DC Films fans got some heartbreaking news on Thursday, when it was confirmed that two long-developed movies — New Gods and The Trench — are not a part of Warner Bros. upcoming movie slate. The news definitely disappointed fans of both corners of the DC universe, especially for those who were eager to see Fourth World further expanded upon in New Gods. Ava DuVernay, who was set to direct and co-write the potential film, took to Twitter to address the news. In a tweet, which you can check out below, DuVernay also paid tribute to her co-writer on the project, Mister Miracle and Batman comic writer Tom King.
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Tom, I loved writing NEW GODS with you. I’m upset that the saga of Barda, Scott, Granny, Highfather and The Furies ends this way. Diving into Kirby’s Fourth World was the adventure of a lifetime. That can’t be taken away. Thank you for your friendship. And remember… #DarkseidIs pic.twitter.com/XyyIjcB8Wv
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) April 1, 2021
King later replied to DuVernay’s post, saying that he felt the “legacy” of New Gods creator Jack Kirby was being honored in their script — and even teasing one scene in particular between Mister Miracle and Big Barda.
Ava! I’m so incredibly proud of the work we did, it was such a joy seeing you bring your passion and talent to these characters. I really felt Kirby’s legacy was being honored here and I wish we could’ve kept going. That one Barda/Scott scene where…damn.
— Tom King (@TomKingTK) April 1, 2021
New Gods would have told the story of the residents of New Genesis and Apokolips, two twin planets that are engaged in an epic cosmic war.
“I feel like I have this genius, Jack Kirby, who created this [series] and this genius Ava DuVernay,” King previously explained in an interview. “I see them as parallel figures, both taking their uniquely American backgrounds and using them to push American art forward into places it’s never been before. I feel like it’s job to bring those two geniuses to together and to make it work.”
The initial report about the news did clarify that both New Gods and Aquaman spinoff The Trench could potentially be revived at a later date, albeit not as part of DC’s immediate film slate. The decision to put New Gods on hold was, in part, reportedly due to the recent debut of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which featured New Gods characters Darkseid, Desaad, and Steppenwolf. If New Gods had found a spot on DC’s film slate, it reportedly would have been too close to that recent appearance.
“As part of our DC slate, some legacy development titles including New Gods and The Trench will not be moving forward,” Warner Bros. and DC said in a statement. “We thank our partners Ava DuVernay, Tom King, James Wan and Peter Safran for their time and collaboration during this process and look forward to our continued partnership with them on other DC stories. The projects will remain in their skillful hands if they were to move forward in the future.”
What do you think of Ava DuVernay’s reaction to New Gods not moving forward at Warner Bros.? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
