Where doors open for some in the streaming biz, others simply crumble to dust. Such is the case for Warner Bros.’ dedicated DC Comics streaming service, DC Universe, which could be staring down the barrel of the proverbial gun with the launch of the network’s upcoming streamer, HBO Max, on 27 May.
Despite DC Universe’s relative success with the likes of Titans, the Harley Quinn animated series, and the tragically-cancelled Swamp Thing, its DC-centric offerings seem to pale in comparison to HBO Max’s more widespread target audience.
With big-name shows such as Friends (including the long-awaited unscripted reunion) and Game of Thrones coming to the streamer, it’s almost unfair to DC Universe, given the quality of its shows, sans their relatively niche audience. Furthermore, HBO Max will absorb current and upcoming DC shows, including Doom Patrol, Greg Berlanti’s Green Lantern, and JJ Abrams’ unnamed Justice League Dark series, which further casts more doubt on the DC-centric streamer’s future.
“Everything is about HBO Max now,” an ex-Warner Bros. Digital Labs staff told Business Insider recently. The same sentiments were echoed by another former Digital Lags employee, who said:
“Most of the people who I’d worked with were confused about what HBO Max means for DC Universe. It seems like DC Universe is emphasising its comics and nobody seems to know where video falls into that.”
As a final nail in the coffin, the likes of Swamp Thing recently being acquired by The CW, and with less and less exclusive shows coming to DC Universe, it’s becoming increasingly less wrong to assume that the streamer might be obsolete in a matter of time.
In any case, let’s just hope that DC Universe’s imminent last hurrah will be a good one.
Marion has a serious RPG addiction. Sometimes it bleeds into real life; he forgets to sleep because he thinks he has a Witcher’s body clock. Forgive him in advance if he suddenly blurts out terms such as “Mind Flayer” and “Magic Missile”, because never once does he stop thinking about his next Dungeons & Dragons game.
Natalie
