Horror film directors Directing DC films

[frankgutz]

Since we had James Wan, an awesome guy who's started his career directing horror films: Saw, Dead Silence, Insidious 1 & 2, The Conjuring 1 & 2 give in us something like Aquaman

And now we have David F Sandberg who also started directing horror films Lights Out, Anabelle: Creation giving us Shazam!

Do you like this trend? Which horror director would be your pick and for what Superhero
I would like to see a film directed by Jennifer Kent The Babadook, Brad Peyton did a great job wit Incarnate but not so sure after Rampage and Darren Aronofsky i loved what he did in Black Swan. Any of them for a Nightwing or Flash film could be awesome

 

[Boy Scout]

Seems a bit early to 1) call this a trend and 2) make any sort of assumption as to whether or not it’ll prove to be a successful one based off of one movie and a bunch of trailers.

I also think it’s a tad strange to boil the success of AM down to James Wan’s horror roots and not his overall skill as a guy who makes movies for a living.

 

[frankgutz]

Seems a bit early to 1) call this a trend and 2) make any sort of assumption as to whether or not it’ll prove to be a successful one based off of one movie and a bunch of trailers.

I also think it’s a tad strange to boil the success of AM down to James Wan’s horror roots and not his overall skill as a guy who makes movies for a living.

Some of Nolan's first films were also thrillers it seems these guys knows much better how to handle this stuff, also Matt Reeves has Let me In and Cloverfield so..

 

[Jonwo]

Wan isn't even the first horror director to direct a tentpole, that honour goes to Scott Derrickson and Aquaman was his second tentpole, his first was Fast 7.

I think starting off on smaller films lets you hone your craft. David F Sandberg did Lights Out then was given Annabelle Creation and the success of those lead to Shazam.

 

[frankgutz]

Wan isn't even the first horror director to direct a tentpole, that honour goes to Scott Derrickson and Aquaman was his second tentpole, his first was Fast 7.

I think starting off on smaller films lets you hone your craft. David F Sandberg did Lights Out then was given Annabelle Creation and the success of those lead to Shazam.

but still Wan has done a lot of horror films, im just asking from directors who are know for directing horror films who would you like to direct a DC film, idk how this affect if they didnt started doing horror films

 

[Patchwork Man]

Guillermo Del Toro, of course. Too bad he's no longer attached to Justice League Dark.

Annihilation director Alex Garland said he'd direct a Swamp Thing film. WB didn't call him since, I can only assume, the new series was already in development.

 

[David H.]

Wan isn't even the first horror director to direct a tentpole, that honour goes to Scott Derrickson

Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi say “what?”

 

[Jake Cassidy]

Richard Donner did The Omen before Superman.

 

[frankgutz]

Richard Donner did The Omen before Superman.

Awesome, didnt know that, i love both, Omen was scary af when i was a kid

 

[frankgutz]

Guillermo Del Toro, of course. Too bad he's no longer attached to Justice League Dark.

Annihilation director Alex Garland said he'd direct a Swamp Thing film. WB didn't call him since, I can only assume, the new series was already in development.

I've always wanted Del Toro for something tbh, i loved his Hellboy films

That seems interesting, a Swamp Thing film with the vibes of Annihilation, could be great tbh

 

[unholyrevenger]

Marvel going for the Comedians, DC going for the Scary Story Tellers

 

[Asr]

Annihilation director Alex Garland said he'd direct a Swamp Thing film. WB didn't call him since, I can only assume, the new series was already in development.

Ok I officially want a CBM directed by Alex Garland now. Wouldn't have thought of him before, but he'd be fantastic with the right character! WB/DC might be more up his alley than Marvel, since he's such an auteur writer/director. Not sure which character he'd be best for though. Maybe a Green Lantern Corps movie, or Martian Manhunter? There are definitely some villains I feel he would nail, like Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, and Mr Freeze, just for starters....

Another director that should join DC should be Wan's buddy Leigh Whannell. Based on Upgrade, he'd probably make a decent Blue Beetle movie. I could definitely see him doing more of DC's villains, particularly characters like Killer Frost and Gorilla Grodd.

And if Marvel is just going to keep putting out the kid-friendly superhero movies, I feel WB/DC should absolutely go the other way and put out movies that cater to adults more, like serious dramatic Nolan-esque movies and full-on scary movies using some of their best villains. They can't copy Marvel's formula for success at this point anyway, so I don't know why they're even trying. Instead they should be doing everything that Marvel can't do because of being constrained by Disney, and going "dark" on every movie possible.

