10 Ways DC Can Get Their S**t Together!

10 Ways DC Can Get Their S**t  Together!

I tell you 10 ways DC can get their s**t together and produce a cinematic universe as good and even better than Marvel's cinematic universe. Hit the jump for the editorial...

Editorial Opinion
By ClarkKent89 - Mar 23, 2014 08:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Other
This is purely my opinion, and I'd love to hear what you think about the topic in the comments. I read all of them. Enjoy...
 

1. Compelling Characters


If the cinematic universe fails on all accounts, it must do well on at least one vital ingredient; good characters. Batman is my favourite superhero because he's someone who works outside of the law to protect it, he's had tragedy in his life as well as mystery, and I just love the concept of a man being absent for years training to become a badass. Clark in Man Of Steel was relatable in that he wanted to find out his past and basically who he was, but we weren't given much time to latch on to who that person actually was. What I took away from the film was that he likes saving people, he enjoys being Superman and because he's seen a lot of it, he doesn't like death. Although this is good enough for a solo film, his world is about to get bigger and the only way he won't be forgotten is if Henry Cavill is given a personality to work with. For great characterization in a film, watch Rush​.

2. Each Story Has An Impact


A big problem many have with last year's Star Trek Into Darkness was that not a lot changed in the film meaning it had no impact on potential sequels. I agree with this and I always think that a movie should finish both literally and metaphorically somewhere different to where it began. For example, Man Of Steel starts off with a big sci-fi battle on Krypton where many plots and characters are being introduced, and the film ends with Clark picking up his new life as Superman and working in the Daily Planet. In Star Trek Into Darkness, we kick off with the reintroduction of the Enterprise crew on a wild space adventure, and we finish with the crew plus an additional member about to go on a wild space adventure. I'm not asking for something drastic to take place in each DC film, but if you genuinely think you could've skipped one of the films or even reading the synopsis, you know something's gone wrong.

3. A Blend Of Adaptation & Originality


I've never actually read a comic book in my life, but from what I hear about recent films like The Wolverine​, The Dark Knight Rises​, and even upcoming movies such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier is that they're adapting popular comic book story arcs or using them as a big guideline. This is awesome and showing the main source of this great genre the respect it most probably deserves is wonderful, but I don't want to watch a superhero film and think that I needn't bother reading the story is was based off of. With this potential Universe that DC has been trying to set up for donkey years, the films should make me interested and persuade me even more to read the comic book. Not brush it off with ignorance. This is why a blend of adaptation and original story telling would go a long way past ordinary film goers and the box office. 

4. Have A Concept, Then Make A Date


It's insane the world we live in where studios are setting dates and green lighting films that haven't even found a director and don't have a first draft of a script to breathe on. The reboot for next year's Fantastic 4 has rumors floating around everywhere that the studio isn't happy, production is a mess, the cast have left, and so on. With all of this going on and filming supposedly set for next month, why on earth have Fox set a release date for the sequel on 14th July, 2017 apart from to boast their big ego and reassure us that the first film will be good. Although I'm going a bit off topic, what I'm trying to say is that the crew in the DC Universe should make sure they have an actual story to be developed and improved rather than green-lighting something which they're clueless about.

5. A Talented Cast & Crew


Although I'm using this example maybe too much, The Dark Knight Trilogy had the best actors rather than the most famous ones. Even though they are by no means unknown, you had Oscar winner, Christian Bale as the main man, Oscar winning veteran, Michael Caine, Oscar nominee, Liam Neeson, the late Oscar winner Heath Ledger, and that's just to name a percentage of the talented actors who were being directed by Oscar nominee, Christopher Nolan. Man Of Steel also had a great cast in Oscar winners and nominees with the main character being played by a relatively unknown Brit. Many have been appalled by Jesse Eisenberg officially up for Lex Luthor in MOS 2 because it's not what they wanted or expected. Of course, the Universe is big so cast and crew choices shouldn't be restricted to people who've won awards which is why some fresh writers, and actors should be considered to take part in this potentially epic saga. 

