Thanks To HBO Max, DC's Film Universe Goes In Concrete Direction

Justice League lineup, minus Superman, in the dark

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If you’re going to start selling your cinematic universe of titles, you need a catchy name. For a while, folks have assumed that DC Comics’ own continuum of films was known as the “DC Extended Universe.” It was never truly confirmed by Warner Bros, but now with HBO Max getting into the business of showing its parent company’s wares, it looks like that name has been adopted as a concrete direction for marketing.

This much is seen on the platform itself, as you’ll see in the HBO Max screenshot below:

HBO Max DC Extended Universe branding

If you're curious about how you can access this section for yourself, it’s not too hard. From the home page of HBO Max, you’ll want to want to scroll down until you find the section “Blockbuster Franchises.” Clicking on the “Explore” button will take you to a list that shows you offerings like the Harry Potter series, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and even the Die Hard series.

But among those very offerings is the now officially-minted “DC Extended Universe,” which has everything from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to Shazam included in its lineup. Though funny enough, Man of Steel isn’t included on HBO Max just yet, and the theatrical cut of Justice League is apparently already on its way out in the “Last Chance” section.

This new branding is a pretty big move, considering past reports have even seen figures in the DC Comics/Warner Bros wheelhouse firmly denying that the “DC Cinematic Universe” was the actual name. At least, that’s what things were like in the before times.

Now that we’re living in a world where Zack Snyder’s Justice League is going to become a visible reality, the branding surrounding what was once supposed to be DC Comics’ premiere comic movie launch pad needs to be in tip-top shape before that gigantic debut takes place in 2021. You have to wonder what other sort of branding opportunities will present themselves now that this historic occasion is on the road.

How long the public will have to wait until the specific debut of Zack Snyder’s Justice League is still up in the air, as no release date has been specified. That being said, if HBO Max and Warner Bros are about to get this level of serious about the DC Extended Universe, the future could be pretty bright for this once broken home. Bright enough that maybe this branding could lead to David Ayer’s cut of Suicide Squad being next in line to take the plunge.

If you’re ready to jump into the DC Extended Universe Universe’s available content on HBO Max, you should check out the free trial offer that’s available for that service. Who knows how much longer the theatrical cut of Justice League will be offered to the general public?

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.