The DC Cinematic Universe Re-Imagined: Part 1 (The First 10 Movies)

The DC Cinematic Universe Re-Imagined: Part 1 (The First 10 Movies)

What would the first 10 movies over five years of the DC Cinematic Universe look like if I was in charge? Hit the jump and find out!

Editorial Opinion
By ELAYEM - Oct 23, 2017 11:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman
Welcome to the first part of two parts of my re-imagining of the DC Cinematic Universe.  After the release of Superman in 2013, this universe would release two DC movies each year starting in 2014 and (possibly) continuing on well beyond what I have time to imagine.  This first part details the first ten movies in the universe, while the second part will detail the second ten movies.  Some actors, storylines, and directors are just like the actual DCEU, but most are changed for what I believe (and you may not agree) would be for the better.  Geoff Johns would be a showrunner of sorts for this universe, co-writing a treatment for almost all the films alongside either the director or another writer, before a full screenplay is written by someone else.  Without further ado, here is my re-imagining:

1. Superman (2013)
director: Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile)
screenplay: Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy, Interstellar)
story: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception) and Geoff Johns (Superman: Secret Origin)

 “Clark Kent learns that he is a superpowered alien from the planet Krypton and assumes the role of mankind's protector as Superman, but finds himself having to prevent General Zod from destroying humanity.”

2. Wonder Woman (2014)
director: Patty Jenkins (Monster)
writers: Allan Heinberg (Grey’s Anatomy) and Geoff Johns

“Princess Diana, who grows up on the secret Amazon island of Themyscira, rescues American pilot Steve Trevor after he crashes offshore of the island.  Steve tells the Amazons about the ongoing World War, and Diana decides to leaves her home in order to end the conflict, coming into conflict with the Greek God Ares.”

3. The Flash (2014)
directors: Phil Lord & Chris Miller (21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie)
writers: Phil Lord & Chris Miller, Geoff Johns (The Flash: Rebirth, Flashpoint)

 “Barry Allen, a forensic crime scene assistant for Central City Police Department, is struck by lightning during a storm that is created after a particle accelerator from S.T.A.R. Labs explodes.  Imbued with the ability to run at supersonic speeds, Barry must use his skills to prevent a similar speedster with violent intentions.” 

4. Justice League (2015)
director: David Yates (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)
writer: John Logan (Skyfall, Gladiator) and Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy, Westworld)

 “Subterranean Martians accidentally awakened have invaded Earth and only the combined might of Earth’s superpowered heroes can defeat them. Joined by a Martian defector with noble aspirations, they will unite to form the Justice League.”

5. Batman: Court of Owls (2015)
director: Matt Reeves (Let Me In, War for the Planet of the Apes)
screenwriter: Christopher Hampton (Atonement, A Dangerous Method)
story: Matt Reeves and Geoff Johns (Batman: Earth One, Forever Evil)

 “After a series of brutal murders rocks Gotham City, Batman begins to unravel a deadly conspiracy going back to his youth and beyond to the origins of the city he's sworn to protect. Batman must face the Court of Owls, a secret society once thought to be nothing more than an urban legend, and make it out with his life, and sanity, intact.”

6. Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War (2016)
director: Alex Garland (Ex Machina)
writer: Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Sunshine)

 “After the Martian invasion, Green Lantern John Stewart is called back into space, with cocky new recruit Hal Jordan in tow, to defeat a rising new threat masterminded by a tyrannical former Green Lantern.”

7. Aquaman (2016)
director: Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, The Shape of Water)
writers: Guillermo Del Toro and Geoff Johns (Aquaman: The Trench)

 “Arthur Curry learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people while facing the threat of the deadly Black Manta and the mysterious Mera.”

8. Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2017)
director: JJ Abrams (Star Trek, Super 8)
screenplay: JJ Abrams & Jonathan Nolan (Westworld)
story: JJ Abrams and Geoff Johns (Superman: Brainiac)

“As Clark Kent adjusts to his job as a reporter at the Daily Planet, and as Superman the savior of Metropolis, a new threat emerges in Brainiac, a being with ties to the destruction of Superman’s homeworld of Krypton.  And now he has his sights set on Earth.”
*note: Metallo (created by Luthor) is the brief opening villain ala Batroc in Winter Soldier, Brainiac is the main villain.

