A Justic League Movie: Speculation Only

[AtlanteanTroll]

So, I think all of the big DC fans know 3 things about the up and coming projects of DC movies. The final movie in the Batman reboot staring Christian Bale is coming. A reboot of Superman (that is in no way tied to Superman Returns) is coming. And, a new Green Lantern trilogy (as long as the 1st film does well, which is projected) is coming. On the on the other hand, we know an Avengers movie is coming from Marvel. Something that looks to be incredibly promising. This is probably going to be a blockbuster, and will most likely be great competition for DC. With all of these new DC comics films coming out, could the possibly pull off a Justice League movie? They've tried it before, and it was a spectacular failure? Well what about now?

[Dr.Epic]

On the on the other hand, we know an Avengers movie is coming from Marvel. Something that looks to be incredibly promising. This is probably going to be a blockbuster, and will most likely be great competition for DC. With all of these new DC comics films coming out, could the possibly pull off a Justice League movie? They've tried it before, and it was a spectacular failure? Well what about now?

Meh. I have my doubts about the Avengers. We've known about it for years and it's still over a year away. Look at all the hype and expectations. I know Joss Whedon's directing it and I like a lot of his stuff but I still have my doubts.

As to DC films, greatly looking forward to the final Batman film. Loved the first two. Superman and Green Lantern, they could be good. I just don't know what to expect. As for a Justice League film, I don't think it could work within the recent Batman film continuity. Though maybe the film wouldn't be part of that.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Meh. I have my doubts about the Avengers. We've known about it for years and it's still over a year away. Look at all the hype and expectations. I know Joss Whedon's directing it and I like a lot of his stuff but I still have my doubts.

As to DC films, greatly looking forward to the final Batman film. Loved the first two. Superman and Green Lantern, they could be good. I just don't know what to expect. As for a Justice League film, I don't think it could work within the recent Batman film continuity. Though maybe the film wouldn't be part of that.

Oh yeah, they've been avoiding superpowers in the Nolan reboot haven't they. That certainly produces potential problems. Alliteration.

[lord_khaine]

I dont think it makes any serious problems, Gotham is just a single town, there is plenty of space for Metropolis to be in the other end of the country.

[Xondoure]

They've been avoiding super powers in the sense that Batman used his "absolutely normal guy tech smarts" to put the entire city under surveillance using cell phones. Not feeling super powers being a tremendous leap here.

[bloodtide]

I've heard Marvel will do all the individual Avenger's movies(Captain America, Ant Man, Thor, etc) and lead up to a Avengers movie.

The Justice League is a bit trickier. Batman is cool as the Dark Avenger, alone(mostly) fighting crime on the streets. But Batman does not work so well vs crazy mad science stuff or aliens. And with the League full of super humans..it's like Superman catches the moon, and Flash runs through time....and Batman makes the coffee?

This is the reason why Spider-man, and more to the point Daredevil or the Punisher never joined the Avengers(Yea, until the recent stuff...)

But if DC thinks they can make some money...they will throw together a 'League of extraordinary Justice'.

[ThePhantasm]

DC recently announced that they will not be doing a Justice League movie.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/10/08/dc-not-planning-justice-league-movie/

Personally, I'm glad. I love the Justice League animated series and stuff but I don't want some big Marvel-esque Avengers-esque DC crossover. I'd rather the characters stand on their own. Additionally, Marvel characters tend to be more team oriented in nature (suiting them well for an Avengers movie) whereas DC characters tend to stand on their own (esp. the big 3; Green Lanterns are an exception).

[Anteros]

I've heard Marvel will do all the individual Avenger's movies(Captain America, Ant Man, Thor, etc) and lead up to a Avengers movie.

The Justice League is a bit trickier. Batman is cool as the Dark Avenger, alone(mostly) fighting crime on the streets. But Batman does not work so well vs crazy mad science stuff or aliens. And with the League full of super humans..it's like Superman catches the moon, and Flash runs through time....and Batman makes the coffee?

This is the reason why Spider-man, and more to the point Daredevil or the Punisher never joined the Avengers(Yea, until the recent stuff...)

But if DC thinks they can make some money...they will throw together a 'League of extraordinary Justice'.

Bats has always been an active part of the Justice League though. He's certainly never had a problem contributing before.

[Fri]

But gritty nolan bat? Dunno, won't it be kinda weird if suddenly we learn that there are man that can shoot laserbeam from his eyes and fly and move in lightspeed or something at the end of the dark knight? Imagine that dark knight movie. now put superman there. Yeah, it'll be awkward.

