HBO Max may not be moving forward with The Wonder Twins after all. Back in February, it was reported that Adam Sztykiel had been tapped by Warner Bros. to direct a live-action movie for HBO Max based on The Wonder Twins. Temple Hill's Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey were also signed on to produce, and it was announced just last month that KJ Apa (Riverdale) and Isabel May (1883) would be starring as the titular sibling superheroes.
According to That Hashtag Show, a new update on the project brings about some bad news for those involved. Cast and crew were reportedly informed that The Wonder Twins has been shelved with no clear reason given for why it's suddenly been canceled. The apparent plan was for shooting to begin in Atlanta on July 5, and the cancelation news comes as the filmmakers were still in the process of fleshing out the rest of the cast. The recent Warner Bros./Discovery merger is cited as a possible reason for the cancelation but nothing has been confirmed.
The Wonder Twins were originally introduced in the animated series The All-New Super Friends Hour, though they would later make their way to the printed page with stories by DC Comics. Twin siblings from another planet, Zan and Jayna have unusual powers that can be activated when the two fist bump and utter, "Wonder Twin powers, activate!" Jayna can transform into animals while Zan can take on the various forms of water. All the while, they're accompanied by a pet monkey named Gleek, who can help facilitate the twins' powers when they're out of reach from each other. There's a lot of creative potential there for a live-action adaptation, but perhaps it wasn't meant to be.
The Wonder Twins Was Set to Stream on HBO Max
Warner Bros. has been working on a selection of movies and shows to be released exclusively on HBO Max separate from their theatrical releases. Following the release of The Batman, there are two spinoff shows in the works, with one following Colin Farrell's Penguin and the other set in Arkham Asylum. The DCEU will also continue to grow with movies like Batgirl planned to release on the streaming service. While The Wonder Twins has been reportedly canceled, there's no word yet on any big changes related to Warner Bros.' other superhero projects.
HBO Max also hosted The Suicide Squad's spinoff series Peacemaker starring John Cena in the lead role. Michael B. Jordan is also reportedly working on a Val-Zod Superman movie for the streamer. Fans also anticipate new seasons of hit DC shows like Doom Patrol, Harley Quinn, and Titans. Not every show based on DC Comics characters will be getting the chance to move forward, however, as Batwoman was just canceled at The CW along with DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
Who knows if we will ever see the live-action Wonder Twins make their way to the DCEU, but for now, it appears that their planned solo film is on the shelf.