While the MCU plods along uninterrupted, its megaton footsteps sending other movie franchises scrambling, DC universe of films has seen chaos in the last year, between Ezra Miller’s continued legal troubles, information about the Aquaman films coming out in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial, and the sudden cancelation of the Batgirl movie. That doesn’t include the whiplash-inducing return and un-return of Henry Cavill’s Superman, and the ascension of James Gunn and Peter Safran as the new heads of DC Studios. Behind all that chaos was a power play from Dwayne Johnson for a kind of control of the DCU, Variety reports.
Shortly after the Warner Bros.-Discovery merger closed this spring, Johnson reportedly met with CEO David Zaslav, pitching him on a multi-year plan to lead up to a big-screen showdown Black Adam and Superman. Along with Johnson, Black Adam producers Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn were involved in this pitch.
All of this took place directly leading up to the exit of DC boss Walter Hamada and Warner Bros. executive Toby Emmerich, and Johnson “went around everyone” to pitch his plan according to the report. Johnson’s push to bring Cavill back directly conflicted with Emmerich’s request to find a new actor to play the role of the Man of Steel in future films.