VIDEO: Path to Justice League

VIDEO: Path to Justice League

(Or) How DC and WB can stop shooting themselves in the foot and build a franchise!

Editorial Opinion
By Jordacar - Jan 30, 2014 10:01 PM EST
Filed Under: Justice League
Source: Youtube.com/KnightofDuroch



So, DC and Warner Bros. is going all in with this crazy Man of Steel 2: Superfriends operation, teaming up Batman and Superman with a host of other heroes also dropping in for their big-screen debuts on their way to full Justice League glory.

Are they biting off more than they can chew? Wouldn't be the first time.
Is there a better way to work up to Justice League? Isn't there always?
Is there little to nothing a ranting fanboy can do to stop them? I don't doubt it.
And yet, once more unto the breach I go!

Part 1: SUPERMAN vs BATMAN


A lot of things can go wrong if WB tries to do too much too soon, like maybe stuffing too many characters and subplots into a film that already has a lot going on with the title characters and isn't technically Justice League yet. Maybe they can pull it off, but it's a pretty small bullseye (especially with so much time between installments for added pressure), and missing the mark means everything falls back into development hell while Marvel keeps powering on with 2+ films a year.

I honestly believe WB has a Dark Knight problem. Not for lack of trying, but even now that they've closed the book on the Nolan trilogy, they still want to smear that TDK magic on all their movies (because it's by far the thing they've had the most success with), but that grounded, hyper-realistic approach that made that film so revolutionary isn't as applicable to the larger DC catalog (and in large part worked because Batman was on his own). Man of Steel gave us the first glimpse, but they've still yet to truly capture the DC brand on film.

As for Batman and Superman specifically, there's a killer dynamic between the two iconic heroes that will be great to see on screen, but again, cameos from other capes and masks is more likely to distract from that relationship than enhance it.

Part 2: WONDER WOMAN (The Movie)


Warner Bros has so much faith in the most popular and recognized female superhero on the planet that they're gonna shoehorn her into a smaller supporting role in an already crowded film from the director of Sucker Punch rather than give her a solo outing right now, following a year where films like Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Frozen, and Gravity topped the box office.

Here's a question I wish I could pose to the suits at the studio: "Suppose you went ahead and broke up the film, you made movies for Superman/Batman and for Wonder Woman, and you got great box office returns from both of them, but Wonder Woman made more $$$. You'd be totally 100% okay with that, right?"

Part 3: WONDER WOMAN (The Talent)


As with anything else, the surest way for the studio to guarantee success with Wonder Woman is to select the right creative minds that are passionate about the material and get the hell out of their way and let them resolve the hard questions that make WW such a tricky property to adapt to the screen. The video offers shoutouts to some of the people I'd like to see attached, from writers to producers to directors.

Part 4: BRAVE AND THE BOLD (FLASH/GL)


Marvel remains agonizingly coy about when one of their many ladies will get a chance at the silver-screen spotlight. They also have no reason to make any full-sized features teaming only a couple of A-listers like DC's attempting with Batman & Superman. So that's 2 ways DC can pull one over on Marvel right now. While they're at it, they could pre-empt Justice League with an additional team-up between Flash and Green Lantern, which would act as a great big-screen debut for the former and an effective low-pressure soft reboot for the latter. They can even introduce John Stewart's origin in the same movie, so that they can later send him off to JL while Hal dukes it out with Sinestro in the proper GL reboot.

And if they're especially bold, they can use this film to link the lucrative "Arrow" and upcoming "Flash" TV shows with the movies, since "Arrow" kicks all the ass and they've also got that going for them over Marvel at the moment.

Well, I've said my piece. Are YOU looking forward to the Batman/Superman movie? Would you like to see Wonder Woman and other heroes get a shot at big-screen greatness sooner rather than later? Am I just a petulant blowhard with too much time on his hands? Discuss in the comments below, we've got plenty to talk about and a lot can happen before summer 2016!

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OptionFour
OptionFour - 1/31/2014, 1:21 AM
Good article. Its thought provoking, which I like. You've done a good job with it.

That said, here are my two (four?) cents.

WB doesn't have any balls. I hate to say that since I'm much more of a DC fan than a Marvel one. But you are never, ever, ever, ever going to see them make the gusty, ballsy move that they need to. They are - as a corporation - the people who follow after the trail-blazer.
That's why, even in a year where female protagonists are bringing in the bling-bling, and so is sci-fi, you're not going to see WB take advantage. My top three favourite heroes, in order? Captain Marvel (I'm not gonna call him Shazam), Superman, and Wonder Woman. The sad fact is? The executives behind the decisions at DC simply don't have the cojones to make the moves they need to make.

