EDITORIAL: THE AVEN-Who?! Why A JUSTICE LEAGUE Movie WILL Outshine Earth's Mightiest
The Avengers impressed fans and critics alike, earning a whopping $1.5 billion at the box office. Does a Justice League movie REALLY have a chance of reaching - or even surpassing - that sort of success? Hell yes. Read on for my thoughts on the huge potential of a movie starring DC's most iconic superheroes!
I’ve always been a Marvel guy. The only reason I find it necessary to point that out is because it's inevitable that there will be accusations of bias; after all, for some fans, it’s impossible not to favour one company over the other. In truth, that’s how it was for me for a very long time. DC’s characters simply did not appeal to me. I can relate to an everyman like Peter Parker or a flawed hero like Daredevil. The near indestructible Superman or billionaire Batman however? Not so much. However, “The New 52” (which I fully appreciate was far from popular with some long-time fans) reinvigorated my interest in DC’s stable of superheroes, particularly the Justice League.
The thought of seeing that roster of superheroes together on the big screen – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Green Lantern and The Flash – is to me, undeniably an even more exciting and appealing thought than the spectacle that was Marvel’s The Avengers. I mean, The Avengers was one hell of a movie. Joss Whedon quickly brought together Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and after a thrilling set of sequences aboard the Helicarrier, we were treated to an epic battle in New York City. It’s a movie full of unforgettable moments and a goddamn masterpiece in my eyes. I am not for a second taking anything away from Marvel’s extremely successful superhero ensemble. However, I truly believe that a Justice League movie has the potential to easily blow The Avengers out of the water. I also believe that it could surpass the Marvel Studios movie in terms of box office success too; don't be surprised to see Batman/Superman perform better than expected in 2015 for a start...
Anyway, as cool as it was to see Captain America fighting alongside Iron Man, Thor and Hulk (and as great as it will be to introduce Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to that roster in The Avengers: Age of Ultron), even a “Marvel guy” like me finds the prospect of seeing Batman and Superman leading a team like the one mentioned above to be way more exciting. We will of course get our first glimpse of such a team-up in 2015’s Batman/Superman, but are Zack Snyder and David Goyer the right men to bring the superhero team to the big screen? While I could certainly get behind Snyder being in the director’s chair, I think it would be a mistake for Goyer to be solely responsible for the screenplay. For me, Man of Steel wasn’t the movie it could and should have been because of just that. If anything, I believe that it would be for the best if Ben Affleck were to take the helm, but regardless of who ends up directing, it’s vital that they get the story right.
The problem DC has of course is that unlike Marvel, they don’t have an already established series of solo films which will have introduced the various members of the Justice League. While many see this as a disadvantage, I believe it could be for the best. A big chunk of The Avengers was devoted to bringing the team discover and showing what they were all up to. While Whedon handled these scenes well, they undeniably make the movie drag a little on repeat viewings. All the Justice League movie has to do is follow the formula of the comic book series of the same name in “The New 52”. With Batman and Superman already established, simply introduce the rest of the team – who will be as new to those two as they are to the audience - as the movie (and perhaps the battle against Darkseid, who definitely seems like the best choice of villain for the movie) progresses. Just have a read of that first arc, and even if the planned big screen adaptation has nothing else in common with it, the way the likes of Wonder Woman and Aquaman are introduced would work perfectly in the movie. It would of course also mean that those heroes could then have their own solo outings AFTER they’ve been introduced to the regular moviegoer, perhaps meaning that Warner Bros. would feel more confident in moving forward with more DC adaptations.
So, as controversial a statement as it may be, I truly do believe that a Justice League movie would have absolutely no problem in decimating The Avengers. Sure, there’s room for both to exist – what kind of comic book fan wouldn’t want to see both of these franchises in theatres at the same time? – but for me, DC’s superhero ensemble has all the right ingredients to be better than anything Marvel produces. There does always have to be a winner after all. Captain America and Iron Man are all very well and good, but does that really have the same appeal as The Flash racing Superman or Green Lantern decking Batman? Not for me. It was mindblowing seeing Thor and Hulk doing battle, but a recreation of that kiss between Superman and Wonder Woman somehow seems even more worthy of a geek out moment! The thing is, as relatable as Marvel’s superheroes are, there’s arguably something more iconic about DC’s stable; the fact that the Superman logo is the second most recognisable symbol in the world says it all really.
What do you guys think?