John Oliver pivoted from his usual attacks on the Trump administration to mock the troubled state of Warner Bros.’ DC Universe. Notably, he did so while hosting an HBO television show owned by the same company.
During the latest episode of Last Week Tonight, Oliver discussed Attorney General Todd Blanche’s attempt to defend the Justice Department against accusations that it had failed to fulfill several promises.
John Oliver – LastWeek Tonight, YouTube
Blanche argued that the department had made repeated attempts to accomplish its objectives and was not “running away” from its responsibilities. Oliver responded by suggesting that effort alone should not be mistaken for success.
“I didn’t realize the existence of repeated unsuccessful attempts was actually good news,” Oliver said. “That’s huge for DC movies, if true.”
The screen then displayed posters for several Warner Bros. superhero films, including Black Adam, The Flash, Birds of Prey, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and Supergirl.
John Oliver Highlights DC’s Box Office Struggles
The joke highlighted a long-running problem for Warner Bros. and DC Studios. Although the company owns some of the most recognizable superheroes in entertainment, many of its recent comic book movies have struggled to attract audiences.
Deliberately or not, Oliver’s examples spanned two eras of DC films: the former DC Extended Universe and the newly launched DC Universe from James Gunn and Peter Safran. Some observers may note that he could also have included last summer’s Superman, which federal testimony revealed was also considered a box office disappointment.
Superman wounded in the snow in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
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Black Adam earned approximately $393 million worldwide but failed to achieve the success that star Dwayne Johnson seemingly expected. The Flash grossed only around $271 million despite featuring multiple versions of Batman and receiving an aggressive promotional campaign.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods performed even worse, ending its theatrical run with roughly $134 million worldwide. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom reached $440 million, but that represented a dramatic decline from the first film’s $1.15 billion total.
However, Oliver’s inclusion of Supergirl made the criticism more immediate. The second feature film in Gunn and Safran’s rebooted DC Universe recently concluded its theatrical run with approximately $125.8 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $170 million. Projections suggest that the film may lose Oliver’s employer $125 million.
According to Variety, Oliver appeared to laugh upon realizing that he was criticizing his own corporate parent. HBO and DC Studios are both controlled by Warner Bros. Discovery, making the segment an unusually direct example of a television host mocking another division of the company paying him.
Oliver Has Few Corporate Loyalties
This is not the first time Oliver has used Last Week Tonight to criticize companies connected to HBO.
Earlier this summer, the comedian defended former 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley after he was fired by CBS. That network is owned by Paramount, which is attempting to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
Supergirl fighting in the Supergirl Trailer – YouTube, DC
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Oliver has also openly ridiculed the proposed merger and joked about becoming part of Paramount. Nevertheless, HBO recently extended his contract through 2027, suggesting that Warner Bros. remains comfortable giving him considerable freedom. Whether Oliver can maintain his current attitude—or his contract—under new leadership remains an open question.
The DC joke may have been brief, but it landed because the studio’s difficulties are hard to deny. Warner Bros. may be willing to tolerate Oliver laughing at its expensive superhero failures. Convincing moviegoers to stop doing the same may prove considerably harder.
Are you surprised that John Oliver took a shot at the DC Universe while on HBO? Sound off and let us know!
