Written By Kieran Bugg and Mikey Sutton • Editor-in-Chief • Owner
Zack Snyder‘s tweet about seeing Blue Beetle with his family hit over 14 million views in 24 hours, topping DC Studios head James Gunn‘s announcement about his new Superman. On June 27, Gunn confirmed that David Corenswet replaces Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel going forward.
Over a month later, Gunn has only acquired 7.1 million views for that tweet. Superman is arguably the most recognizable superhero in the world.
The news should’ve broken the Internet in half. In contrast, Zack Snyder blew up social media in a day. Just because he will watch an obscure DC Comics character in the theater. SnyderVerse haters will claim that it’s because of context. After all, Zack Snyder added #RepresentationMatters.
Looking forward to taking my kids to see Blue Beetle. #RepresentationMatters #BlueBeetle pic.twitter.com/dJZxQxlWIO
— Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) July 30, 2023
Yet that defense doesn’t hold water. The general public has known the historical significance of Blue Beetle as the first Latino superhero movie for several months now. Old news.
What is new is Zack Snyder showing support for a DC film that he had nothing to do with.
Though it was ultimately cut short, DC fans will always fondly look back on Zack Snyder’s time with the franchise.
Zack Snyder Tops DCU Head With 14 Million Views On Blue Beetle Tweet
Image: Facebook
Even after Man of Steel was met with mixed reviews from critics and fans, Warner Bros. still had enough confidence in Zack Snyder to launch their own DC cinematic universe around his vision.
Nonetheless, the unfortunate critical failure of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice gave the studio second thoughts on Zack Snyder’s vision for the franchise.
Although Zack Snyder openly expressed his excitement for Blue Beetle, he hasn’t seen it yet. In other words, it’s not a recommendation, which some Gunn cultists are pushing it as. Predictably, Gunn’s boot-licking crowd are weaponizing this for Snyder followers to fully embrace the DCU’s seeming departure from grimmer fare.
Should Snyder end up liking Blue Beetle, that’s actually a positive development. DC needs better and more successful movies. Although Black Adam and The Flash were entertaining films, the stench of the DC brand killed their chances at the box office.
Will the same fate await Blue Beetle?
Warner Bros. Discovery obviously now sees the division inside DC fandom. They won’t allow the mistake of using Zachary Levi as a spokesperson for DC Studios. The actor obnoxiously bragged about his ski-trip adventures with DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran. Quite frankly, he came across as a sycophantic heel.
In addition, Levi blamed the SnyderVerse for DC Films’ inability to compete with the MCU.
His Shazam!: Fury of the Gods carried the lightheartedness Snyder’s DC movies largely avoided. Moviegoers completely skipped it; the sequel quickly sunk into the drain of Levi’s bloated ego.
It wouldn’t surprise us if Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-CEO Michael De Luca reached out to Snyder to ask for some support. Indeed, why not? Blue Beetle is tracking horribly at the moment. Box Office Pro is projecting Blue Beetle for a full theatrical run between $27 million to $55 million.
Houston, we have a problem.
Zack Snyder Tops DCU Head With 14 Million Views On Blue Beetle Tweet
Image: Warner Bros. Discovery
The effect of Snyder giving a sort-of thumbs remains to be seen. Certainly, it couldn’t hurt. Perhaps he might sway his hardcore loyalists, those who wish to boycott DC until they restore the SnyderVerse, to purchase tickets.
In all honesty, I don’t think so. Most of them mentally checked out of DC when the previous Warner Bros. regime stated that The Snyder Cut ended the “trilogy.”
At SnyderCon, De Luca was thanked for making the event happen; tellingly, there was no mention of Gunn in its three days. Maybe the Blue Beetle tweet is a quid pro quo of sorts.
Regardless, Snyder has proven himself to be a classy individual who likely would’ve done it anyway.