EDITORIAL: How Warner Bros. Could Creates It's Own 'MCU'

EDITORIAL: How Warner Bros. Could Creates It's Own 'MCU'

Now that the Avengers have smashed box office records 10 times over and with The Dark Knight Rises almost being upon on us, let us take some time to think about the proposed reboot of our favourite Dark Knight and DC Comic movies in general.

Editorial Opinion
By TheIronBat - May 22, 2012 09:05 AM EST
Filed Under: DC Comics

We all know that DC has had some pretty good movies, some much better than others but still.

My method to tie the characters together may seem like a rip off of Marvel's approach but hear me out first. Then decide whether or not to tear me a new one.

Obviously we need to start with the solo films. As big of a Batman fan as I am, I don't think we need to focus on his next movie. We already know the backstory so we don't need to focus on that. Nolan did an amazing job with it and if you don't know Batman's tragic backstory by now then what are you doing here?

Like Marvel, we need to tie these stories and characters together through little cameos or mentions such as:

- A huge, kind of clumsy reporter wearing glasses gets up from a press conference being held by Oliver Queen

- Barry Allen investigating a crime scene involving a worker at STAR Labs

- The creation of an experimental invisible plane for the military created by Lex Corp

- A blurry photo of Batman on the front page of a newspaper being read by Hal Jordan

Now one thought I had about Superman...I believe that his time with a solo movie is gone. I know there are some die hard fans out there that would soon lynch me for this, but hear me out. He's had a good run but I think he's more of a supporting character than a solo effort. In the versions we've seen he lives up to his name, don't get me wrong, but with people wanting to see the damaged or struggling heroes I don't think Supes has a place. You could change him to fit the mould set by other movies but then that would bastardize the image of Superman. Keep him as a support character, or use him as DC's Nick Fury (Sam Jackson) in the movies for lack of a better comparison.

As for the internet a-buzzing with talk of the reboot of Batman after Nolan and what SHOULD be in the movie or what SHOULDN'T...I don't think they should change much. The tone was very well done - dark and gritty, which is what Batman is. I'd suggest changing Batman's voice. That's it. We've all thought it or said it at one point or another, that's all I would change.

Next, the costume department should talk to each other when making these next few movies. The costumes shouldn't look the exact same but they should feel like they belong in the same universe. Would you be able to watch Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern standing besides Bale's Batman or Cavill's Superman? I would find it too odd. But that is probably a post production issue more than anything. I'm really digging the look that DC Comics have going right now with having more armoured look to the costumes, those would work on screen really well. I'm not saying in the realm of Iron Man like armour but something with the appearance or likeness of The Dark Knight or Captain America.

As for casting...I personally think Hollywood should go for quality over status. If someone who's an A list actor can bring something to the role and hit a home run....perfect. But they shouldn't really cast someone just because of their status in Hollywood. They should cast a relative unknown, someone with name recognition who could use the publicity to skyrocket themselves. The name of the hero will do the rest drawing people in.

That's all I can think of at the moment. Hope you enjoyed reading.

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SageMode
SageMode - 5/22/2012, 10:23 AM
Youd figured DC/WARNER BROS wouldn't done this before MARVEL STUDIOS, being that DC/WB have been in partnership since 1969 and MS was out in 1993. No excuses DC, no excuses.
TheIronBat
TheIronBat - 5/22/2012, 10:35 AM
WB just has too many interests to be able to focus on the CMB, and when they do they muddle it up. Case and point, Green Lantern. I think WB should give DC their own studio, like Marvel, the movies would still be released through WB so they won't lose any money that I can see.
Bumble
Bumble - 5/22/2012, 11:34 AM
IronBat is on the right track.

WB's portfolio is too broad for them to sit down and take the time required to properly develop an inter-connected universe as Marvel has done. Although Disney is the parent company for Marvel, Marvel has its on film division. A division that is solely responisble and focused on creating and fostering the MCU. Unless WB did the same for DC, I doubt you'll ever see a DC equivalent of what Marvel has done. WB will stick to their same old formula of Superman and Batman; maybe once in a blue moon step out on a limb with a property like Green Lantern or Flash. And if we ever do see a JL movie, it will be some thrown together hodge-podge with a bunch a names and characters thrown in in an attempt to capitalize off the CBM market.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 5/22/2012, 11:44 AM
I think that they should set up solo films and instead of an agent Coulson type have a mysterious and elusive Batman going through each telling all the heroes about a new threat. The last solo film being Batman to bring it full circle and then move right into Justice League
dezdigi
dezdigi - 5/22/2012, 12:12 PM
I really hope MOS plants a seed for a DCCU. Just put something in post credits and take it from there!
Gerrit
Gerrit - 5/22/2012, 1:31 PM
As far as I know MOS ain't setting a shared universe. I agree with TheIronBat and Bumble.
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/22/2012, 2:25 PM
this should of happened years ago,they've got all their characters under one roof & what have they given us from the main dc universe.

-batman (8 films)
-superman (6 films)
-green lantern (1 film should of been better)
-catwoman (1 film thank f*ck)
-jonah hex (1 film again thank f*ck)
-steel (maybe the worse dc movie ever)

they've got to start learning to take chances,the green lantern was a move in the right direction but just poorly made.

after nolan's batman dc have the chance to get a shared universe up & running.
ralfinader
ralfinader - 5/22/2012, 2:57 PM
Agree with Ironbat. They need to peel off a group of dedicated people to helm the DC projects (in charge of hiring writers, directors, and work on stringing the movies together like the Nick Fury cameos), just like they have with the DC animated stuff.
ThatOneDude
ThatOneDude - 5/22/2012, 6:37 PM
They should reboot Batman then make one more Superman. After that they should bring Darkseid in with a "Worlds Finest" film. Leaving the ending of that film with a opening to JLA. Setting Batman and Supes up as kind of the Nick Fury's of The DCCU.
TheIronBat
TheIronBat - 5/22/2012, 7:43 PM
A World's Finest would be an interesting way to introduce a bigger DCCU. But would Darkseid be better set for JLA? Or go old school and use Starro.

