Warner Bros. and DC's interconnected superhero series - the DC Extended Universe - hasn't always received the same amount of critical acclaim as their great rivals over at Marvel Studios, but it's still made almost five and a half billion dollars at the box office over the course of eight movies, to rank as the tenth highest-grossing franchise in cinematic history.

Most of the DCEU's early output was dogged by problems such as an unrelentingly grim tone, constant rumors of studio interference and a penchant for announcing movies and then doing absolutely nothing with them. However, once the studio made a conscious effort to head in a new creative direction following the disappointment of Justice League, the future for their roster of superheroes is looking brighter than ever.

Had things gone to plan, we'd have seen Ben Affleck's The Batman and The Flash by now, while the game-changing events of Zack Snyder's Justice League Part Two would have impacted the stories of both Cyborg and Green Lantern Corps, and maybe even the Suicide Squad spinoff for Jared Leto's Joker and Harley Quinn.

Instead, a combination of poor reception to the movies from both fans and critics, constant changes in leadership behind the scenes, abandoned projects and some high-profile re-castings have seen the DCEU drastically alter the highly ambitious plans that were originally laid out, as the franchise suffered greatly from trying to run before it had learned to walk.

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10 Biggest Ways The DCEU Has Changed From Original Plans - WhatCulture