DC fans have long maintained that the director’s vision is law. This is perhaps the key difference between DCEU and Marvel supporters, with the latter trusting producers like Kevin Feige to steer the MCU over individual directors’ whims. Of course, DCEU fans can be forgiven for not trusting Warner Bros. executives, who routinely make incredibly boneheaded decisions when it comes to their superhero properties.
That being said, some DC fans are calling foul on hypocrisy within the community. Despite the successful campaign to see Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and the ongoing push to convince Warner Bros. to put out Batgirl, many are dismissive of the prospect of the Suicide Squad Ayer Cut, and saying the CW’s Gotham Knights should be canned before it even airs. So, what happened to trusting directors?
First up, we don’t think the Ayer Cut and Gotham Knights are comparable. David Ayer has proven his directorial chops many times over, while it’s objectively true that Suicide Squad was taken away from him and what was released in theaters wasn’t what he wanted. According to Ayer, the new cut is “a fully mature edit” that just needs a little VFX work to get to release standard, and we’d love to see it.
As for Gotham Knights? Well, let’s just say the trailer released in late May doesn’t bode well. Looked at in the most charitable light, it’s clearly aimed at teens, but even so, the strange premise, unfamiliar new characters, and iffy dialogue gives it a big hill to climb when it lands in 2023. Despite that, we’d never go so far as actively calling for it to be canceled before it airs. There have been multiple instances of a trailer misrepresenting the final product, so we say at least give Gotham Knights a chance.
The community ethos of trusting in directors’ visions is something to praise, though. That doesn’t mean you have to like everything that a director releases, but DCEU fans should at least get to see a movie or TV show before passing judgment on it.