Netflix is officially out of the race to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount Skydance’s bid remains the only offer that the company now has on hand. Paramount Skydance will likely acquire the company. This means that the MAGA-friendly Paramount is going to have access to DC’s huge library of superheroes.
DC has been known for its fair share of storylines that have not worked well with the conservative crowd. While a Netflix acquisition would have meant different things for the studio, Paramount’s ownership of the comic book giant means that there are certain storylines that are likely never going to see the light of day. Whether it be Tom King’s run on Wonder Woman or Absolute Batman, there are a lot of stories that are never getting exposure under the new corporate regime.
1. Paramount Would Never Greenlight A Bis*xual Superman
Credit: DC Comics
Credit: DC Comics
Superman: Son of Kal-El introduced fans to a new character taking up the mantle of Superman. Jon Kent is also bisexual. Under Netflix, it might have been possible for DC to headline a main DCU project around the character (once Clark and Lois had Jon). However, it is unlikely that Paramount, which has a sizeable conservative following, is going to be keen on any sort of project with a gay Superman as its lead.
James Gunn’s take on Superman also received a lot of backlash from conservative commentators. The messaging in the film did not sit well with a lot of the stances the government of the day was championing. Under Paramount, it is likely that Superman is going be more focused on fighting characters like Doomsday and Brainiac, rather than Lex Luthor.
2. Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Superman Film Will Likely Die A Silent Death
Credit: DC Comics
Ta-Nehisi Coates announced in 2021 that he would be penning a Superman film. This project is technically still in development. Michael B. Jordan was eyed to portray the role of the character. This was also rumored to be a period piece, taking place during the height of the Civil Rights movement. There were also talks that this could be a project about Calvin Ellis, the Black Superman, who takes inspiration from Barack Obama.
Needless to say, it is most likely the case that Paramount is going to kill this project. James Gunn has already made it clear that he would like a more cohesive DC universe, which means Elseworld stories, whether they be video games, shows, or films, are going to be rare. This is the perfect excuse to bury the film, the character, and any storylines that might have been developed behind-the-scenes.
3. Absolute Batman Is Not Punching White Nationalists With A Paramount Banner In Front Of His Film
Credit: DC Comics.
Credit: DC Comics
The Absolute Universe is an ongoing story. However, given the rave reviews that the story has received, it would only be a matter of time before a live-action version of the universe would be revealed, or even an animated film. While Absolute Superman and Absolute Wonder Woman can still get relatively faithful adaptations, it is unlikely that Paramount is going to allow Absolute Batman to be translated to a screen unadulterated.
A working-class Batman is going to have very different definitions depending on who is behind the wheel. While Absolute Batman has been destroying white nationalists with religious imagery tattooed on their bodies, it is unlikely that such images are going to test well with the audience that Paramount has cultivated. With the vehemently anti-establishment message that Absolute Batman has, Paramount might see fit to tweak that story, or not adapt it at all.
4. Tom King’s Run With Wonder Woman Will Likely Not See An Adaptation Under Paramount
Credit: DC Comics
Wonder Woman had one of its greatest runs in recent memory under Tom King. However, the storyline where the US Government is directly at odds with Wonder Woman and the Amazons is probably not going to be a favorite at Paramount to adapt. Wonder Woman storylines have always received criticism from conservative voices for being too political.
There is also the problem of Wonder Woman’s characterization. It has been wildly different from adaptation to adaptation. Either the character is depicted as a compassionate, peace-loving, and nurturing character, or she is depicted as a totalitarian warmonger who does not compromise on her values. Paramount Skydance might have a tough time making either resonate with conservative voices. It also remains to be seen if Paramount’s audience is going to be interested in the character at all.
5. Apollo & Midnighter Might Become Relics of A Bygone Era
Apollo & Midnighter | Credit: DC Comics
Apollo and Midnighter have their niche audiences. While the characters are often reduced to the question, “What if Superman and Batman were gay?”, readers who have engaged with the material know that they are more than that. With James Gunn’s Authority film dead in the water, it is unlikely that such minor characters are going to get the time to shine in the spotlight.
