DC Film Slate Announced By WB

[Jumpman]

Terrio is writing the JL movies too ??

Yep.

 

[kguillou]

To be fair, DC / WB are in a much stronger position than Sony with the new Spiderman films. WB are more professional in theoir approach, have previous in how to correctly handle comic book films, and have thought this through. Sony went with a knee jewrk reaction to the demise of Raimi's relationship with them and jumped straight into a new 'vision', believing they had a plan, they clearly didn't, and Arad meddles way too much in the productions. WB clearly have faith in Snyder and what he is launching and looking at directors that will add value to their films.

WB have clearly had a plan all these years and have been patient in it's execuation.

To be fair with WB, despite people for the longest time saying "WB is dragging their feet, they have no plan etc etc etc." people have to remember that for a long time WB had a LOT of false starts and had very good reason to be apprehensive about DC properties not named Batman. If Green Lantern had been a success we probably would have already had a Flash and WW movie with sequels on the way. WB and DC were VERY excited about Green Lantern and you could tell by the marketing that they were confident that that would be their launching pad and it just didn't work out.

Couple that with Superman Returns' mediocre reception, Catwoman and Jonah Hex being huge flops, the Wonder Woman and Aquaman pilots not taking off....the fact is WB has been trying for a long time to get the DC properties off the ground but it just wasn't working. Now, because of MAN OF STEEL and ARROW, we FINALLY have a solid launching pad for live action properties in movies and tv and you can tell WB is wasting NO time and striking the iron while its hot with all these new tv shows coming out and quickly gearing towards the JUSTICE LEAGUE movie. Quite simply, WB has been wanting to do this for a long time but now they have solid grounds to do so.

 

[mclay18]

Sony went with a knee jerk reaction to the demise of Raimi's relationship with them and jumped straight into a new 'vision', believing they had a plan, they clearly didn't, and Arad meddles way too much in the productions.

It boggles the mind that Arad's still involved with the Spider-Man property, after the trouble he's caused Raimi AND Webb. Sony should've just reduced his creative involvement to "silent partner" like WB did with Jon Peters for SR and MOS (he got paid but no say in story, direction or style). It saddens me how that franchise went from the peak of popularity (SM-2) to how the Superman franchise floundered after SR (TASM2).

It's no question that WB has a plan. Maybe not as detailed and extensive like Marvel Studios', but they have a good idea where to go. Which is more than I can say for the constantly-evolving status of the Spider-Man franchise at Columbia.

 

[DeadPresident]

Yep.

Really? That's probably about the best news fans could hope for, one of the biggest recurring criticisms for the recent DC movies (TDKT/MOS) has been sketchy writing. If Terrio can clean up dialogue and weak story elements it'll go a long way.

Unfortunately his body of work is a bit small, so there isn't much to draw inference from, but if Argo is an example he'll get the script neat and tidy.

 

[Airwings]

Is Billy Batson a more known character than Carter Hall? I wouldn't say he is. Could be a tie perhaps.
What made WB to plan a Shazam adaption over Hawkman? Because he's more similar to Superman? As we know, the big blue boy scout has proven to be a BO draw. A mythological hero with ties to ancient Egypt would be more of a risk (not to mention the dorky bird armour) and studios tend to play it safe most of the time.

 

[The Guard]

Technically yes, thanks to that old TV series.

 

[Micromind]

WB/DC has had enough experience with many failed DC movies, cancelled DC movies, delayed DC movies and badly written DC projects (more than any other studio), to learn at least something about what needs to be avoided while making a cbm, let's hope they get it right.

 

[Marvin]

WB/DC has had enough experience with many failed DC movies, cancelled DC movies, delayed DC movies and badly written DC projects (more than any other studio), to learn at least something about what needs to be avoided while making a cbm, let's hope they get it right.

My problem with this is that unlike Feige and those boys, or even Arad, or even Lauren Donner, DC has had not only revolving creatives but also revolving executives and heads for all this time. I suppose there is still something for the current people in power to learn from but at the same time I just notice folks tend to not make that distinction...whether it be in a positive or negative. Horn is gone, Kevin is in.

What's more, for the most part a film being good basically comes down to the creatives at the helm. The difference between "Singer being back on Xmen" and him not being back on Xmen.
Justin lin and Chris Morgan on Fast/Furious...and even producers such as the late great Don Simpson or James Cameron on Terminator and him off of it. For people to bypass these sorts of things and jump into 'studio' talk is always odd. I get it in the case of the MCU and I see how studio can muddle things up ala Sony at times. But I suppose my point here is that this slate of DC movies being hits or being duds will boil down to the current crop of producers/writers/directors attached. That and to a lesser degree the current CEO's mind set. Not so much this idea of 40 years of WB studio.