9. Justice League: Tower of Babel (2017)
director: Sam Mendes (Skyfall, American Beauty, Road to Perdition)
writer: John Logan (Skyfall, Gladiator) and Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Sunshine)

 “The Justice League is no match for its smartest enemy: Batman.  After Lex Luthor steals Batman’s most guarded secret files, blueprints on the Justice League’s weaknesses, he assembles a team of super-powered criminals to wipe them out once and for all.”

10. Batman: Under the Hood (2018)
director: Matt Reeves (Let Me In, War for the Planet of the Apes)
screenwriter: Christopher Hampton (Atonement, A Dangerous Method)
story: Matt Reeves and Geoff Johns (Batman: Earth One, Forever Evil)

“The mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham’s underworld, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.  When the identity of this killer is finally revealed, Batman must revisit the most tragic event of his crime-fighting career.”

That concludes the first ten movies of my re-imagined DC Cinematic Universe.  Do you agree with any of my choices? Do you hate all of them?  Let me know what you think and if you would do it differently below.
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DetectiveCinema
DetectiveCinema - 10/24/2017, 12:23 AM
This is DOPE. I love it! Keeping what works in the DC Film Universe and removing what doesn't.

Casting wise, I was pleasantly surprised with Gal Gadot's performance in Wonder Woman so I was a little shocked that she isn't back. Eva Green I can't see as Wonder Woman at all. She would kill it as Talia al Ghul however (someone I was expecting to see you cast in JL: Tower of Babel, however I like the direction you take it with Luthor replacing Ra's and assembling a team ala Legion of Doom).

Speaking of Luthor. Fassbender would be [frick]ing superb as the Metropolis mogul. He's great as Magneto, sure. But as Luthor, man that would be something else entirely.

I like how you've got Eisenberg as Olsen here which was Snyder's original plan. But when Eisenberg turned it down instead of leaving it be he decided to give him the role of Luthor?! What a cluster[frick] that was.

A Gosling/McConaughey speedster speed-off would be epic. A really interesting team you've got involved for The Flash there, I can only wonder what direction Phil Lord and Chris Miller would take it in.

David Yates as the director Justice League makes sense as he's shown how well he handled the ensemble cast in the later movies in the Harry Potter universe.

Can't see Brosnan as Pennyworth though, he's just not right for the part in my opinion. In fact your whole Court of Owls pitch there doesn't really do much for me, though the plot outline you've got sounds solid.

Garland I want to see behind a Swamp Thing movie. I'd prefer Abrams to tackle GL.

Iain Glen as Corben / Metallo is a pick I never would've thought of but is a definite highlight, a seasoned army vet would offer a fresh spin on the character which I assume is what you're going for?

Mackenzie Foy as Miss Martian sticks out in an odd way. I think I would much rather J'onn J'onzz return (played by Giancarlo Esposito).

When Ezra was first announced joining the DC Film Universe I so hoped it would be as Jason Todd. I'm sure he'll do The Flash justice but a character like Jason Todd seems much more up his alley. He'd knock it out of the park.

I like how you've given Leto a second chance here too, dude is hell talented and was just under bad direction for Suicide Squad.


ps. feel free to check out the first in my Batman 80th Anniversary DC Films Universe pitch; Batman: Knightfall. Would love to hear your thoughts.
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 10/24/2017, 4:15 AM
@MrMurdock - Thanks so much!
Yeah I know I’m in the minority but I thought Gal was the weakest part of a great movie in Wonder Woman. Eva Green get’s cast as villains a lot but she is superb as protagonists as well.
To me, Michael Fassbender is Luthor. He is the only option. He would be perfect. I despised Eisenberg as Luthor.
For Brosnan, I chose him as Alfred because of the british accent, age, dry wit, and slender features. And I just think he is a great under-utilized actor. What else about my Court of Owls cast did you not like?
I love Alex Garland and think he could fit for so many properties. GL, JL, X-Men, etc.
Yes, Iain Glen as the season vet type.
For Miss Martian, I wanted another female on the league, and I thought adding a younger more vulnerable role, while still being Incredibly powerful, added an interesting dynamic. In my head I have J’onn dying at the end of the first JL, while the league discovers M’gann.
To be honest I have hated what I have seen of Ezra as the Flash so far, but he seems like a talented actor in non-comedic roles and I still think he would kill it as the tortured Jason Todd.
Yeah I think Leto is a great actor that can truly shine with great direction and scripting.