[AtlanteanTroll]

DC recently announced that they will not be doing a Justice League movie.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/10/08/dc-not-planning-justice-league-movie/

Personally, I'm glad. I love the Justice League animated series and stuff but I don't want some big Marvel-esque Avengers-esque DC crossover. I'd rather the characters stand on their own. Additionally, Marvel characters tend to be more team oriented in nature (suiting them well for an Avengers movie) whereas DC characters tend to stand on their own (esp. the big 3; Green Lanterns are an exception).

Hmmm. Oh, and since when has Tony Stark been a teamwork guy?

[PopcornMage]

Hmmm. Oh, and since when has Tony Stark been a teamwork guy?

Somebody has to mix his drinks.

But here's the real difference, on a power level, the Avengers (at least the movie ones they're supposed to have) are going to be more on parity than the current Batman will be with Superman.

It's not insurmountable, but it would be some effort to do right. And I just don't know that they could rise to the challenge.

[ThePhantasm]

Hmmm. Oh, and since when has Tony Stark been a teamwork guy?

Since War Machine suited up? I've never read the Iron Man comics but I read an interview not to long ago that said War Machine was in IM2 to show how Iron Man would work with other heroes in the Avengers movie. So I dunno.

I was making a more general statement; more of the Marvel characters, perhaps with the exception of Hulk and a few others, are often team players.

I think there were some good observations made in some of the comments of the article I linked to. For example:

"The problem with DC characters is that they are too big and varied for their own good. Some of them can change the course of world history forever, while others are restricted to one city or neighborhood.

Marvel characters don't have this problem because they were mostly created by the same guy, with a cohesive universe in mind. They complement each other.

In short, leave the converging franchises to Marvel. DC's characters are just too big and different to fit into one universe. "

I think that's a good observation, and I'm ok with that. It seems like the only reason to have a JL movie anyway would just be the novelty of it: "Ooh look, theres such and such superhero teamed up with so-and-so!" I'd rather get good character solo stories than a bunch of leading characters crammed together into a 2-hour movie. JL works much better in a serialized format like comics or the animated series.

[Zevox]

Eh, if they were doing a Flash and Wonder Woman movie as well, I might believe it. (Well, that and hadn't outright denied that they're doing a JL movie, per ThePhantasm's post.) Those two are kind of too iconic not to have in a Justice League feature, so if they were doing things like Marvel is, introducing characters in their own movies to build up for the super-team movie, those two would have to be among those getting their own films, and they don't seem to be.

Zevox

[AtlanteanTroll]

Eh, if they were doing a Flash and Wonder Woman movie as well, I might believe it. (Well, that and hadn't outright denied that they're doing a JL movie, per ThePhantasm's post.) Those two are kind of too iconic not to have in a Justice League feature, so if they were doing things like Marvel is, introducing characters in their own movies to build up for the super-team movie, those two would have to be among those getting their own films, and they don't seem to be.

Zevox

Whose to say that they wont?

[Tirian]

Imagine that dark knight movie. now put superman there. Yeah, it'll be awkward.

You misspelled "awesome" there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FywMOuMqNuI

[ThePhantasm]

Eh, if they were doing a Flash and Wonder Woman movie as well, I might believe it.

Apparently the Flash IS getting a movie, it just keeps getting delayed. And Wonder Woman is getting a TV show, a la Smallville, instead of a motion picture (I know, disappointing).

[AtlanteanTroll]

Apparently the Flash IS getting a movie, it just keeps getting delayed. And Wonder Woman is getting a TV show, a la Smallville, instead of a motion picture (I know, disappointing).

That isn't dissapointing, or it doesn't have to be. I liked Smallville.

[thubby]

i don't think a justice league movie would work just because the current DC setup doesn't let the different heroes work together well.

the avengers, as they currently are, work as part of the same universe.

[AtlanteanTroll]

i don't think a justice league movie would work just because the current DC setup doesn't let the different heroes work together well.

the avengers, as they currently are, work as part of the same universe.

Uhmm, what? Did you ever watch this? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League_(TV_series))

[thubby]

Uhmm, what? Did you ever watch this? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League_(TV_series))

i was referring to the live action movies.
DCAU batman is wildly different from dark knight batman. dark knight batman really wouldn't fit in with any universe you need to make superman interesting.

(justice league is awesome btw)

[lord_khaine]

I dont agree, you just have to let him focus on his strenghts, and let him sabotage the opponents from within though stealth and planning, while the rest of the JLA hold their attention.

