DC Movie Reboots: 10 Superhero Flops Deserving a Second Chance

DC's Biggest Movie Fails: 10 Superhero Flops That Deserve a Reboot!

Why Some DC Movies Totally Bombed (and How Reboots Could Save Them!)

The DC Universe has seen its fair share of cinematic stumbles. From solo films to the much-maligned DCEU, we’ve seen some epic failures and have witnessed firsthand those films that lacked direction or truly failed to meet expectations. The source material is never at fault. Some of DC's biggest misses involved truly iconic characters and brilliant stories, crying out for a second chance. This article explores those Movies that were truly bad; highlighting why those early versions fell flat and how reboots could totally revitalize those much-needed projects and even their infamous title characters.

DC has already done this before! That awful Suicide Squad (2016)? James Gunn totally turned things around with The Suicide Squad (2021), proving that these creative revivals totally worked. And it also proves that creating an effective reboot for an entire cinematic franchise isn’t entirely hopeless; this created an entirely successful reimagining, transforming a major creative failure into an astonishing win. It’s time for some others to follow this!

Also Read: Best Superman Quotes: A Collection of Wisdom from the Man of Steel

Top 10 DC Movie Disasters That Deserve a Second Chance:

Teth-Adam on his throne in Black Adam Image

10. Catwoman (2004): Halle Berry’s Feline Fiasco

Halle Berry’s Catwoman? An infamous flop that barely counts as a DC adaptation! Instead of adapting Selina Kyle (the skilled, complex human thief), we got this bizarre, original story with a random woman mysteriously getting superpowers! In an era of popular Batman villain stories and given Berry’s own immense fame and potential – that early missed chance makes it important for modern audiences to see how easily some earlier plots are reimagined with success!

9. Jonah Hex (2010): A Western That Missed the Mark

Catwoman stands in front of a full moon in Catwoman Image

Jonah Hex is unique. A Wild West gunslinger; an amazing part of DC lore! The 2010 movie however completely bungled it (despite Josh Brolin’s star power). A disorganized story and a lack of clarity harmed the prospects of the film – but imagine how different that could be. This makes an easy opportunity for that uniquely creative and much needed western DC movie– focusing on Hex's grizzled, violent persona! Imagine this in an age when other superhero projects can also incorporate different styles and appeal to a more mature fanbase.

8. Steel (1997): Shaquille O’Neal’s Ill-Fated Superhero Debut

Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex in a hat in Jonah Hex Image

This one hurts. 1997’s Steel, starring basketball star Shaquille O’Neal was a seriously cheap-looking disaster that’s completely forgotten today! This one should really not be overlooked, though; featuring John Henry Irons (an Iron Man-esque hero); showing that this very neglected hero has far more potential than what his early attempts demonstrated, particularly since other projects (animated and live action) showcase a greater understanding for that character and this shows why it makes so much sense for that early adaptation to be re-imagined today; to take into consideration the progress within the moviemaking and to highlight the significant gains achieved within visual effects, along with showcasing those vastly-improved special effects technologies that we are able to find and benefit from now!

7. Swamp Thing (1982 & 1989): Campy Horror Needs a Modern Makeover

Steel Movie with Shaquille O'Neal aiming a gun in full costume Image

Swamp Thing (1982 and 1989)? Campy, but with surprising potential! Those early attempts feel like B-movies, far removed from thoughtful superhero films. A modern approach (maybe a hard-R rated movie?) could capture its horror roots— building an extremely zealous fanbase from a totally overlooked opportunity in storytelling that would fully showcase this very distinct genre blend! It’s got potential.

6. Green Lantern (2011): Ryan Reynolds's Regrettable Role

Poster to the 1982 Swamp Thing movie, with Swamp Thing carrying Alice Cable through the swampland. Image

Ryan Reynolds has been pretty clear he hates Green Lantern! He constantly mocks his past; resulting in a seriously hated film; and one so reviled that even a cameo in Zack Snyder’s Justice League got cut! But it should not be overlooked: it featured Hal Jordan! Given the popularity of this very specific Justice League member in comic form; his various iterations, and his important part within DC’s universe – that totally hated movie offers unlimited directions for this much needed revival. His character’s complexity allows unlimited interpretations, as seen within various projects and demonstrates this key point that many newer actors can fully and uniquely create, for an extremely broad range of audiences.

