‘Nightwing’ Director Praises DC Films’ New Direction

The LEGO Batman Movie and Nightwing director Chris McKay says DC Comics fans should be excited for [...]

The LEGO Batman Movie and Nightwing director Chris McKay says DC Comics fans should be excited for the changes coming to Warner Bros.' DC Films production arm.

"I'm excited by everything Walter Hamada is doing at WB/DC," McKay wrote on Twitter Saturday.

"And as both a fan and a filmmaker I can't wait to see what [The Batman director Matt Reeves] is creating in Gotham City. If you love DC or Movie Superheroes in general this is a great time to be alive. Patience is a good thing."

Hamada, previously a production executive at Warner Bros.' New Line, was appointed the new head of DC Films in January, taking over from former DC Films heads Jon Berg and Geoff Johns.

Berg was shifted to production partner for Roy Lee — who produced WB mega-hits The LEGO Movie and It — and Johns remained as then-DC chief creative officer.

Johns stepped down as DC's entertainment chief on Monday, leaving that position and entering into an exclusive writer and producer deal with WB's DC Entertainment.

Once overseer of the DC film universe for Warner Bros., Johns reportedly "clashed loudly" with DC chief and 25-year WB veteran Diane Nelson, according to Deadline, before Nelson retired from the position.

Johns, who has producer credits on upcoming DCEU productions Aquaman, Wonder Woman 1984, and Shazam, will also script and produce Green Lantern Corps.

It was reportedly the relative failure of Zack Snyder's Justice League that lead to the initial big shake up that caused Warner Bros. to change course over their DC Films output, which has failed to capture a similar amount of success enjoyed by Disney-Marvel's shared Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Warner Bros. will debut the long-awaited first trailer for the James Wan-directed Aquaman at San Diego Comic Con in July as the studios' DC slate remains in flux.

In addition to the freshly-wrapped Shazam and the now-shooting Wonder Woman sequel, both out in 2019, DC is developing The Batman under Matt Reeves, which looks to move ahead without Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League star Ben Affleck.

Also in the works in various stages of development are Cathy Yan's Birds of Prey, the Batgirl and Nightwing movies, a Suicide Squad sequel, a Back to the Future-inspired Flash movie, the Dwayne Johnson-led Black Adam, a Joker origin story and a Jared Leto-starring Joker solo.

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