/a>.\u201d It\u2019s all rather confusing and dissonant with everything the new DC Studios heads previously discussed about how things would be more organized under their leadership. On the other hand, considering just how badly <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em> is performing so far, it may be a good thing for Gunn and Co. to be able to pin this whole mess on Warner Bros. and preserve their new Elseworlds and DC Studios branding for their own projects.<\/p>\n<p id=\"1bQjEZ\">Irrespective of how <em>Joker <\/em>and <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em> have been officially labeled by Warner Bros. and DC, these films still epitomize the new Elseworlds approach that the studio has been relying on until Gunn\u2019s new cinematic universe finally gets underway. Elseworlds movies and TV shows are designed to allow individual filmmakers greater creative control to bring their own visions of DC characters and stories to life, without the studio having to worry about how those releases affect the interconnected universe being built in the new DCU. And while I was not a fan of it, <em>Joker <\/em>is undeniably one of the most successful\u2014and profitable\u2014comic book movies ever made, largely due to the freedom Phillips was given.<\/p>\n<p id=\"bhxY4D\"><em>Joker <\/em>was inspired by \u201970s and \u201980s crime dramas, particularly Martin Scorsese\u2019s <em>Taxi Driver <\/em>and <em>The King of Comedy<\/em>, and it subverts much of what we\u2019ve come to expect from projects based on superhero IP. Its connections to Gotham City and its infamous Clown Prince of Crime are nominal. The 2019 film\u2019s most direct references to the main Batman mythology come through its incorporation of the Wayne family, most notably when Arthur Fleck travels to Wayne Manor and encounters a young Bruce Wayne. The meeting between the future archenemies was confusing at the time of <em>Joker<\/em>\u2019s release and has become all the more confusing in hindsight. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/joker-2-folie-a-deux-post-credits-scene-ending-explained\">recent interview with <em>IGN<\/em><\/a>, Phillips tried to clear up any lingering questions about the scene:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p id=\"Y88q2z\">One of the things that people never understood about the first movie was, \u201cI don\u2019t get it. He visits Bruce Wayne and he\u2019s 30 years older than Bruce Wayne. What kind of geriatric Joker is going to fight in the future?\u201d I don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve ever saw [<em>sic<\/em>] the script of the first movie. The first film is called <em>Joker<\/em>. It\u2019s not called \u201c<em>The Joker<\/em>,\u201d it\u2019s called <em>Joker<\/em>. And the first film under the script always said \u201cAn origin story.\u201d Never said <em>the<\/em> origin story. It was this idea that maybe this isn\u2019t <em>the<\/em> Joker. Maybe this is the inspiration for the Joker. So, in essence at the end of this movie, the thing you\u2019re being left with is \u201cWait, what is that thing happening behind him? Is that the guy?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p id=\"ToEw3K\">That all sounds <em>a bit <\/em>more like an admission of cheap marketing tactics to mislead DC fans than any sort of clever creative conceit, but <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em> does illustrate the director\u2019s clear preference to stray from the Batman mythology\u2014and, more importantly, the Joker mythology\u2014in his films as much as possible. The <em>Joker <\/em>sequel similarly has only a few tenuous connections to the world of the Caped Crusader: Assistant district attorney Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtey) appears opposite Arthur in court as the lead prosecutor in the latter\u2019s criminal trial, and his face gets partially burned by the end of the movie in reference to his future as Two-Face; Lady Gaga\u2019s Harley Quinn, who\u2019s referred to as Lee Quinzel, has been <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/joker-2-lady-gaga-harley-quinn-comics-differences-director\/\">mostly reimagined to be more grounded<\/a> to fit into Phillips\u2019s version of Gotham; and Wayne Tower is shown in passing at one point, but Bruce is nowhere to be seen after the murder of his parents at the end of the first film.