For all the (very valid) criticism of Man of Steel, it was bold, and new, and it made people think - even if those thoughts were only about what they don't want a Man of Steel movie to be. I'm not going to hail Zack Snyder a visionary (lol) but he did know exactly what movie he wanted to make, and he made it.

I love the Justice League, and - to me- their line-up far outweighs that of the Avengers (totally personal preference, and I know that). But WB doesn't feel that way. They only love what makes money for them. So while there are a thousand ways to make a fantastic Justice League film, we're only ever going to see a version that is engineered to make them the most money. While that is not necessarily a bad thing, I feel comfortable saying that WB's concept of something that is profitable is 100% binary, and not at all nuanced.

That said, I don't disagree with anything you said (aside from the notion of connecting the TV and movie universes through Arrow). I think you're fairly on the money here, and I very firmly believe that Wonder Woman can hold her own solo movie, and that 'team-up' films (like Batman/Superman, and Green Lantern/Flash) can add a lot to the genre.
Likewise, I think the best thing that could possibly happen for a Wonder Woman movie is for it to be unaware of itself. The absolute last thing we need is a Wonder Woman movie that is aimed solely at women. She is a character, pure and simple - she has a background like any other character, a history, expectations, and things that we can lean on to prop the character up when she fails.
Just like Superman.
Just like Batman.
Just like anyone.

Its not [frick]ing magic. It doesn't take a spell to make a female character appealing. Any honestly decent writer (I can say this as a professional writer myself) can write female characters just as easily as male. If they fail to do so then that is because they're falling into their own personal traps, opinions, and sexist characterizations.

We are right on the cusp of a golden age for both of thee major comic companies. We just need DC to realize it, and to step it up.
Klone
Klone - 1/31/2014, 4:14 AM
I'm more curious for Gadot now and how she will do. The only 'Murican actress I know of that I believe is even worthy of consideration is Mrs. Law.
Klone
Klone - 1/31/2014, 6:08 AM
In my opinion, with female and male characters, the thought process should be "how do I make a brilliant character that so happens to be [input gender] and then after that is done, then analysis whether the character lost their masculinity/femininity in the process and alter what you already have. With good female characters, people seem to obsessed with making them the most combat competent [frick]s in the world that can beat anyone up, is heartless and has little emotion or depth... cause apparently shedding a tear over something tragic is weak lol. And that annoys me with most WW versions (in animated form). They focus way to [frick]ing much on the warrior/fighting aspect to the point where fans actually think WW is about war, violence and battle primarily and revels in the idea of slaughtering enemies.

Sad because WW is a brilliant character that despite being a warrior and one of the most effective DC combatants, is primarily about peace and equality first. She's out to leave her mark on history by trying to change the world for the better or attempting to. And that could lead to some sadness in a WW film that her mission is ultimately impossible. Absolute peace or equality is entirely impossible and she will never succeed at her mission. Though, with characters like her or Superman it really reflects on their characters when they are aware of it but they have an unbreakable faith and hope in humanity. It really annoys me when writers have WW look down on humans like they are pets/slaves and has no hope in them whatsoever.

With Hal Jordan in GL... I honestly think if they do another GL film, throw in Hal, John and Kyle but opening the film in a very, very particular way...
feedonatreefrog
feedonatreefrog - 1/31/2014, 7:42 AM
Yes, I am looking forward to the Batman/Superman movie.

I would also love a Wonder Woman solo film, but I'm willing to wait until after the Justice League movie to get it. I don't want to have another GL2011 situation.
MrDonut
MrDonut - 1/31/2014, 1:13 PM
Pretty solid article; can definitely see where you're coming from, but I'm trying to stay a little more optimistic about the project, thought now with recent casting (Eisenberg) admit to be a little disheartened. Anyway, hope you can check out my editorial on the matter;
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Room20/news/?a=92795
kong
kong - 1/31/2014, 4:55 PM
I don't thin a Brave and the Bold movie is the way to go for Green Lantern's first appearance in a reboot. I think GL should get a soft reboot, incredible hulk style, before he appears in a BATB film. Unless they somehow introduce him before a BATB film I wouldn't want it.

I think the best way to go would be a small Brave and the Bold short at the end of BvS, like the rumor said they might start doing, where they team up for a small mission. Then if audiences like their dynamic in the short and in JL they could have a team up. That would especially work if they use Grant Gustin. If Gustin is casted as the flash then I think someone younger should be GL too.

I agree with most everything else though. Good effort put in to this!
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