I think we can all agree that DC has a hand over Marvel when it comes to animated movies; but Marvel has plans to step up their game in the animated arena. If DC doesn't take the initiative to start churning out quality feature films, who knows how long they will last? We know Green Lantern is in pre-production, Superman might not see his sequel/reboot for years to come and Chris Nolan probably receives thirteen calls a day asking the status of a Batman 3. It's time for DC to expand it's horizons; and maybe, if they wish to succeed, start listening to their fan base.
IGN's very own Jesse Shedeen gives us a fan's perspective on what DC Entertainment needs to put on their production palate:
Gotham Central
TV viewers love police and detective dramas. That much has been true for decades. DC has its own police procedural in the form of Gotham Central. Set in the eponymous town where Batman dwells, this series focuses on the ordinary men and woman of the GCPD as they attempt to deal with super-villains and all the worst Gotham has to offer. It offers a grittier, more realistic counterpoint to the already gritty adventure of Batman.
Given the love for all things detective, we can't imagine why WB hasn't jumped at the chance to get Gotham Central off the ground already. This would be significantly cheaper than a real Batman movie, yet the character would have enough presence to serve as a major draw for moviegoers. There's absolutely no reason why a Gotham Central movie couldn't draw in both Law & Order lovers and comic fans alike.
Justice Society
Much fuss has been made about the possibility of a Justice League film over the past few years. Before WB decided to concentrate on individual superhero franchises as opposed to an ensemble movie, a JLA film was sounding like a real possibility. While we assume it'll still happen eventually, a good way to fill the interim may instead be to focus on the Justice Society.
The JSA is essentially the precursor to the JLA. The team is made up of many of DC's Golden Age heroes, such as Wildcat and the original Green Lantern and Flash. Joining them in the present are newer generations of heroes like Mister Terrific, Hourman, and Liberty Belle. The JSA series has a strong element of legacy and generational ties. By starting with some of DC's lesser-known but still great heroes, the seeds could be laid for JLA and the torch could be passed from one generation to the next.
Wonder Woman
This one is a no-brainer. Wonder Woman makes up one third of the DC Trinity alongside Batman and Superman. She's been around since the early '40s and remains the most iconic female hero in comics. And for a long time, we thought we were getting a new Wonder Woman movie. But after numerous false starts and the loss of would-be director Joss Whedon, WB seem to have abandoned plans for a Wonder Woman flick.
That won't do. Both Bats and Supes are well-established in Hollywood by now, and it appears that Green Lantern and Flash will be following within a few years. It's a crime against the fanboy community that Wonder Woman is being left in the dust. Yes, there are aspects of the mythology that don't easily translate to film, and yes, Wonder Woman's Amazon physique makes casting an actress a sticky proposition. But these challenges shouldn't stand in the way of a big-budget Wonder Woman movie. It's time the casual superhero fan had more than the old '70s TV series to judge the character by.
Sandman
For decades now, many creators have been shattering the false notion that comics books aren't quality literature on the level of the finer novels and poetry of the world. Short of Watchmen, no single series has done more to elevate comics than Neil Gaiman's Sandman. This long series followed Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, in a fantastical tale that was both epic and Shakespearean in is execution.
Sandman is a difficult nugget to tackle, given its complex themes, wide focus, and beautiful, intricate imagery. So far, the closest WB has come to attempting an adaptation is a film version of Death: The High Cost of Living. But even that project seems locked in development hell now. The road may be difficult and the commitment large, but the thought of a film series featuring Morpheus, Death, and the entire Endless family is the stuff dreams are made of.
Superman vs. Brainiac
The Superman films need to give their hero something to punch. Falling planes and giant islands don't cut it. After all these years, the Superman vs. Zod brawl in Superman II is still the highlight of the franchise in terms of combat. And out of all the villains that have yet to transition to the screen, we'd most like to see the cold, diabolical Brainiac make the jump.
Brainiac is a real double threat, as his intelligence is unrivaled in the universe and his physical strength puts him on par with Superman. Last year's "Brainiac" arc in Action Comics stands as one of the finest Superman/Brainiac meetings ever. The story's strong emotional pull and its cinematic action make it perfect for either a big screen adaptation or placement as the next DC animated DVD. Superman Doomsday kicked off the new lineup of DVDs, and Superman vs. Brainiac could take things to the next level.
Preacher
Here's another potential adaptation we've heard many rumblings about over the years. Almost since it wrapped up in 2000, it seems like various Hollywood players have tried and failed to bring Garth Ennis' Preacher to film or television. It's not a simple prospect, to be sure. Preacher stars Jesse Custer, a preacher who gains the power of the angel/demon hybrid Genesis and embarks on a quest to make God answer for his crimes against humanity. The series is not politically correct in any sense, with plenty of graphic sex, violence, and downright weirdness.
Most recently, we heard that Ghost Rider and Daredevil director Mark Steven Johnston hoped to bring Preacher to HBO, adapting each issue of the comic into an hour-long episode. That sounded like a bad idea for a number of reasons. This may be one case where a series of movies would be better than an extended TV show. Preacher demands the sort of cinematic scope only a big-budget film can provide. The only question is whether the explicit subject matter can make the jump intact.
Identity Crisis
Identity Crisis remains an indelible part of the DC Universe even five years after it hit the stands. This mini-series cast our favorite heroes in a less than shining light. Full of secret conspiracies and murder, Identity Crisis proved even great heroes can have a dark side. This mini-series was responsible for bringing many lapsed comic book readers back into the fold thanks to its mature handling and engrossing mystery.
So why not bring that story to film? In this case, an animated DVD is probably a better choice. Identity Crisis features too many characters that have yet to make their live-action debut. DVD fans are already familiar with the bulk of DC's major heroes, though, thanks to projects like New Frontier. Rags Morales' moody, detailed artwork provides a ready-made storyboard for an Identity Crisis feature. And with WB adapting so many classic storylines for their DVDs already, Identity Crisis certainly deserves fair consideration.
Y: The Last Man
Our final pick is one more DC series that seems to have flittered in and out of Hollywood a great deal in recent years. Y: The Last Man is the story of Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand. These two happen to be the sole survivors of a plague that wiped out every male on Earth. Yorick embarks on a long journey to reunite with his girlfriend Beth, but it goes without saying that he runs into a few complications along the way.
For a long while, it seemed that the entire Disturbia crew – including director D.J. Caruso and star Shia LaBeouf – intended to adapt Y as a series of films. However, LaBeouf's interest in the project seems to have waned, and now Y has joined many other DC properties in development hell. Our first inclination is to imagine Y as a longer TV series rather than movies, but as with Preacher, the scope of the story really demands the film medium. Hopefully, WB will be able to find a new crew and a new Hollywood hotshot to bring Yorrick's story to celluloid. Believe us when we say few comics deserve this treatment more.
Many thanks to Jesse at IGN for taking the time to create another fantastic article!