<\/p>\n<p id=\"Ww8WCX\">Crucially, <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux <\/em>also eliminates any possibility that Arthur will ever become the criminal mastermind Batman has fought in the comics and on-screen for decades. At the climax of the film, a wavering Arthur Fleck\u2014his face caked in clown makeup as he represents himself in court\u2014confesses that there isn\u2019t any Joker to blame his crimes on, only himself. The scene feels like a direct attempt by Phillips, perhaps disillusioned by all those viewers who misunderstood his original film (and the semantics of its marketing), to set the record straight that Arthur isn\u2019t <em>the <\/em>Joker, just some messed-up guy whose five minutes of fame end with him getting shanked in prison.<\/p>\n<div id=\"u4lL1A\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u2018Joker: Folie \u00e0 Deux\u2019 Instant Reactions\u00a0| The Midnight Boys\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PWq1Of8FMkQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"dqUXFr\"><em>Joker <\/em>transcended the issues of its confusing connection to Batman lore and its flouting of the audience\u2019s expectations for the Joker character, but <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em> is just too much of a mess to overcome those questions. The decision to turn this sequel into a musical-slash-courtroom-drama is baffling, especially considering that the film followed Hollywood\u2019s bizarre trend of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/2023\/12\/15\/24003017\/hollywood-hiding-musicals-wonka-the-color-purple-mean-girls-trailers\">hiding the fact that it was a musical in its trailers<\/a>. It sounds like Warner Bros. gave Phillips even more creative control in this movie after the success of <em>Joker<\/em>, and, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/puck.news\/newsletter_content\/what-im-hearing-caas-scare-tactics-wicked-vs-gladiator-joker-folies-3\/\">Belloni in a recent <em>Puck<\/em> newsletter<\/a>, the studio didn\u2019t even test screen <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em> to get audience feedback before Phillips locked the film. As Phillips told <em>Variety<\/em>, \u201cthe goal of this movie is to make it feel like it was made by crazy people; the inmates are running the asylum.\u201d In light of the final result, Warner might have afforded Phillips <em>too much<\/em> creative control this time around.<\/p>\n<p id=\"Bn9JTV\">Even as <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux <\/em>struggles out of the gate, HBO\u2019s <em>The Penguin<\/em> has been greeted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rottentomatoes.com\/tv\/the_penguin\">glowing reviews<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/tv\/tv-news\/penguin-big-ratings-hbo-1236018169\/\">strong viewership numbers<\/a> after taking a more conventional yet still distinct approach with another notorious Batman villain. The series, a spinoff of Matt Reeves\u2019s <em>The Batman<\/em>, is in a similar position as a somewhat unofficial Elseworlds project, except the TV show actually flashes the <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2024\/film\/news\/dc-studios-new-logo-classic-design-1236087226\/\">new DC Studios logo<\/a> at the end of its episodes. <\/p>\n<p id=\"SaHlsg\">Reeves, who serves as an executive producer on showrunner Lauren LeFranc\u2019s series, has had a lot of success in the creation of his own Batverse. And the timing of <em>The Batman<\/em> franchise\u2019s development, between the Snyderverse era and Gunn\u2019s new DCU, has led to its retroactive designation as Elseworlds out of necessity more than anything else. Gunn has his <a href=\"https:\/\/collider.com\/batman-robin-movie-brave-and-the-bold-plot-characters\/\">own plans for Batman (and Robin)<\/a> in his interconnected universe, so separating Reeves\u2019s stories into their own universe allows both to exist in tandem. With <em>The Batman Part II<\/em> scheduled for October 2, 2026, well into the new DC Studios era, Reeves\u2019s follow-up will presumably be the first film to boast more clearly defined Elseworlds branding. The Superman movie from Ta-Nehisi Coates and J.J. Abrams that\u2019s long been in the works would, too, if it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/ta-nehisi-coates-j-j-abrams-superman-movie\/\">ever gets made<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"dXlwyo\">(It\u2019s also possible that ongoing TV shows that predate Gunn and Safran\u2019s hiring, such as <em>Teen Titans Go! <\/em>or <em>Harley Quinn<\/em>, could be relabeled as Elseworlds releases before then, when DC Studios <em>eventually<\/em> decides to distinguish these universes from one another more clearly, as promised.)