Launched back in 2020, DC Fandome was a virtual fan convention set up for the many comic book, movie, and television projects under the DC Comics umbrella. Similar to live conventions, DC Fandome allowed for marketing and promotion of these projects, including first looks and teasers before being released to the public. The past two DC Fandome events were highly successful, and fans were anticipating another for this year. Why has it been cancelled? Read on for the details.
Return of live events
As shared by Popverse, Warner Bros. Discovery and DC released a statement announcing that DC Fandome will not be returning for 2022. The official statement reads: Fans of DC Comics and their multimedia content had been happy with DC Fandome. After its launch in August 2020, fans across the globe were able to join in on the “immersive virtual fan experience”, reaching 22 million views during the day of the event. The second online event proceedings aired through YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and at the DC Fandome website even reached 66 million views worldwide. The DC Fandome 2021 had some big premieres, including the full trailers for The Batman and Peacemaker. DC and Warner Bros. Discovery had already participated in one of the returning live conventions at the San Diego Comic-Con last July. At their panel, DC Films presented two full trailers for its upcoming Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods theatrical features.
New York Comic-Con
While the cancellation of DC Fandome 2022 may upset fans, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery will have a presence at the New York Comic-Con. The New York Comic-Con (NYCC) is the biggest comics convention in the East Coast. Although it was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, the convention returned in 2021. However, the attendance for that year was lower than the previous convention (150,000 compared to the 260,000 in 2019). With the pandemic restrictions easing up, it is expected the 2022 NYCC attendance will be higher. Although DC has confirmed its presence, there is no official announcement of what its participation will include, such as booths, panels, and presentations.
Cost-cutting measure?
The cancellation of DC Fandome 2022 has led some to speculate that this is part of the cost-cutting measures that Warner Bros. Discovery has been taking. As Warner Bros. Discovery under CEO David Zaslav has been revising its DC projects to be more cinematic and theatrical, cancellations and delays have affected its previous slate. This included the $90 million Batgirl HBO Max exclusive, as well as the Wonder Twins project and the animated Batman The Caped Crusader. Could DC Fandome 2022 have been another casualty of this rumored cost-saving measure? For now, fans will have to wait for the New York Comic-Con to get the official word. The NYCC will be held at the Javits Center, NYC on October 6 to 9, 2022.
