Justice League Dark is one of those properties that not many people know about. However, once someone hears the name and they look it up, they are instantly intrigued. It was a while back when we heard that Guillermo del Toro turned in his script to WB and they seemed to like it. Recently, we found out Guillermo left the project which had been a point of passion for him for a long time. Today we found out the studio made him choose between Pacific Rim 2 and Justice League Dark. He chose to do Pacific Rim 2. So, with Guillermo officially off the project to direct, I address the question of, who would I love to see direct a property as weird and interesting as Justice League Dark?
5. Robert Kirkman
Starting off my list is Robert Kirkman. He might seem like a bit of a long shot considering his expertise lies with writing comics and directing his hugely successful tv show The Walking Dead. However, Kirkman is masterful at translating what was in his comics to the television screen. He knows that you must adapt the stories and characters to fit the lense and tone of the show, just like how I would assume Justice League Dark would have to be. Kirkman has an eye for talent and is talented himself in creating shots that speak to the viewer. I think his knack for the horror genre would also make him an incredibly easy fit for this movie and the characters it involves. Speaking of characters, although Kirkman is known for killing his beloved characters, he has also given us characters of all shapes, sizes, and motivations. He knows how to handle anti-heroes, villains, heroes, and forces of nature much like his zombies. I think Kirkman, although having no experience with film, would be a perfect fit for this bizarre and dark movie.
4. Drew Goddard
If you have not seen the masterpiece that is Cabin in the Woods, then you are missing out on one of the funniest, scariest, and overall most bizarre movies ever. Cabin in the Woods knew exactly how to blend its characters into the realm of horror while also remaining ridiculously funny. I think that the way he handled Cabin in the Woods is exactly the kind of treatment that Justice League Dark not only needs, but deserves. Justice League Dark has witty characters, monsters, demons, and regular people all meshing together in stories that are bizarre and a bit scary. Both of these movies have similar formulas, and if Drew Goddard thrived at Cabin in the Woods, I think he could thrive once more in his attempt at Justice League Dark.
3. George Miller
George Miller is a fantastic director, no doubt! The film that is convincing me he is a right fit for this property is obviously Mad Max Fury Road. But more than that, George Miller was set to direct the failed Justice League: Mortal. Having looked at the concept art and reading a bit about where he wanted to take some of the characters I think his interpretation would better suit the characters of Justice League Dark. I think his creative mind works better with characters that are broken and more in the shadows. In fact, Tom Hardy, Max himself, was a character that worked so well because he acted as the dark shadow who operated with little dialogue opposite of Charlize Theron’s Furiosa. I think this type of use of a character could work really well for Swamp Thing or even Deadman. He also showed how well he handled humanizing characters that were absolutely insane with Nicholas Hoult’s character. All of his talents just fit seamlessly into the parameters of Justice League Dark, plus he did just make WB a bunch of money with Mad Max Fury Road, so I’m sure he’s on their radar.
2. Eli Roth
Eli Roth is my dream choice for this project. This is a project I care a lot about, and Eli Roth is one of my favorite visionaries out there today. He is a director, actor, writer, and producer and excels at all of them. I admit that I am totally biased just because I like his work the most out of anyone on this list, but his talents are undeniable. His ability to tell an interesting story within a horror movie is enough to land him the job as director on this film. When dealing with characters based in tragedy and horror such as Constantine, Zatanna, Frankenstein, Swamp Thing, and Deadman, I think Eli’s ability to use characters and setting to not only terrify us but tell us a story will jive so well. Plus, have you seen The Green Inferno trailer!? Holy shit!
1. James Wan
This man is one hell of a director. Many people refer to The Rock as franchise viagra, but James Wan is the man, the myth, the legend, when it comes to elevating franchises to the next level. He took the Fast franchise that is admittedly pretty dumb on the surface, and made it one of the largest grossing films of all-time. He also has created some of the most profitable and good horror films of the last 5-10 years with the Conjuring, Insidious, and Saw. James Wan knows how to really handle elements of the horror genre in a way that are interesting, scary, and yet extremely enticing to the viewer. Even though I’m being scared, I want more every time. He is also great at pulling terrific performances out of his actors, which just makes me even more certain that he could pull off Justice League Dark regardless of the casting choices WB ends up making. Finally, as we’ve seen with Zack Snyder, WB doesn’t mind using the same director for more than one property, and since James Wan is set to direct Aquaman, perhaps WB will feel more confident in picking someone who is already in house at their studios.
So there you have it! What do you think about my choices in directors? Do you have a suggestion too? Let me know! As always be sure to follow me on Twitter @HaneyCasey, Moviepilot.com/HaneyCasey, and on my website SlackerNerds.com. Thanks for reading!