Zack Snyder was definitely the wrong guy to spearhead the DCEU, but if they hadn't burned that bridge, he would've been a great director to have on hand for certain characters, now it's too bad that he'll never be involved with them again.

 

[Heretic]

Horror is an easy genre to do...one of the reasons why so many new filmmakers tackle it (in addition to it having a built in niche fanbase on an indie level). But Horror is a very hard genre to do WELL. So, it makes sense that when someone is rocking it in Horror films that a studio should want them for other projects.

First of all, Mike Flanagan can direct whatever he wants. Sign him, DC!

Katana solo film by Takashi Miike?

One I might be interested in seeing (though it's a risk, both quality wise and at the box office) is Hawkworld, done by Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night). I would love to see Thanagar with a FULL embrace of the ancient Egyptian influence and feature an entirely Middle Eastern cast (or at least those of Middle Eastern descent), costume designers, set design/architecture, music score influence etc.

 

[frankgutz]

Ok I officially want a CBM directed by Alex Garland now. Wouldn't have thought of him before, but he'd be fantastic with the right character! WB/DC might be more up his alley than Marvel, since he's such an auteur writer/director. Not sure which character he'd be best for though. Maybe a Green Lantern Corps movie, or Martian Manhunter? There are definitely some villains I feel he would nail, like Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, and Mr Freeze, just for starters....

Another director that should join DC should be Wan's buddy Leigh Whannell. Based on Upgrade, he'd probably make a decent Blue Beetle movie. I could definitely see him doing more of DC's villains, particularly characters like Killer Frost and Gorilla Grodd.

oh ****, yes please! Upgrade is fantastic

 

[mclay18]

Judging by how Warners likes to keep talent in-house, I think the next DC directors will likely be Corin Hardy (The Nun), Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona), Andres Muschetti (IT), Gary Dauberman (Annabelle 3), et al.

We might get a director coming off the buzz of a big Sundance title too, but whether he/she makes it to filming is another thing altogether.

 

[frankgutz]

Judging by how Warners likes to keep talent in-house, I think the next DC directors will likely be Corin Hardy (The Nun), Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona), Andres Muschetti (IT), Gary Dauberman (Annabelle 3), et al.

We might get a director coming off the buzz of a big Sundance title too, but whether he/she makes it to filming is another thing altogether.

oh ****, im here for all of them, i loved The Nun and IT

 

[mclay18]

I would keep an eye out on JA Bayona too. He just directed a $1 billion dollar franchise hit for Universal (like Wan did) and he says he’s a big Superman fan.

He’s also directed “The Orphanage”, which was released by New Line/Picturehouse in 2007.

 

[frankgutz]

I would keep an eye out on JA Bayona too. He just directed a $1 billion dollar franchise hit for Universal (like Wan did) and he says he’s a big Superman fan.

He’s also directed “The Orphanage”, which was released by New Line/Picturehouse in 2007.

Is it good? havent seen that one

 

[Weevils]

I don't think it's a coincidence at all. Walter Hamada, president of DC Films was an EP for New Line Cinema on The Conjuring, Conjuring 2, Annabelle, Lights Out, and It. Having worked with James Wan and David Sandberg on successful movies in recent years it's no surprise they've found work at DC.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Given the success of both Aquaman & Shazam, then yes, seems to work, but wouldn't work for all properties obviously, but we definitely would need one for JL Dark (if not GDT), which given the success of the more B-level characters (zero disrespect meant, I love both AM and Shazam) but the wider stories will be firmly on the radar a lot more now. Personally, I'd be making a bee-line for Jennifer Kent if I was WB.

 

[Micromind]

Marvel going for the Comedians, DC going for the Scary Story Tellers

Well, WB had hired comedy film directors too, they got directors of Game Night - John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein for Flash.

 

[metaphysician]

Well, WB had hired comedy film directors too, they got directors of Game Night - John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein for Flash.

And Marvel has hired Scott Derrickson for Dr Strange.

 

[Grommers]

Horror films in general are a good way to break out into the industry because they can rely more on tricks of the camera, and relatively small budgets with no name actors. And if they make really good money they usually get opportunities to do much larger scale projects.

I think having a good range of directors which I feel they've done so far in the DCEU is the best route for it too take. I'm generally excited to see a non-neutered James Gunn film.

 

[frankgutz]

Can yall imagine Jordan Peele making the Vixen or Black Lightining film, im shaking

 

[unholyrevenger]

Peele has the coveted Golden "I can do what ever the **** i want to do" Card. If he wants to make a Superhero Movie it'll be a movie he Wants to make.