Also, chatting with a friend of mine, going with the "Agent Coulson of DC" route, Alfred would be a good choice. He could move in and out of people's lives as a representative of the Wayne Foundation.
UltimateTypeface
UltimateTypeface - 5/22/2012, 8:34 PM
I dont know the DC universe very well but it seems like a No-Brainer for DC to go down this road as they owns the rights to all their characters ...

But it would look so much like a rip off of Marvel if they tried some sort of joint DC movie universe I dont think they could do it.

This is how I would do it..

Do some lesser known members first..
1. Aquaman movie
2. Hawkgirl/guy/world
3. Green Lantern(Re-boot)
4. Green Arrow (is he even in it)
5. Martian Manhunter??
Link them all together with some underlying theme then roll out the big guns, re-booted..

6. Wonderwoman
7. Batman
8. Superman

Then go the big crossover JLA movie(or 3).

Still wont be as good as the Avengers
95
95 - 5/22/2012, 9:52 PM
Have a cohesive design element in each character's world -- and it will work. But DC is better off with keeping the individuality of each character as Nolan said. If the audience reacts well to each solo film -- maybe they can pull a JL film together. Not sure about the longevity of a Cinematic Universe, though. Let's see what Man Of Steel has cooked up.
marknjoanna
marknjoanna - 5/23/2012, 1:00 AM
marvel took lesser known characters and blew dc right out of the park and thats just a fact right now.

but dc with can still catch them,
Jolt17
Jolt17 - 5/23/2012, 2:37 AM
Rather than producing numerous movies to introduce the heroes one by one like what Marvel Studios has done, I'd prefer to see Warner Bros./DC Comics create a Justice League movie first, then spin solo movies out of it - yes, staying with their initial intention with Justice League: Mortals, only this time they NEED to get it right. A bit risky, I know, but if they take their time well to develop it very seriously, I believe it could work. (I already have the idea of how it can work, actually.)

By making a Justice League movie, they can introduce the heroes in a better way than just putting them in solo movies, I think. For example, to introduce the Flash; we don't need to focus on how the Flash gets his power (mentions/flashback should be enough), but in the Justice League movie, tell how he invents the Flash persona, how he invents the costume (connect it with S.T.A.R.S. Lab, et cetera), and all those stuffs - my personal idea has another relation with the bigger plot, but that's the rough idea. Another example; if Green Lantern really was beyond saving, but a reboot in a very close time isn't possible (and since they've got the likes of Mark Strong in it, I don't really want to see it, either), they can just put Hal Jordan back in that movie, so they can redefine the character without the needs to re-state his origins, and all those things. Again, my idea is pretty large and too long to be written here, but that's the starting points I need to tell to show you how it can actually work. Warner Bros./DC Comics just have to brave to step up their games first, though.
djohnpi
djohnpi - 5/23/2012, 7:47 AM
They can start with just a little bone in the TDKR and MOS just a little one. They can do this but the time is now.
Upgrayedd69
Upgrayedd69 - 5/23/2012, 6:00 PM
This was my idea for a batman reboot I put on reddit a lil bit ago

I would also want the new reboot to be set in a universe with other heroes, I'm hoping Man of Steel can be the start of those films. But for the first Batman movie I would do an older Batman already on his second Robin, Jason Todd. Nightwing could make an appearance. Professor Pyg is the big bad of the first, with minor fights with other villians like Killer Croc. Second movie would feature the death of Todd by the hands of Joker, big bad is Riddler (I think it is important to establish than any of Batman's rougues can attack at anytime, hence Joker killing Todd yet not being the main villian) and Tim Drake is introduced wanting to be the new Robin. Then a JL movie. Ideally people would be receptive of how Robin was portrayed, and Tim Drake is given his own movie for his training to become Robin. A new villian would be created for his movie. and finishing my little make believe trilogy here, in Batman 3, the court of owls is the big bad. The court would have been hinted at through all the movies, with little easter eggs and such. The court would be the reason Batman 3 does not feature the JL, as Batman feels Gotham is his city, so it is his responsibility to take them down

I know I focused on Batman there (as that was the question) though I feel that if they give superman two films before JL, Flash (Barry Allen) his own movie(this would be very heavy in his police forensics, not just superheroing ), Kyle Rayner as a new Green Lantern (this way a full reboot is not needed but we get rid of Renyolds, and can maybe do a New Guardians thing in the sequel) and a Wonder Woman movie(Aquaman would be introduced here as a villian at first, my version of him would be a very xenophobic Atlantian who thinks the surface is attacking him, in the end WW shows that the people of the surface are nothing to be afraid of, for the most part.) and finally the JL movie with Darkseid bringing hell to Earth
Uhhhhhh
Uhhhhhh - 5/24/2012, 12:04 PM
Marvel characters are much more loveable than DC characters
TheIronBat
TheIronBat - 5/24/2012, 12:53 PM
I don't think it's Marvel's characters are more loveable than DC's, to paraphrase "DC has characters you can look up to, whereas Marvel has characters you can relate to".

@Upgrayedd69 I think having Robin in the movies wouldn't be a bad thing. Sadly, we're still stuck with the image of Suchmacher's Robin.
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