2. A Different Corporate Structure
Message board conversations tend to feature a lot of DC bashing for the company not putting out more films. This in unfair, though, as DC executives cannot produce and distribute a live-action motion picture even if they wanted to. DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. are both owned by Time Warner, with the Warner Bros. having full power and authority over filmmaking. Essentially, DC Entertainment answers to Warner Bros. When it began operations in 2005, Marvel Studios was its own, separate entity that depended on the regular release of superhero films and thus the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born. Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige and his team were able to put together a successful enough track record that even after all of Marvel was bought by Disney, the Marvel Studios division has continued to operate with relative autonomy. At CinemaCon last week, studio chairman Alan Horn told theater owners that Disney simply expects two tent pole films from Marvel each year, which fits right in with how Marvel has been doing business all along. Marvel has control over how and when its characters get the silver screen treatment. DC Entertainment has no such autonomy and probably never will. Someone like Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns might be asked for ideas, but ultimately, Jeff Robinov is going to decide which films get the green light. In terms of live-action movies, DC is at the mercy of what Warner Bros. decides to do with its superhero franchises based on the studio's business needs and goals.