After reading the WarnerMedia CEO letter and not seeing anything about DC Universe, I was nervous for the service (see: WarnerMedia Company Shakeup Memo Doesn’t Mention Fate of DC Universe), and earlier today comes reports that the “majority” of DC Universe staff have been laid off. The comics division is being hit especially hard.
Insiders also say the majority of the staff of the streaming service DC Universe has been laid off, a move that had been widely expected as WarnerMedia shifts its focus to new streaming service HBO Max. “DC Universe was DOA as soon as the AT&T merger happened,” said one source.
DC Comics, DC Universe Hit By Major Layoffs | Hollywood Reporter
Hopefully the “source” is wrong about DCU being “DOA” (Dead On Arrival). Keep it around for at least the wide selection of comic books. Will continue to push for that from our tiny, relatively insignificant — but growing, hey! — web crevice.
Saw another article the other day — no sources cited, so probably not credible — saying that DC Universe had around only 50,000 paid subscribers. Don’t believe the numbers are that low. We’re one of them, having gotten in at a lower monthly price deal at the end of 2019, but it just seems to me that they must have at least a couple hundred thousand paid subscribers for their comics … yes/no?
Even though Stargirl’s first season is now finished, we’re staying subscribed to see what comes out of the FREE virtual event, DC FanDome on Saturday August 22, 2020. Presumably, we’ll find out from the source what is happening with DCU. Will be posting more about that in the not too distant future.
Now, could be wrong, but despite the layoffs, I don’t think WarnerMedia is going to shut down DCU.
Will the service be changed? That much seems all but a certainty. My money is on it being a comics-only service, perhaps even with a bundling deal with HBO Max (which would promote HBO Max, so it plays into WarnerMedia’s strategy).
I mean, if they’re keeping Crunchyroll (see: WarnerMedia’s Crunchyroll growing, despite curated hub on HBO Max, maybe DC Universe will enjoy similar autonomy?), they aren’t opposed to keeping other niche services. I do think the days of seeing anything movie or TV-oriented original and exclusive at DC Universe are gone.
Movies, Movies, Movies 