On March 23, 2019, it was announced that Warner Bros. had finalized a $80 million deal with director Zack Snyder and his producing partner Deborah Snyder. The deal will allow the Snyders to produce new films and TV series based on properties from their newly created production company, Stone Quarry Hill. According to a statement from the Snyders, the deal will also give Warner Bros. a first look at all new projects from the company.
Some of the projects that the Snyders are currently developing include an adaptation of the DC Comics miniseries “Dark Knight Returns”, the science fiction novel “Dune”, and the action-adventure property “King Conan”. They are also working on a new “300” feature film, which is set to be directed by Snyder’s wife and producing partner, Deborah Snyder.
This new deal between Warner Bros. and the Snyders is seen as a way for the studio to build out their newly created “DC Extended Universe” (DCEU). The Snyders played a major role in the development and launch of the DCEU, having directed the films “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, both of which were critical and commercial failures.
Warner Bros. has been trying to distance themselves from the DCEU in the wake of those failures, and it’s unclear if the Snyders will have any involvement in the studio’s other superhero projects, such as “Wonder Woman” and “Justice League”.
The Snyders are the latest in a line of high-profile Hollywood filmmakers to ink deals with Warner Bros. In late 2018, the studio signed a five-year deal with producer and director James Wan, which will give Wan exclusive first-look rights to all projects at his production company, Atomic Monster.
Warner Bros. has also inked deals with directors Ridley Scott and Patty Jenkins, as well as producers Peter Chernin and Barbara Muschietti. These deals are seen as a way for the studio to compete with the growing streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon, which have been signing up high-profile filmmakers and producers in recent years.
The DCEU has experienced a lot of ups and downs since its inception in 2013. However, the potential for future success is still there. With the right leadership and a focus on quality, the DCEU could rise to become one of the top movie franchises in the world.