5. The Kitchen (2019): A Female-Led Crime Thriller Waiting to Happen

Green Lantern using his big green gun. Image

The Kitchen? It gets even worse: This movie isn't a common DC adaptation, most likely this one isn’t well-known for most people and completely forgotten, however! But it truly deserves a lot more attention. A great Vertigo Comics collaboration! This awesome crime thriller was never really understood and has amazing potential, highlighting its powerful female leads in this otherwise gritty 1970s New York setting; emphasizing the amazing creative potential which was originally untouched. The unique appeal here creates an easily identified market of viewers; fans of female-led thrillers, making it a must-do.

4. Supergirl (1984): A Kryptonian Cousin Deserving of Her Own Glory

Supergirl (1984)? A disappointing shadow of Christopher Reeve's classic Superman movies! Yet, this iconic superheroine demands another chance! The early movie showed some terrible CGI effects; however with the new DCU showing progress with other projects; it’s entirely possible for an incredible and uniquely re-imagined adaptation today and showcasing an original superheroine is a must for this fanbase! Even if there is potential negative baggage in earlier adaptations, and potential concerns regarding the original's themes – a complete remake is totally within reach.

3. The Flash (2023): A Speedster Story Needs a New Spark

Supergirl flies in the clouds in Supergirl 1984 Image

The Flash (2023)? Another massive disaster! It features Barry Allen! This popular character, a main character in a successful TV series should be huge. The attempt to adapt Flashpoint, yet that horribly unconvincing CGI and the controversy around Ezra Miller completely killed it. It failed on all measurable accounts; the movie flopped terribly! That should however highlight those missed chances to bring forth those specific story arcs, using the humor of Barry Allen and his kind heart.

2. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016): A Clash of Titans Needs a Do-Over

Ezra Miller as Barry Allen preparing to leave the speed force in The Flash (2023) Image

Batman v Superman (2016)? The sheer idea sounds great. It’s those two battling on screen! That should be massive; a total hit. However, Zack Snyder's weird choices; such as the notorious "Martha" scene completely undermined that insane hype and totally destroyed much of the movie’s impact; ultimately making it a commercial and critical disaster for the DCEU! It showcases why doing a better reboot later and better emphasizing the importance and history of both these legendary figures might still make for an exciting project, but requires that initial groundwork to exist, perhaps showing individual plots first!

1. Black Adam (2022): Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Couldn't Save This One

Ben Affleck as Batman looking up with glowing eyes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Image

Black Adam? Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in a superhero role should have easily become a box-office smash! This seemingly certain win involved one of the most famous and universally beloved actors today and should have delivered massive financial and creative returns; instead the film proved to have seriously limited appeal, spending most of that time setting up possible future projects. It forgot to make an amazing movie! While not terrible, its failed promise to reshape the DC hierarchy; the immense wasted potential should serve to illustrate just how well re-imagining can be approached, emphasizing those stronger creative moments through emphasizing this iconic character and its unique capabilities – that unique villain persona with that immense strength could appeal to new audiences. And he could battle Shazam! Perfect match-up.

Also Read: New DC Universe Revealed: Superman Reboot Cast, Release Date & More

Conclusion: Giving DC's Fallen Heroes a Second Act!

These ten examples show just how important audience expectations should really be for cinematic releases; it’s not simply some formula. Those flops, mostly failures that critically lacked vision and production choices and had extremely difficult production periods that severely hindered the creative expression itself highlight just how easily poor choices could completely destroy and derail what should’ve been very strong projects, making for an amazingly successful reboot potential later; and a better future is completely achievable by listening to those audience demands; while recognizing these challenges when creating some truly spectacular cinematic adaptations which might totally win fans over!