Viola Davis' Waller, Wonder Woman spinoff Paradise Lost put on hold by DC; Here's why

Seems like the box office debacle of the latest release, Supergirl, is bearing the brunt of other upcoming planned shows. Two of DC Studios' highly anticipated shows, Waller, based on Viola Davis' character Amanda Waller, seen in the film Suicide Squad, and Paradise Lost, the Wonder Woman spinoff, have reportedly been put on hold.

Why has Waller and Paradise Lost been put on hold?

Two projects that once formed an important part of DC Studios' new television strategy are now facing

an uncertain future, as per the report of The Ankler. Waller and Paradise Lost, both announced by James Gunn and Peter Safran when they unveiled their first DCU slate in 2023, have been moved to the back burner as the studio reassesses its television lineup. The projects remain part of DC's broader plans, but neither is currently being treated as a priority for HBO.

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Though we haven't had a firm update on Waller in a while, as of late April, Gunn wrote on Threads that Paradise Lost was "in extreme development." Meanwhile, a proper Wonder Woman movie is still in the works with Supergirl scribe Ana Nogueira attached.

DC under James Gunn and Safran have greenlit the upcoming HBO Green Lantern series Lanterns starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre and also oversaw the launch of The Penguin, though the latter show was picked up prior to their entry atop the DC Universe. They also launched the animated series Creature Commandos, which is returning for a second season.

Netizens' reaction to Waller and Paradise Lost

Soon after the news of Waller and Paradise Lost being put on hold surfaced, several netizens took to social media platforms to express shock. One user wrote, "What happened to DC man the future was looking so bright."

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Another user wrote, "Waller, paradise lost, booster gold, the authority swamp thing. Future projects all dead. beloved characters butchered and experimented on. you abandoned us all. @JamesGunn."

“The DCU is over. Man of Tomorrow will be the end. Waller and The Paradise Lost show are cancelled at DC Studios. No contract extension for James Gunn or Peter Safran. The writing on the wall is evident,” wrote the third user.

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All about Waller and Paradise Lost

The planned DC Universe television series Waller is based on the DC Comics character Amanda Waller, created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne. The show continues the story of the ruthless A.R.G.U.S. director played by Viola Davis, spinning off from the events of the series Peacemaker. Amanda Waller first appeared in DC Comics in 1986 (Legends #1), created primarily by writer John Ostrander.

She is famously known as the cold, calculating mastermind behind Task Force X (the Suicide Squad), a government-run team of supervillains and antiheroes forced to run dangerous missions. She has no superpowers, relying entirely on her high-level intellect, political cunning, and fierce intimidation tactics. Viola Davis brought the character to life in the films Suicide Squad (2016) and The Suicide Squad (2021), as well as the series Peacemaker (2022).

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Paradise Lost is based on DC Comics' Amazons and the island of Themyscira (as a Wonder Woman prequel) or on a small-town Mississippi murder/family mystery. It is reportedly conceived as a Game of Thrones-style political drama set on Themyscira (Paradise Island) long before the birth of Wonder Woman, exploring the genesis and dark political scheming of an all-female society. The first season had premiered in 2020.