Not to mention, if a bisexual Superman is not going to work, a gay Superman is definitely off the cards. When it comes to adaptations, it remains to be seen how James Gunn, who is currently leading DC Studios, reconciles his creative vision with the values that Paramount Skydance caters to. Niche characters, regardless of their identities, might be off the cards altogether.
6. A Storyline like Snowbirds Don’t Fly Can Swing Either Way
Credit: DC Comics
Credit: DC Comics
Snowbirds Don’t Fly was a watershed moment in the history of DC Comics. A huge step in the depiction of mature themes in comics, the story deals with the fallout of a major revelation about Green Arrow’s ward, Roy Harper. While the Green Lantern and Green Arrow collaboration deals with the evils of drug abuse, the depiction of Roy Harper as an addict was a major moment in the comics.
Now, such an anti-drug message may be married to the hard stance that the current administration has taken against substance abuse. However, Paramount might choose to forgo the depiction of underage drug abuse in favor of a different storyline. Further, the story’s unflinching depiction of a young ward’s heroin addiction may be considered too controversial for Paramount’s audience.
7. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Might Remind Audiences of a Much-Maligned Hollywood Trend
Credit: DC Comics
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is one of the best Supergirl storylines. It is well-established DC canon that Supergirl is a lot stronger than Kal-El, relatively speaking. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is one of those storylines that explores this in depth. However, thanks to properties like Star Wars and Captain Marvel, general audiences are no longer excited about ‘strong female characters’. One can only imagine what the conservative section of that has to say about it.
Needless to say, a story about the female counterpart of a male superhero coming to terms with handling her superior power is not going to be something Paramount is going to be very keen on showing its conservative audience. It remains to be seen if the upcoming Supergirl movie from James Gunn performs at the box office.
8. Batman: Year One Has Themes Of Systematic Corruption That Paint Institutions In An Unflattering Light
Credit: DC Comics
Credit: DC Comics
Batman: Year One has a lot of things that expose systemic problems. It looks into governmental corruption, corruption in law enforcement, and other sorts of institutional problems that are often common themes in Leftist media.
However, under Paramount, films like Reeves’ The Batman might become more like Nolan’s interpretation of the character. There is little doubt about how well-received Nolan’s interpretation of the Dark Knight is. However, fans have suggested that it might be the only interpretation that tests well with Paramount Skydance’s core audience. Batman: Year One has a slew of anti-establishment themes and talks about corruption in systems of society in great depth.
9. We Can Probably Say Goodbye To All Evil Superman Stories
Credit: Warner Bros. Animation
Credits: DC Comics
Be it Injustice, The Crime Syndicate of America, or Superman: Red Son, it is likely the case that DC will not experiment with an American icon like Superman. Paramount Skydance is likely going to play the character straight, taking a lot more inspiration from Christopher Reeve’s Superman, more than anything else.
There is also likely going to be a shift in the narrative of how Superman is depicted. Lately, there has been a focus on Superman’s status as a visitor from another world, essentially making him an immigrant in America. One can assume that this narrative, along with the Evil Superman trope, is going to be thrown out in favor of an All-American, Big Blue Boy Scout version of the character. The Man of Steel might just return to ‘The American Way’ instead of ‘A Better Tomorrow’.
10. Paramount Is Not Going To Be Kind To Legacy Characters
Credit: DC Comics.
Credit: DC Comics
Legacy characters have always received backlash when they are initially introduced. Even popular characters like Miles Morales and Damian Wayne received a lot of backlash when they were first introduced.
Characters like Jessica Cruz, Duke Thomas, and Kaldur’ahm might have to take the backseat as more traditional depictions of characters take central stage. While characters like Duke Thomas are not necessarily ‘legacy’ characters, Paramount might look to stick to characters that its audiences are more comfortable with, under the excuse that general audiences are really not interested in new characters.
It is likely that the company is going to position itself against Disney and the MCU, which has been receiving a lot of backlash for its ‘woke’ stories about legacy characters.
Do you think Paramount is going to focus on building DC at all? Or will it pivot to stories that are more palatable to the conservative audience, like…Harry Potter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!!
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