Thanks again for the great feedback, I really appreciate it!
Will check out your pitch later today!
DetectiveCinema
DetectiveCinema - 10/24/2017, 4:18 PM
@Elayem - The closest thing I've seen of Eva Green being a protagonist is in Casino Royale. You're right though, she could definitely pull it off but I'd just be much more inclined to see her as Talia looking at her work in Penny Dreadful and 300.

I can see why you chose Brosnan then, but I guess he just doesn't 'look' like Alfred to me. Closer to Commissioner Gordon if anything, that would be interesting to see.

Your Court of Owls cast just doesn't mesh for me. Particularly Brolin (who've I've always seen as perfect for Harvey Dent, mind you he'd make a decent Bats too if you're going for an older take). O'Brien is a good actor, but I just can't picture him as Grayson.

While I don't like the idea of J'onn dying, I do agree with him moving on from the JL after the first movie, potentially back to Mars so introducing Miss Martian makes more sense now.

Just look at Ezra's performance in We Need to Talk about Kevin. If that's not Jason Todd material I don't know what is.
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 10/24/2017, 5:47 PM
@MrMurdock - Interesting, I immediately thought Brosnan for Alfred when casting, since I think of Alfred as a slender-featured british man over 60, which Brosnan satisfies. Added benefit being Brosnan has played dry witted before like Alfred is, and that he played James Bond like Alfred used to be British Spec-Ops in his youth.

For Brolin, I specifically looked at people fan-casted or rumored for Batman since "Thomas Wayne Jr." has to be believable to possibly be related to Bruce.

Yeah I havent seen We Need to Talk about Kevin, but I've seen the trailer and clips, and that's probably why I immediately thought of him for Jason.
ILoveStargirl
ILoveStargirl - 10/24/2017, 5:12 AM
I love all of 'em.

Reg. E Cathey as Martian Manhunter is an excellent choice. He as Franklin Storm was the only redeeming of Fantastic Four (2015).
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 10/24/2017, 6:27 AM
@ILoveStargirl - Much appreciated!
Yes, Reg E. Cathey was great, and his voice is so unique and powerful.
ILoveStargirl
ILoveStargirl - 10/24/2017, 12:27 PM
@Elayem - YAY! No Cyborg in Justice League. Long live J'onn J'onnz!!!
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 10/24/2017, 1:27 PM
@ILoveStargirl - Yup! Cyborg will always be a Titan and not a league member to me.
SimplyAz
SimplyAz - 10/24/2017, 6:48 AM
I really enjoyed this fancast and you clearly put a lot of work into it.
Each one is well thought out and match the character they play.

Love the Fassbender as Luthor and just makes so much sense.
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 10/24/2017, 8:34 AM
@SimplyAz - Thanks a lot!
Forthas
Forthas - 10/24/2017, 1:00 PM









bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 10/25/2017, 2:31 AM
Still think aquaman and joker are a bad casting choice. Aside from that, this looks very nice
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 10/25/2017, 9:37 AM
@MalseMarcel - Thanks!
To each their own, I personally thought Suicide Squad's Joker was the worst live-action Joker since Cesar Romero, but I blame Ayer's direction, writing, and costume design, not Leto's acting ability. I think with Matt Reeves directing and Christopher Hampton writing him, Leto could be great.
I think Momoa is a solid choice since the public still considers Aquaman a joke from Superfriends. He can bring the bad-assery from the comics that the public doesnt know about. In my hypothetical universe he would still be blond and with an orange-green costume like the comics.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 10/25/2017, 10:03 AM
@Elayem - Alright you convinced me
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