6. Reasonable Budgets


Many are aware of Disney's recent box office flops in John Carter and The Lone Ranger which failed to double their production budgets and were therefore regarded a laughable fail in the movie industry. A while ago, I made an article detailing my thoughts on why the Flash should be Warner Bros' next hero in the universe giving a bit of diversity from Batman and Superman and I explained why/ how the budget wouldn't need to be horrendously large because online short films and TV advertisements are using freeze frame, fast and slow effects that would be necessary for a Flash movie. It's understandable that Warner Bros wouldn't want to make a Flash solo film because it might not attract an audience, but you have to wonder if (good) home made movies and ads are using the same special effects that would be required in a summer blockbuster, what money would Warner Bros have to lose. The only reason the budget would be close to $150 million is because of marketing, and nothing else. Bottom line; don't milk it.

7. A Mix Of Tones


If the whole DC Cinematic Universe had a dark tone, then it would be plain and simple repetition. When you have a character who dresses in a red costume and can run faster than the speed of light or a green guy called Martian Manhunter who goes by the name J'onn; you have to accept that maybe not every superhero has to have tragedy on their shoulders. Even though Green Lantern was a missed opportunity of a movie, at least it knew that a guy who has a magic space ring that can create anything he thinks of might not be taken as completely grounded or "serious". I'm not asking for Batman to be dark, and Flash to be fun, but a joyful movie can explore dark themes and vice versa. If the DCCU has any hope of succeeding in the public's minds then diversity is key.

8. Don't Compete. Observe


At the moment, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has 8 films positively received by critics and movie-goers, has grossed over $5 billion worldwide, two films coming this year with one of them having 90% of the reactions in its favor and two films set for next year and one for the year after that which will go head-to-head with Batman/ Superman on the same weekend (as of writing). The DCCU has 1 film with mixed reviews by critics and movie-goers, and has grossed over $600 million. I wouldn't be surprised if the Batman/ Superman crossover was a knee jerk reaction to The Avengers which grossed over $1 billion on its own, but maybe this could be a pro, not a con. The MCU has made an impact on the entire industry with shared fictional universes being considered good again, and Warner Bros want to show people that Marvel aren't the only ones who can put a few superheroes together on the big screen, but now they have time to develop their characters and not rush it for a pure contest. So far, Marvel have made all their moves before WB which gives the DCCU a chance to observe their faults and avoid them for their own movies. Remember "A wise man gets more form his enemies than a fool from his friends."

9. Take Risks


Making Man Of Steel serious and dark after The Dark Knight Trilogy was not taking a risk... Killing Zod in the climax of MOS was not taking a risk... Distancing yourself from the earth-based films audiences have come to expect and setting yourself in space basing the film on a comic book no-one had ever heard of is taking a risk. It might shock you, but when you look at the characters in the DC Universe, you come to realise that they are a lot more unbelievable than those in Marvel.  WB tried to make a film on the Green Lantern and it didn't do well at the box office or with critics so two years later we got Superman who'd already been the titular character in 5 films before 2013's reboot. If WB aren't prepared to take risks with out-of-this-world characters because "tonally" it's too far fetched, then there is no hope for the DCCU at all. Sure, if you want to introduce your characters by starting off with the two most popular ones along with Wonder Woman; that  does make a lot of sense commercially and financially. But for the love of films, sometimes a risk can be pulled off. The whole MCU was stemmed from a risk. A risk in the shape of a hero no-one was familiar with; Iron Man... Look where we are now.

10. Take Your Time...


The most important factor in all of this is timing. Three years would have passed between Man Of Steel and the Batman/ Superman crossover, so that's three years to write, cast, direct and all together plan how the universe and future projects are going to happen. Warner Bros needs to view how and why the Marvel universe has become so successful, and what problems it still has even 6 years after it's inception. I've listed some potential dates down below, so check 'em out.
 

- Possible Dates -

2013 - Man Of Steel
2016 - Man Of Steel - World's Finest
2018 - Justice League
2020 - The Flash, Wonder Woman
2021 - The Batman, Green Arrow
2023 - Man Of Steel - Doomsday Rises, Green Lantern
2024 - Justice League - Doomsday
2026 - The Martian Manhunter

So those are my thoughts, list yours down below.