[Mando Knight]

i was referring to the live action movies.
DCAU batman is wildly different from dark knight batman. dark knight batman really wouldn't fit in with any universe you need to make superman interesting.


TDK Batman can't even do a proper Batman voice.

[PopcornMage]

The problem with that is it requires a bit too much in the way of plot contrivance, because you have to explain why Superman doesn't just solve the problem.

It was actually a problem in the Justice League series and to be honest, the Superfriends one as well. The latter just didn't CARE though.

[TheThan]

Superman? check
Green lantern? check
Batman? check
Martian manhunter? Nope
The Flash? Nope
Wonder woman ? noep
Captain Marvel (shazzam)? Nope

I think we need a few more DC superhero movies before we do a Justice League movie. We need at least the flash and wonder woman on the big screen before an ensemble movie is done.

[Jaros]

Can't remember where, but when I heard the plans for a Justice League movie a year or two ago they were saying it would be a different continuity, with different actors than the various main titles (eg no Christian Bale)

[ThePhantasm]

Can't remember where, but when I heard the plans for a Justice League movie a year or two ago they were saying it would be a different continuity, with different actors than the various main titles (eg no Christian Bale)

That movie was canceled. There had been actors hired, but the movie never made it past preproduction. There are no plans for a Justice League movie.

[AtlanteanTroll]

That movie was canceled. There had been actors hired, but the movie never made it past preproduction. There are no plans for a Justice League movie.

For now anyway :smalltongue:

[Dr.Epic]

Still, if real life superpowers did exist I think Batman would at least try to investigate and duplicate them for his own crime fighting efforts. Not to mention, we have three superheroes (Batman, Superman, Green Lantern) how are currently having movies being made about them. What about the rest of the Justice League? Wonder Woman? the Flash? Martian Manhunter? They don't get a film? And that's not even counting all the other members I can't remember.

[Morph Bark]

But here's the real difference, on a power level, the Avengers (at least the movie ones they're supposed to have) are going to be more on parity than the current Batman will be with Superman.

Probably, unless the Superman reboot will also be grittier. Gritty Supes? I'd watch that. So far he's had little challenge in movies, as it has just been "Lex Luthor with kryptonite" or "clone/relative/etc. of Superman with similar (levels of) powers".

[Jaros]

You don't need to make Superman 'gritty' to make him interesting

[The Glyphstone]

You don't need to make Superman 'gritty' to make him interesting

No, but a Superman movie that gave more than a cursory/handwavey look at the downsides to being the Man of Steel - that is, the sort of thing he talks about in the World of Cardboard speech, completely separate from the secret identity/identity crisis issues - could be very interesting.

[Jaros]

Oh yeah, delving deeper into the Superman mythos is definitely needed, and they definitely need more than just "Lex Luthor is using kryptonite" but I cringe at the ideas that come into my head when peple talk about making Superman (the character) gritty.

[PopcornMage]

So far he's had little challenge in movies, as it has just been "Lex Luthor with kryptonite" or "clone/relative/etc. of Superman with similar (levels of) powers".

That has been my problem with the Superman movies. Ok, once or twice it's fine, and there are great moments inside the movies, but generally speaking, they just don't have any variety.

In contrast the animated and live action shows have been better. (Some of them, not all.). Can you imagine The Late Mr. Kent (http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/The_Late_Mr._Kent) as a movie?

[Who]

Here's your movie. (http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Legacy) Hell I just want to see Darkseid on the big screen.

[TheEmerged]

Wait wait wait, back up a moment there.

New Wonder Woman TV show? Did I miss a memo? Because I don't dare Google that from work...

-----------

As to a potential plot for a JLA movie? "Rage of Angels", from the comics. You'd need to make adjustments (for example, Kyle/GL would need to be in character instead of Grant's laughable misinterpretation of him at that stage of the run), but it has some surprise strengths (Batman is already out of the plot...).

[The Glyphstone]

Oh yeah, delving deeper into the Superman mythos is definitely needed, and they definitely need more than just "Lex Luthor is using kryptonite" but I cringe at the ideas that come into my head when peple talk about making Superman (the character) gritty.

