The entire DC Cinematic Universe is shifting.
The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Black Adam, and Shazam: Fury of the Gods are all on the move. The first three will be further delayed from their current 2022 release dates, while the fourth will now move earlier from 2023 to 2022.
Here’s how Warner Bros’ DC movie calendar has transformed:
- Dwayne Johnson‘s anti-hero villain-ish comic book movie Black Adam is moving out of its prime Summer slot of July 29, 2022 to mid-Fall on October 21. In addition, the animated DC League of Super-Pets — also starring the voice of Johnson as Krypto Dog — is moving from May 20, 2022 to the now-open July 29 date. Johnson is a producer on both films.
- With Black Adam now in late October, the early November tentpole The Flash will now be pushed six months. Its new launch will be in Summer 2023 when it opens on June 23 of next year.
- Subsequently, Jason Momoa‘s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (the follow-up to 2018’s Aquaman) is moving from December 16, 2022 to March 17, 2023. That shift is likely motivated in part by the recent smash success of The Batman that enjoyed a spectacular $134 million opening on March 4, 2022.
- With the December 2022 date now open, DC will accelerate the release of Shazam: Fury of the Gods. Previously set for mid-2023, the Zachary Levi Shazam sequel will now fly into theaters on December 12, 2022. Given the original Shazam‘s strong family appeal, Fury of the Gods should do well in that holiday frame.
The other film at play here is Batgirl, a straight-to-HBO Max title that was not a part of today’s announcement by Warner Bros. (which owns the DC movie brand and HBO Max). Batgirl is currently slated to premiere on the streamer in late 2022. However, despite not having a theatrical run, here’s why that movie matters: it is based in the DC Snyderverse world of The Flash.
More specifically (and importantly), The Flash will introduce a multiverse of its own as Ezra Miller‘s title hero will crossover into the world of Michael Keaton‘s Burton-verse Batman. Keaton’s older dark knight is also slated to appear in Batgirl — so the two movies are inextricably linked.
The key factor here: The Flash introduces Keaton’s Batman into the DC multiverse, not Batgirl.
Given that, HBO Max will likely delay Batgirl from late 2022 to the latter half of 2023.
The other non-DC Warner Bros. movie affected by all of this is Wonka, the Willy Wonka origin story starring Timothee Chalamet. Previously set for March 17, 2023 (where Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom now resides), it will move to the end of 2023 and launch during the holiday window on December 15.