Earlier in July, an Empire Magazine article revealed that
Joker director Todd Phillips pitched his idea for the film at a premiere party for
War Dogs and that he suggested a new division for WB as well called
DC Black. His idea was a separate line of
DC Comics adaptations from the likes of
Wonder Woman,
Aquaman and
Shazam! that would
"differentiate itself from Marvel" by having low budgets, no CGI and give complete control to filmmakers.
"
I said, 'Let Joker be the first, then let's get [frick]ing great filmmakers to come in.' Instead of trying to live in the shadow of the beast (MCU), let's do something they can't. This included $30 million budgets, no CGI hoopla. Lets strip that all away. It'll be liberating."
Then a month later in August, Phillips revealed that WB contacted him to nix the talk of a new label. "
They’re like, ‘Calm down with the label – how about you do one movie?" Well, Phillips has done one movie and he's done it well. And not only is Joker a billion dollar grossing film that was made on a very modest budget, it's going to be a serious contender this awards season.
Now, earlier this morning, THR reported that Phillips recently went to WB and attempted to secure rights for the origin story for its ENTIRE ROSTER of DC Comics villains. WB didn't agree to this, however, a sequel to the
Joker is confirmed to be in development and Phillips is also planning similar origin stories for 1-2 other villains.
If WB and Phillips truly want to find similar success with other characters, we have a few idea s- click the NEXT button below to see our suggestions.
Lex Luthor
This is likely the most obvious choice, as Lex is arguably DC's most iconic villain after the Joker. And lets face it, the best iteration of the character was the version of Luthor voiced by Clancy Brown in the DCAU (sorry Smallville fans). A film that artfully showcased the stark differences between the face Lex shows to the public and his real persona behind closed doors could easily find success if it receives the same Joker formula of low-budget, A-list headliner and 'hard-R' rating.
Riddler
Perhaps Phillips is going to flesh out his DC Black division with origin stories for Batman's entire rogues gallery? We already have two different Jokers appearing across DC film adaptations, so the fact that Paul Dano is set to play Edward Nigma in Matt Reeves' The Batman shouldn't be a problem. The real choice will be what iteration of the character to adapt - the version that concocts Saw-esque deathtraps or the petty criminal who uses riddles as a means of distraction?
Darkseid
Here's where we're going to start getting weird. Could a low-budget Darkseid origin film work? It would require the studio go the Guillermo del Toro/Hellboy route instead of a CGI fest. Del Toro was able to make The Golden Army in 2008 for a paltry $85 million. Even when adjusting for inflation, the return on a film that recounts how Prince Uxas turned into the red-eyed ruler of Apokolips due to the Shakespearean tragedy involving his father (Yuga Khan), mother (Heggra), brother (Drax) and wife (Suli) should rival the Joker's profitability.
Lady Shiva
Applying the Joker formula doesn't have to be restricted to psychological thrillers. What if that similar approach was applied to a martial arts movie? An origin story for Lady Shiva, the most deadly martial artists in all of DC, done in the same style as The Raid (which was made for a paltry $1.1 million dollars) or Chocolate should see favorable box office returns for the studio.
Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim
A lesser known Superman villain, a Mannheim origin story would give WB the opportunity to make a gritty, crime mob movie thinly disguised as a comic book adaptation. Plus, the Superman connection would potentially allow a connection to a Lex Luthor origin story if WB wants to make DC Black a connected universe.
Vandal Savage
If WB wants to stick to the formula of psychological thriller, a Vandal Savage origin story would certainly fit the mold. In a way, he's DC's evil version of Wolverine - just without the claws. Seeing one of his century-long evil schemes unfold on the big screen would be a unique experience in superhero cinema.
Maxwell Lord
Picture a film based on a slick-talking billionaire lobbyist who can inexplicably close any deal. When he discovers that he has the power of low-level telepathic persuasion, he has inner turmoil over whether to exploit his ability for personal gain or for the benefit of others. With Lord working with the Justice League, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to craft a scenario where that line blurs. Pedro Pascal is set to play a version of the character in Patty Jenkins' WW84.
Abra Kadabra
An origin story for a narcissistic, creepy magician that uses futuristic technology to trick others into believing he can actually use magic could be quite interesting if given a sinister tone. That said, the origin story for Abra Kadabra equally lends itself to being adapted as a R-rated comedy. Casting would likely be the most important factor in determining which route to take.
Papa Midnite
Continuing the magical theme, an R-rated Papa Midnite origin film would definitely lean more on the side of horror than anything we've seen before from comic book movies. While the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel was also described as a horror film, its PG-13 rating will likely keep it from reaching the same level of scariness that a R-rating allows. Michael James Shaw played a version of the character on NBC' short-lived Constantine adaptation.
Owlman
Sure, Batman's origin story has been done to death, but what if everything gets flipped on its head and the fateful night in Crime Alley results in a very different heir of Thomas Wayne donning a cape and cowl? The final moments could see Owlman discover the existence of a multiverse, sowing the seeds for a merger of all the different DC cinematic universes.