Well, most people tend to think making Superman "gritty" decide that it means something like that weird alternate reality comic where a 100-year old Superman with a long beard broke out a quadruple-barreled chaingun to kill evil twin Hitler clones. Guns and violence wouldn't be a gritty Superman, but giving him a too-human mind could work well - show how much he has to restrain himself not to punch through the cardboard, even when he really wants to. Make him struggle to be the beacon of goodness - not just Law and Justice like Batman, but actual Goodness - in a world where that sort of pure altruism feels out of place, and you've got a very gritty Supes story without smashing the character to pieces.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Wait wait wait, back up a moment there.

New Wonder Woman TV show? Did I miss a memo? Because I don't dare Google that from work...

-----------

As to a potential plot for a JLA movie? "Rage of Angels", from the comics. You'd need to make adjustments (for example, Kyle/GL would need to be in character instead of Grant's laughable misinterpretation of him at that stage of the run), but it has some surprise strengths (Batman is already out of the plot...).

Batman? No? Nolan Batman no, but Batman yes. It wouldn't be the JL if it weren't Supes and Bats.

[Jaros]

Well, most people tend to think making Superman "gritty" decide that it means something like that weird alternate reality comic where a 100-year old Superman with a long beard broke out a quadruple-barreled chaingun to kill evil twin Hitler clones. Guns and violence wouldn't be a gritty Superman, but giving him a too-human mind could work well - show how much he has to restrain himself not to punch through the cardboard, even when he really wants to. Make him struggle to be the beacon of goodness - not just Law and Justice like Batman, but actual Goodness - in a world where that sort of pure altruism feels out of place, and you've got a very gritty Supes story without smashing the character to pieces.

Yeah, "Earth's End" was the first thought I had too.

[Morph Bark]

No, but a Superman movie that gave more than a cursory/handwavey look at the downsides to being the Man of Steel - that is, the sort of thing he talks about in the World of Cardboard speech, completely separate from the secret identity/identity crisis issues - could be very interesting.

This, exactly.


Oh yeah, delving deeper into the Superman mythos is definitely needed, and they definitely need more than just "Lex Luthor is using kryptonite" but I cringe at the ideas that come into my head when peple talk about making Superman (the character) gritty.

Oh, true, a pessimistic Superman/Clark Kent would alienate fans too much and people familiar with the character would find it strange as well no doubt. But remember that "gritty" isn't just about personality of a character, it also has a lot to do with the setting and the power level of the character. Most of the time Superman has been god-like in a city with little to no crime that couldn't otherwise be dealt with by ordinary law enforcement (discounting handwavey stuff). This is one of the reasons I found the Smallville series a very good concept, as Clark/Supes hadn't fully matured yet power-wise.

If Superman were to have super strength, flight speeds and "invulnerability" on the levels we sometimes percieve in the animal kingdom, heat-ray eyes, x-ray vision and ice breath added, but at reasonable levels of power, then put into a setting that is in-between Metropolis and Gotham in set-up (not too dark and pessimistic, but neither too "perfect" and cheerful), it would put a wholly different spin on him.

If the new movie would be about the time Clark just comes into Metropolis, his powers having matured but not to god-like levels as in some previous ages of comic book writing or under certain writers, with crime still being relatively common and Supes' appearance helping it slow down and stop, it would be much more interesting.


...although the aged chaingun Superman idea is just hilarious and I'd love to see that in a comic book or animated series sometime. :smallbiggrin:

[PopcornMage]

I bet SUPREME did it.

How would folks feel about a Sentry movie though?? Well, actually Hancock comes close to that without a slightly more sane character.

[The Glyphstone]

...although the aged chaingun Superman idea is just hilarious and I'd love to see that in a comic book or animated series sometime. :smallbiggrin:

It already exists. It's called "Superman At Earth's End." (http://www.redshirt.co.uk/media/superman-vs-the-evil-hitler-twins/)

[Who]

...although the aged chaingun Superman idea is just hilarious and I'd love to see that in a comic book or animated series sometime. :smallbiggrin:

http://i554.photobucket.com/albums/jj431/BrigaderWho/Superhobo.jpg


It is a comic book, a terrible terrible comic book.

EDIT: Damn, beaten to it.

[kpenguin]

Interesting (http://splashpage.mtv.com/2010/10/21/superman-movie-reboot-armie-hammer-zack-snyder-3d/)

If they're looking to cast a 35-40 year old Supes, I don't think we're looking at an origin film here.

[Zevox]

It already exists. It's called "Superman At Earth's End." (http://www.redshirt.co.uk/media/superman-vs-the-evil-hitler-twins/)
And the video review version (http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/linkara/at4w/3252-superman-at-earths-end). At least one good thing came out of that comic :smallbiggrin: .

Zevox