<\/p>\n<p id=\"S36JsG\"><em>The Penguin<\/em>, as an extension of <em>The Batman<\/em>, seems to exist outside the upcoming DCU as a strategic decision, to give Gunn the space to make <em>even<\/em> <em>more<\/em> Batman. Even so, the series seems like an example of what successful Elseworlds projects could be. While the show builds on the events of Reeves\u2019s 2022 film, it\u2019s really a crime drama that aims to be more like <em>The Sopranos <\/em>than a traditional superhero story. By centering its narrative on the likes of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/dc\/2024\/9\/30\/24257980\/the-penguin-episode-2-inside-man-oz-cobb-sofia-falcone\">Penguin and Sofia Falcone<\/a>, the series is setting aside Gotham\u2019s typical protagonist to develop these \u201cvillains\u201d into more nuanced and dynamic characters.<\/p>\n<p id=\"SgkRhv\"><em>The Batman<\/em>, <em>The Penguin<\/em>, and <em>Joker<\/em> are wins for DC\u2014although only the first of those was really recognizable as DC IP\u2014but <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em>\u2019s performance is more reminiscent of the leftover films from the previous DC Films regime, like 2023\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/dc\/2023\/6\/20\/23766571\/the-flash-box-office-bomb-cgi-ip-warner\"><em>The Flash<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/2023\/12\/22\/24012944\/aquaman-and-the-lost-kingdom-instant-reactions-and-the-end-of-the-dceu\"><em>Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom<\/em><\/a>. All in all, this transition phase has been costly and extremely inconsistent for a studio that\u2019s desperate to move on from its era of expensive, uneven releases. The brand continues to be damaged by releases like <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em>, and the average consumer may not even notice that the new DC Studios period has begun until the Elseworlds designation is applied more coherently.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-end-para\" id=\"Zuu3HG\">While the path to a clean, studio-wide reboot gets more complicated, the success of <em>Joker<\/em>, <em>The Batman<\/em>, and <em>The Penguin<\/em>\u2014along with the failure of <em>Folie \u00e0 Deux<\/em>\u2014has given Gunn and Safran plenty to think about as DC Elseworlds becomes a bigger component of their wider release strategy and they work with new filmmakers who have unique ideas. At the very least, it\u2019s probably safe to say that we won\u2019t be seeing too many other superhero-musical-courtroom-dramas in this universe or any other in the years to come.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"zZzoon\">\n<div class=\"c-newsletter_signup_box \" id=\"newsletter-signup-short-form\" data-newsletter-slug=\"ringer_newsletter\">\n<div class=\"c-newsletter_signup_box__main\">\n<p>      <span class=\"c-newsletter_signup_box__icon\"><br \/>\n        <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 500 500\"><ellipse style=\"fill: rgb(0, 0, 0);\" cx=\"250\" cy=\"250\" rx=\"250\" ry=\"250\"\/><path xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" d=\"M 348.074 314.809 L 386.736 285.419 L 386.736 137.077 L 326.472 79.872 L 113.229 79.872 L 113.229 390.464 L 218.274 390.464 L 218.274 325.564 L 263.055 390.464 L 395.914 390.464 Z M 284.75 225.155 L 218.274 225.155 L 218.274 174.903 L 284.75 174.903 Z\" style=\"fill: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n      <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"c-newsletter_signup_box__title\">\n      <span class=\"sr-only\"><br \/>\n        Sign up for the<\/p>\n<p>      <\/span><br \/>\n      The Ringer Newsletter<br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/movies\/2024\/10\/8\/24265126\/joker-folie-a-deux-flop-dc-elseworlds-batman-the-penguin\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Joker was envisioned as a stand-alone story about a failed stand-up comedian who descends into a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City. But upon its release in 2019, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=111935\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-entertainment","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=111935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111935\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=111935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=111935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=111935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}