DC Extended Universe Crisis? ‘Aquaman’ Director James Wan Might Quit, Days After Seth Grahame-Smith Departed ‘The Flash’

All is not well with the DC Extended Universe.

Following on from Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice‘s poor performance, both critically and financially, there has been plenty of discussions about the future of Warner Bros’ expanding cinematic universe, which will be based on their DC Comics properties.

But whether the studio like it or not, they’re going to have to make some rather big changes to both The Flash and Aquaman after it was reported that directors Seth Grahame-Smith and James Wan have left the respective blockbusters.

Let’s start with The Flash and Seth Grahame-Smith’s apparent departure as its director. The Hollywood Reporter have insisted that the Pride And Prejudice And Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter author and screenwriter has left The Flash due to “creative differences.”

Exclusive: the ‘Flash’ movie loses its director https://t.co/sB2PBFAs9o pic.twitter.com/RWUHuWdoXP

— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 30, 2016

If Seth Grahame-Smith had stayed on board the project, then he would have been making his directorial debut. However, it now looks as though that won’t be happening, and the Ezra Miller-led superhero blockbuster will now be looking for a new filmmaker to lead the way on what it’s hoped will be the sixth film in the DC Extended Universe, which is due out on March 23, 2018.

Seth Grahame-Smith’s working relationship with Warner Bros. is still likely to be amicable as he is currently involved in a number of other projects with the studio, as he has written both Lego Batman Movie and Beetlejuice 2.

In fact, while Seth Grahame-Smith appears to have left The Flash as its director, it’s believed that Warner Bros. still plan on using his script. Smith wrote and built his screenplay for The Flash after Phil Lord and Christopher Miller wrote a treatment for it.

At one stage it was believed that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who have previously written and directed Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and The Lego Movie, as well as directing both 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, might actually oversee The Flash, too.

However, after writing the treatment for The Flash, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were approached to direct the currently untitled Han Solo Star Wars Anthology film, which they agreed to do.

Of course, we’ve already had our first look at Ezra Miller’s Flash/Barry Allen, after the character was introduced during a cameo appearance in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, while he will have a longer appearance in Justice League Part One, which is currently filming and is due out in November, 2017.

Justice League Part One will also feature Jason Momoa’s Aquaman/Arthur Curry, who, like Miller, made his debut as the character in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and is getting his own movie with the 2018 Aquaman film.

But according to Birth. Movies. Death‘s sources, director James Wan is considering leaving Aquaman because of the huge infighting that is going on at Warner Bros. following the poor response to Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

Rumor: James Wan May Not Stick with ‘Aquaman’ as Trouble Brews for DC Universe Movies https://t.co/LrQGRfT6nC pic.twitter.com/0cYZBsI1no

— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) April 30, 2016

The above publication insists that “James Wan is feeling a tremendous amount of trepidation about Aquaman,” because of the increased expectations that are coming with the film.

Warner Bros. have already profited tremendously off the back of The Conjuring from James Wan, while he will be grossing a huge amount for the studio with The Conjuring 2 and Lights Out, both due out this summer, and he’s not sure if Aquaman will be worth the hassle.

Meanwhile, Birth. Movies. Death also revealed that Warner Bros. executives, still reeling from the response to Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, have been arguing with director Zack Snyder over his vision for Justice League and the DC movieverse, too. And since production on Justice League has already begun, it suggests that the shoot will be fraught with tension.

[Photos by Charles Sykes and Matt Sayles/Invision/AP Images]