The DCEU may be kept alive on its deathbed a little longer thanks to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have brought Hollywood to a standstill. Variety is reporting that Warner Bros. is considering a delay for some of its major films, including Dune: Part Two and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, thanks to the fact that the movies’ stars aren’t around to promote the films. That means that the final film of the DCEU would be delayed yet again, though it might give the studio even more time to mess around with it.
While no decision has been officially made for a delay and the studio declined to comment, the most pressing issue is Dune 2, which is coming out first and would benefit the most from having its cast out and about promoting it thanks to the cast being stacked full of famous people. During the strike, none of the actors are allowed to promote their films, even if they were already completed. And WB is wary of dropping a movie without stars marching out to promote it, especially after The Flash bombed in part thanks to its lead actor being hidden away due to scandal. That has led WB to consider pushing Dune 2 from its November 3 date to some time in 2024 when there’s a better chance of the strikes being over.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, on the other hand, isn’t coming out until a month later in December, giving a bit more breathing room for the studio to decide. It’s also, reportedly, eyeing a delay of the Oscar-hopeful film The Color Purple. Any of these delays would be self-inflicted as the studios seem to be resolute in not bargaining with writers or actors on strong sticking points such as residuals and how AI is handled in Hollywood. The fact that WB, and most likely other studios, is mulling delaying massive holiday tentpoles shows that the studios don’t have high hopes for a quick end to the ongoing double strike and are bracing for a long and protracted battle.