That's what I think anyways.

 

[Marvin]

Looking at the slate again, I think WB is reserving the right to insert Batman or Superman movies where necessary. After Marvel laid it's cards out I think WB finds itself in that position of advantage to really optimize just where to drop their hammers so to speak.

Also, I think if WB reserves the right to pull a crisis type event and not only pull in Grant Gustin if that seems like a good idea but more importantly, they can recast and retool anything that's not really working by way of a crisis like swap out yet still have it appear in organic continuity. For example if Ben is done after the league movies, then a crisis like event allows for a 'new batman' ala 52.
Seems possible anyways.

 

[jmc]

A crisis style event I think would be a complete disaster on film.

 

[Donut]

They could always bring in different versions of heroes from different universes which would explain recasting etc

 

[Masone]

Looking at the slate again, I think WB is reserving the right to insert Batman or Superman movies where necessary. After Marvel laid it's cards out I think WB finds itself in that position of advantage to really optimize just where to drop their hammers so to speak.

Also, I think if WB reserves the right to pull a crisis type event and not only pull in Grant Gustin if that seems like a good idea but more importantly, they can recast and retool anything that's not really working by way of a crisis like swap out yet still have it appear in organic continuity. For example if Ben is done after the league movies, then a crisis like event allows for a 'new batman' ala 52.
Seems possible anyways.

That would be really interesting.

 

[jmc]

I think 'crisis' like events are too convoluted in comics to begin with, I can't see it being anything other than a disaster on film, given we even get to that stage to begin with.

 

[Marvin]

A crisis style event I think would be a complete disaster on film.

you sound like the going cliche for the WB exec with that statment, not the go getter ambitious nothing is impossible lads running the mcu right now.
As far as reputations are concerned anyways

What's more, I said crisis like event, not GrantMorrison's final crisis.
It's like the mcu talking about a civil war like adaptation in a singular film without actually dealing with the xmen or the fact that thus far not a single hero has a secret identity to begin with, no shield..I digress.

Point being, the(DC) famous universe crossing gives them avenue to entertain these ideas and recastings come contract negotiation time and multiple flashes in a very organic way. Not saying they will or should do it but it's very much an option given it's DC.

 

[jmc]

The thing is Marvel isn't asking it's audience to buy into a multiverse idea, the other issue is if we are talking a DC multiverse you've still got to explain how the same person can look differently on 2 Earths. Superman should theoretically still look like Henry Cavill on Earth 2 as he does on Earth 1, so you haven't really solved the issue of being able to smoothly change the actor. I understand the solution it theoretically brings to the table, but it's still asking a lot of the audience to buy into the concept.

 

[Marvin]

A person needs to look the same in a different dimension? The idea of a black superman existing on earth 46 doesn't strike me as non conducive to the point of multi earth dynamics. Neither does a female superman. I'm not so sure I agree with your caveat.
Just looking at the animated crisis movie alone...

As for what marvel is asking them to buy, my point was that things can be made far more streamlined than in the source material, as for what is it they are being asked to buy in this scenario, I don't think you are giving the audience enough credit.

 

[jmc]

It's not about not giving them credit, it's about setting it up in the first place. An infinite crisis type scenario only works if you've got alternate versions of other characters already at play in the same medium. You can't just thrown the idea of multiple Superman's across a multiverse on people in one film, nor can you build up to it on film to any great degree because WB aren't going to make 'Earth 2' based stories. In order for it to work you need multiple universes running concurrently, and I'm sorry but the TV shows aren't good enough to warrant that on film.

 

[Marvin]

It's not about not giving them credit, it's about setting it up in the first place. An infinite crisis type scenario only works if you've got alternate versions of other characters already at play in the same medium. You can't just thrown the idea of multiple Superman's across a multiverse on people in one film, nor can you build up to it on film to any great degree because WB aren't going to make 'Earth 2' based stories. In order for it to work you need multiple universes running concurrently, and I'm sorry but the TV shows aren't good enough to warrant that on film.

Sure you Can

Again, your predictions as to what can and can't work in a single(or multiple actually) film(s) no less, strike me as limited in imagination respectively. I mean even the justice lord stuff argues for how simple this concept is, I digress though. As for your feelings about the TV shows(if that's indeed what you are referring to). I personally have my reservations about the Flash as well but I'm not going to pretend everyone feels the same way. The character and actor of Barry in particular and what his death signifies in the lore.