THE 4:30 MOVIE Interview: Filmmaker Kevin Smith On How His Passion For The Theater Shaped New Film (Exclusive)
Related:

THE 4:30 MOVIE Interview: Filmmaker Kevin Smith On How His Passion For The Theater Shaped New Film (Exclusive)

THE FRANCHISE: Trailer For Max Series Starring Daniel Brühl Reveals Chaos Inside World Of Superhero Filmmaking
Recommended For You:

THE FRANCHISE: Trailer For Max Series Starring Daniel Brühl Reveals Chaos Inside World Of Superhero Filmmaking

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Hellsboy
Hellsboy - 3/23/2014, 9:49 AM
Ben affleck will be nearly 50 by the time your solo batman film comes out and six years for a JL sequel?
Dude that's wayyyyyy too long taking time is important but that's just ridiculous
Hellsboy
Hellsboy - 3/23/2014, 9:50 AM
There should only be two or three years between sequels IMO not 6
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 3/23/2014, 10:09 AM
You forgot to put =

Don't go the stupid NEW 52 route.

Sad thing is WB been sitting on gold for donkey years, could've had good movies out way b4 AVENGERS and IRON MAN, I mean a lot of good movies, not just Superman & Batman movies.

Real shame

Cool read.

Damn WB could've had the Avengers success with JLA before Avengers easy with some vision, pity they never got off their asses.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 3/23/2014, 10:12 AM
Yeah what Hellsboy said too 6 years between sequels is a bit extreme, hell Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings are only one year apart :p

I'm pissed Batman VS Supes is put back another year like SIN CITY 2 was.
QuestionDAnswer
QuestionDAnswer - 3/23/2014, 10:52 AM
Give me this movie


and this movie


and this one


and this one


and we will be cool :)
QuestionDAnswer
QuestionDAnswer - 3/23/2014, 10:58 AM
add this one


and this one


and we will be solid. Thanks WB.
QuestionDAnswer
QuestionDAnswer - 3/23/2014, 11:04 AM
And please give us better films to these characters






again, thanks :)
SauronsBANE
SauronsBANE - 3/23/2014, 11:24 AM
These are some really great points! All movies should be following these guidelines, not just the DCCU. But it absolutely applies to what DC/WB is trying to do with their movies.

The biggest problem so far has been with their characters, IMO. Man of Steel could've and probably should've been really, really great...but they couldn't even understand the main character: his motivations, his character arc, what he stands for, etc. They couldn't even get that right, so why should we have faith that they can deliver in a blockbuster involving Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, potentially Robin/Nightwing, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, etc etc?

They've already screwed up the "take your time" thing as well, as Batman vs Superman is more of a knee jerk reaction to the underwhelming profits and critical reception of Man of Steel. Rather than giving Superman another movie to further flesh out his character, they're just skipping ahead and rushing to combining his story with Batman's, regardless of whether that was the natural progression for the characters or not.

But despite all that, it has the potential to be great if they start getting smart about this. Good stuff, ClarkKent89!
TheManFromMars
TheManFromMars - 3/23/2014, 11:32 AM
Great article. Thumbs up.
Abary
Abary - 3/23/2014, 11:40 AM
WB will not go from making one movie every few years to suddenly making two movies a year almost instantly.
kong
kong - 3/23/2014, 12:15 PM
I like the article! I thought it'd be some article ripping on MOS and BvS and explaining a MCU with DC characters. Nice write up!
supermanlives
supermanlives - 3/23/2014, 12:19 PM
Well, we are getting Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in 2016 it does stink that we can't get movies twice a year but Warner Bros. does a lot more than just CBM's and since DC characters are so big, majestic, and powerful some of their budgets have to be. They took the risk with Green Lantern and it flopped so I think they took a step back and are building their universe with the strongest stones on the bottom (batman,superman,wonder woman) and then they will begin doing more with the untested stones (flash, gl, others). I wonder what they will announce at comic-con....Wonder Woman or Batman solo?
Moohika
Moohika - 3/23/2014, 12:32 PM
10 ways *WB* can get their shit together
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 3/23/2014, 12:39 PM
I think Into Darkness' problem was that it all risks were proven invalid and safe at the very end. You watch 'How It Should Have Ended' and it parodies the ending, but in a way that makes you wonder what giant can of worms they COULD have opened up. It did have an impact, however - Starfleet Academy was more or less destroyed, its secret weapons facility exposed, the Klingons are now at war with Starfleet, and the crew of the Enterprise is now focused on discovery, rather than being a sort of military vessel.

