Aquaman and Justice League writer promises they'll finally make the DCEU 'fun'

'Justice League is a lot more fun. And I think that feels to me like the direction those movies are heading now'

Though it's hard to exactly substantiate the various reports coming in that the DCEU is in crisis, the studio's certainly looking to a change of direction.

Warner Bros.' own head of DC Films, Geoff Johns, has confessed past films were perhaps too focused on being "gritty and dark", stressing his plans to bring a more "hopeful and optimistic" view to the extended universe. An attitude already evident in the first released footage of the upcoming Justice League film; which sees (perhaps not entirely successful) attempts to inject a little humour in the proceedings.

Aquaman appears also to be falling in line with DC's new approach, with its screenwriter Will Beall telling Collider: "It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be really fun. What we’ve come up with and James [Wan] especially — he has a really clear idea of the tone he’s going to have, and I think Aquaman is one that’s going to blow people’s minds, not just visually, but I think the story and the scope of it is really great."

Interestingly, Beall also wrote the initial script for Justice League, though the narrative has evolved massively since that point; still, he suggested the film will definitely show a similar shift in tone to previous offerings. "I think Justice League again is," he said. "What you’re going to see — I hope I’m not going to get in trouble for saying this — but it’s much more fun, much poppier, than … I haven’t seen Wonder Woman yet, but Batman vs Superman was a little more somber."

"But Justice League is a lot more fun. And I think that feels to me like the direction those movies are heading now," he added.

Indeed, 2017 is going to be a fairly crucial year for Warner Bros. and the DCEU. Wonder Woman will have its own pressures in delivering the first solo film for one of DC's most iconic characters, and the franchise's first female-led project; while Justice League will have the task of launching Warner Bros.' attempt to revamp its films' tone.

Wonder Woman arrives on 2 June, with Justice League then landing 17 November. Aquaman has a release date of 5 October, 2018.