 

[cleverusername8]

A crisis style event I think would be a complete disaster on film.

Even if it's split into two parts like Infinity War?

I think that most of them would need to be pared down by removing certain subplots, but the overall story could be doable over multiple films.

 

[Predator jp]

there are so many great stories to be told other than crisis style event.

 

[Marvin]

there are so many great stories to be told other than crisis style event.

The point was about option, and what it allows the studio to do organically. The publisher has used the 'option' various times to organically change or even fix their paradigms.

At a certain point, marvel is either going to have to pay everyone what they pay RDJ(and post IM2, that's a crap ton) per picture, or they are going to have to move on without their core characters, or simply recast. And I don't see it all going over as smoothly as it did Banner tbh, not with the likes of Thor/Cap/Stark. DC can side step this issue, by still working in the 'oh so precious' continuity that every is harping on by using this 'option'. Instead of a cold reboot to all that nolan did 'not counting', they could have presented all of this in continuity with said option. But I digress, I was just pointing out what the age old dc tradition could allow. I personally think there are better stories to tell as well. Then again, if marvel has proven anything, you slap a popular comic book title on something and fans cheer.

 

[jmc]

Marvel's phase 3 line up shows they are willing to move beyond their core group of actors with new properties, and they'll continue to move in that direction because ultimately actors are all going to eventually move on. A reboot my come down the line, or a recasting, but that's not a bridge they are even close to crossing at this point. The original Crisis event came about because of genuine need to simplify and fix the DC universe in the books at the time, the last thing WB needs to do is complicate the film with a multiverse just to create a similar event. It's an option, but it's a foolish option. It's easy for an audience to grasp several movies franchises coming together for Infinity Wars than trying to set up the idea of multiple Superman's just showing up in one movie.

 

[The_Manhunter]

To be fair with WB, despite people for the longest time saying "WB is dragging their feet, they have no plan etc etc etc." people have to remember that for a long time WB had a LOT of false starts and had very good reason to be apprehensive about DC properties not named Batman. If Green Lantern had been a success we probably would have already had a Flash and WW movie with sequels on the way. WB and DC were VERY excited about Green Lantern and you could tell by the marketing that they were confident that that would be their launching pad and it just didn't work out.

Couple that with Superman Returns' mediocre reception, Catwoman and Jonah Hex being huge flops, the Wonder Woman and Aquaman pilots not taking off....the fact is WB has been trying for a long time to get the DC properties off the ground but it just wasn't working. Now, because of MAN OF STEEL and ARROW, we FINALLY have a solid launching pad for live action properties in movies and tv and you can tell WB is wasting NO time and striking the iron while its hot with all these new tv shows coming out and quickly gearing towards the JUSTICE LEAGUE movie. Quite simply, WB has been wanting to do this for a long time but now they have solid grounds to do so.

Very good post.

 

[Iceman]

Recasts don't have to be a huge deal if they (Marvel or DC) don't treat them as such.

 

[Primal Slayer]

To be fair with WB, despite people for the longest time saying "WB is dragging their feet, they have no plan etc etc etc." people have to remember that for a long time WB had a LOT of false starts and had very good reason to be apprehensive about DC properties not named Batman. If Green Lantern had been a success we probably would have already had a Flash and WW movie with sequels on the way. WB and DC were VERY excited about Green Lantern and you could tell by the marketing that they were confident that that would be their launching pad and it just didn't work out.

Couple that with Superman Returns' mediocre reception, Catwoman and Jonah Hex being huge flops, the Wonder Woman and Aquaman pilots not taking off....the fact is WB has been trying for a long time to get the DC properties off the ground but it just wasn't working. Now, because of MAN OF STEEL and ARROW, we FINALLY have a solid launching pad for live action properties in movies and tv and you can tell WB is wasting NO time and striking the iron while its hot with all these new tv shows coming out and quickly gearing towards the JUSTICE LEAGUE movie. Quite simply, WB has been wanting to do this for a long time but now they have solid grounds to do so.

Of course they failed because they were crappy movies. WB tried to do these movies/shows but practically changed things that didnt need to be changed. Why use the only character whose been Catwoman when you can create a new character and have her go up against a perfume woman? Lets make WW into a hardass, lets do a "sequel" to a 20 year old movie with a completely new cast that people couldn't care less about. These movies and shows failed because WB did not care and thought that just putting these things out would be a hit, now they know they actually have to try and be good.