I don't think these kinds of movies actually NEED to make a huge impact on their respective worlds, however, in order to be memorable or good. My ideal Martian Manhunter movie, for example, would have a HUGE impact on Mars, while having only one consequence for Earth. I don't see that movie coming out ANYTIME while WB has DC, which is pretty much forever.

That said, WB has a relationship with Guy Ritchie, who is one of my favorite directors of movies that have so much going on but so little actually happen. I doubt he would be shackled to adapting ANOTHER character with such a huge fanbase, however, but we'll see.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 3/23/2014, 12:54 PM
It'd be f*cking glorious.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 3/23/2014, 1:55 PM
DC doesn't just have superheroes, they have icons that have transcended comics for decades. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman who are universally recognisable and so it's great that te studio is recognising them and putting them in a movie together.

I think Snyder and Goyer have a clear vision, and they want to perfect that vision instead of just doing a rushed job. I think they'll surprise us. At least I hope they will.
BubSnikt
BubSnikt - 3/23/2014, 4:06 PM
It's easy to say to do these things, but its harder to pull them off
minusman
minusman - 3/23/2014, 5:30 PM
Marvels success is partly due to knowing what their audience wants in a CBM- basically, taking the characters that are so popular in the comics and bringing them to life in a believable, fun way- WB seems to want their CBM's to be not only financially successful but critical as well. Its almost like they are trying too hard to make Oscar nominated/winning films instead of just trying to make a good film about a superhero.

@Cherry- While I trust Snyder to bring these characters to life on screen, I am skeptical of Goyer's ability and drive to guide this universe to where it needs to go. I dont get the impression that he loves and knows these heroes like Fiege knows his.
Take MOS- Superman stands out as a character not because of his abilities but despite of them- his ability to rise up and set an example for all of us is what makes him stand out- this inspiration was only briefly touched upon. When you open a franchise with such blatant destruction and action, where do you go from there? Destruction of a country instead of a city? To me, this highlights how Goyer doesnt understand what makes Superman so super.
AquamanIsTheBest
AquamanIsTheBest - 3/23/2014, 6:23 PM
I just want my Aquaman movie
sikwon
sikwon - 3/23/2014, 7:31 PM
I think Del Toro is so damned over rated. I also agree with Blackjack. I think bringing on Afleck and his team absolutely saved BvS and the DCCU as a whole. As an actor he's really hit or miss. When he was younger he couldn't pull off the Jack Ryan sophisticated characters at all. He may have grown a bit but he still feels more believable in a film like the Town then he does in a Tom Clancy story. He's matured a bit so he may be able to pull off Bruce Wayne. I have NO DOUBT he can pull off Batman. Bruce though, that remains to be seen. Ware WB really scored was with his direction and writing team. I think they were given alot more control over the content and story then we are led to believe. I mean he didn't want to do it but they sold him on their vision of the character? Part of that vision was "Ben, help us fix this." Because of that I think that the wait will be well worth it. If they are smart, and I think they are, they took Peter Jacksons template and are lining up 2 movies in fairly rapid succession. Maybe not back to back or immediately following but close. And I think they have the ability to clean the story up a bit. Goyer may have the vision but he's not good enough to make it cohesive. I think Afleck and his people are and that's his real value. He's said many times that Dare Devil was one of his biggest regrets. I think they get Batman right. At least I hope this is the case.
GoILL
GoILL - 3/23/2014, 11:07 PM
Good job on this.
MightyZeus
MightyZeus - 3/25/2014, 10:19 PM
Interesting article. I agree that WB's need to get there act together.
I prefer quality over quantity so i do not mind the delay of Batman vs Superman but what i am worried about is the casting choices but i'm sure that cast will be good in there character's. Have an official title for Batman vs Superman "an of Steel: World's Finest".

What films i would like to see from WB's.
The Flash
Wonder Woman
Green Arrow
Aquaman
View Recorder