Mailbag Question of the Week (10/26/2018)

Just listened to your newest Vlog. Great listen as always, but I have a thought: What if the term “reboot the timeline” is really just in name only, and they really mean that they are going forward in the timeline starting from WONDER WOMAN 1984? We know that AQUAMAN “follows” JUSTICE LEAGUE‘s timeline, but WW84 could just be them starting a new timeline and ignoring the previous one. Just my thoughts. What do you think of this theory? (Matthew P.)

JETT SAYS: Thanks for listening to the vlog and great question.

I like your theory because it is, essentially, the same as my “Amnesia-It” recommendation.

Either way and whatever you want to call it — “reboot the timeline” or “Amnesia-It” — you’re moving forward and ignoring the events of BATMAN v SUPERMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE, and MAN OF STEEL (which is kinda a bummer for me as I borderline love that movie).

If they were to go this route, my recommendation to the fine folks at Warner Bros. would be to make WONDER WOMAN (sans the two scenes that “bookend” it) the beginning of DC on film.  That would mean that Wonder Woman has been Wonder Woman-ing since the early 20th century and was the world’s first superhero.  The others — Batman, Superman, etc. — would follow.

With all that said, what we DO NOT need is some sort of gimmick in WONDER WOMAN 1984 that screams to the audience, “See what we’re doing here?  We’re resetting the DC on film timeline!”  That would be asinine, ridiculous, and unneeded.

As far as AQUAMAN and its place the DC on film timeline, I say it doesn’t matter.  It needs to be treated as a standalone origin film with no ties or nods to JUSTICE LEAGUE.  If it’s a hit, then simply move forward with a sequel.  If it doesn’t, then no more Aquaman on film.

The bottom line here is that they are doing what I’ve maintained they should be doing: Eliminating/forgetting what didn’t work, moving forward with what did (and new stuff), and soft-rebooting along the way.

Now, this doesn’t mean that I’m an advocate of an overt shared DC on film universe.  I still believe that making good DC films with strong filmmakers that are their own things is the way to go.  Technically, they exist within the same cinematic world, but no more winks, nods, cameos, and beating the audience over the head with inter-film continuity. – Bill “Jett” Ramey