Does Batman v Superman Change Plans for Upcoming DC Movies?

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was supposed to be the launch of a long-term plan for Warner Bros. in which the studio would produce a plethora of interconnected DC-Comics-based movies just like Disney is doing with its Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Batman v Superman met with mixed reactions from both critics and moviegoers, and that could have the studio re-thinking its long-range strategy.

Batman v Superman has been, so far, a solid performer at the box office and probably won't be written off as a financial failure. It hasn't, however, been the kind of break-out blockbuster that could be relied upon to launch multiple franchises. Its predicted total gross is likely to fall well short of a hit like Avengers: Age of Ultron, and probably won't even live up to the performance of a superhero film like Warner's own The Dark Knight Rises.

Some vocal fans, disappointed by the foundational Batman v Superman, have called on Warner to fire Zack Snyder as the overseer of the studio's DC strategy. Snyder is set to direct the forthcoming Justice Leagure film, and his role at Warner is pivotal in the development of the DC Extended Universe. Despite the uproar, there appears to be no plan to replace Snyder at the helm of The Justice League or elsewhere.

There will be changes, though. Warner announced this week that it's shifting the release date of its Wonder Woman film from June 23, 2017 to June 2 of that year. There was no explanation for the move, but it could be to put some room between Wonder Woman and potential competitors, including Sony's next Spider-Man movie.

There was also news this week that Warner is sending Suicide Squad back for reshoots, reportedly to make the film funnier. One criticism of Batman v Superman is that it was somber in tone and not irreverent like the recent hit Deadpool.