It’s always a sad day when Guillermo del Toro has to let go of one of the many projects he has bubbling away in his mad scientist’s development lab. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s stepping away from Warner Bros.’ plans to make a Dark Universe film{
The move was announced as part of a story about Sandman and the various titles under DC’s Vertigo label leaving Warner Bros. Well, we say leaving – they’re actually just moving across the lot to find a new home with New Line, which is one of the studio’s companies. Sort of like giving up your cat for adoption by your sister.
Dark Universe, is essentially a cinematic version of DC's Justice League Dark, a recent series teaming DC heroes who are supernatural rather than traditionally super: part of DC's push to de-clutter its decks and fold its Vertigo-type characters into its main "universe". Del Toro had previously hinted that his chosen roster for the film would include Hellblazer's John Constantine, slinky magician Zatanna and her father Zatara, Swamp Thing, Deadman, The Demon and The Spectre.
But the project never seemed to get past the development stage and with Warner Bros. focusing on its main Justice League heroes (your Superman, your Batman, your Wonder Woman, etc.), there hasn’t seemed to be room for the shadier gang at the moment. And del Toro has plenty of other projects to keep him occupied in both TV and film, with Crimson Peak landing on October 16 and **Pacific Rim 2 **in the works for August 2017. We’d bet Dark Universe will continue with someone else driving it forward, but it might have to wait until Bats, Supes and co. have established their Justice League on screen.