There had been a lot of talk in recent months about the possibility of a Justice League movie. Like anyone else, I’d be more than interested in seeing all the big DC Superheroes teaming up for some throw down action. But with Superman and Batman already rolling with successful franchises on their own, would it really be wise to dump them into a JLA movie just for the sake of trying to get people interested in Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the rest of the bunch? Well… maybe to them it is.
My fiend Robert over at IESB gives us this rumbling:
When do the powers-that-be want to start production on Justice League? Apparently, as soon as the first quarter of 2008, that’s right, WB sources have informed the IESB that execs behind the Justice League of America want it to be in production as early as February/March 2008 to be ready for a summer of 2009 release. What’s the rush? The pending strikes are definitely one of the reasons that Warner Bros. wants to move quickly on the ensemble pic. They also want to start building a fan base behind the new heroes that will help them go on to have their own stand-alone films.
This is the nightmare I was afraid of. I’ve been saying for a couple of months now that IF Warner Bros. went ahead with a Justice League movie, they would totally whore it to do nothing but prop the 2nd tier (popularity wise) heroes so they can try to spin them off into their own franchises. Everyone will go to this thing wanting to see Batman and Superman…. and what they’ll get are Supes and Bats taking MINOR roles so that the other less popular heroes can nab bigger screen time so they can go off and do their own films too.
Yeah… remember how well that worked out for Blade 3 and the Nightstalkers? Well I hoped you liked it kiddies… cause that’s exactly what this is going to be.
Here is hoping someone over at Warner has an ounce of common sense… don’t bastardize Justice League just to pimp the non-revenue generators… give the fans what they want (Bats and Supes) and let either Singer or Nolan helm the puppy. That won’t happen… but I can dream.
what do u mean itll be awfull!? its the justice league!!! and youre all going to see it anyways so itll have lots of money anyhow! and who gives a shit if bale isnt in it..fuck him hes not the only guy that can wear a mask and jump off buildings! im looiing forward to it
That’s everybody’s opinion, I’m one of the few that liked F42 and I’m looking forward to the third one.
“Everyone will go to this thing wanting to see Batman and Superman…. and what they’ll get are Supes and Bats taking MINOR roles”
So what?
“so that the other less popular heroes can nab bigger screen time so they can go off and do their own films too.
Yeah… remember how well that worked out for Blade 3 and the Nightstalkers? Well I hoped you liked it kiddies… cause that’s exactly what this is going to be.”
“Cry me a river”, Batman – Justice League TAS – Twilight.
It seems to me like Supergirl being on Smallville this season, that everybody is starting to overreact.
I think I’d be okay with Sups and Bman as only supporting players, I’ve been wanting a GL movie for a long time (got kinda scared a while back when Jack Black was going to don the ring)
This is one of those projects that could go either way. But, with the speed that they’re moving forward with, I’m leaning toward this being a “Fantastic” type disappointment.
@Darkkinger
“I’m afriad Teen Titans is getting the ‘MARVEL Direct-to-DVD cartoon’ treatment… at least that is what Wizard magazine said.”
That contradicts what Mark Verheiden (the writer of the project) said at Comic Con. For evidence, I suggest you suscribe through iTunes the Creative Screenwriting podcast…and that goes for Gio Campea too….
WHy dont they just cut the crap and make a Batman vs. Superman film and a separate JLA movie with a little crossover from Bats and Supes.
The problem here is the strike. This is what will cause this movie to get fast tracked and it will also be its demise.
To do this right, they should let the Batman Trilogy play out (Begins. TDK and one more) and also let Man of Steel be made. THEN do a JLA featuring Batman and Supes as the main heroes.
If not that, then make a Batman vs. Superman movie and follow it with a JLA movie with Supes and Batman in smaller roles. Perhaps at the end of Batman vs Superman they decide to create a JLA and then in that film they stay a little more behind the scenes running things and each taking care of their respected territories whilst the other characters take on other parts of the world.
I don’t know about you guys, but because Batman and Superman already have franchises, I WANT to see more of GL, Wonder Woman, Flash, and whoever else might star.
I think we will get something like this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League_of_America_%28Live_action%29
i would love to see greengrass tackle something like this but I would be surprised if he was interested…….
@DarkKinger
Thanks for the info mate. I honestly didn’t know about the fallout from the internet community regarding to Abrams.
Hmm….what about Paul Greengrass then? I’m sure post-United 93 and Bourne Ultimatum, no one will doubt his directorial skills, right?
i just don’t see bale doing this film….routh would..hell i am sure routh would come and shovel snow off your driveway for fifty bucks but I just do not see bale being in this thing.
i see a fucking awful film on the horizon though…
oh and john – did you actually ban me for a short whle over the weekend or was that a mistake? i couldn’t post anything it kept telling me i wasn;t allowed and then all of a sudden I was
are we all cool now?
I strongly disagree. I am a much bigger Batman fan than I am a Justice League fan, but Batman HAS TO be a supporting role in this movie. The character as established in the Nolan movies (and even in the animated Justice League) is a loner. He should work with the team reluctantly, do his own thing, shows up when he wants to, happen to be smarter than everyone else. He should not be the star but the secret weapon. He should blow your mind be leave you wanting more.
I can’t imagine the Christian Bale Batman working in this world, but he especially won’t if he has to be the center of everything. No, Batman already has his series that is about him, so they should take advantage of this and use him as the mysterious force he can only be in a movie like this. He is in the shadows somewhere, way ahead of everyone else, and he will come out and scare the shit out of everybody when he wants to.
And man, I hope the rumor of George Miller as director turns out to be true. I couldn’t really picture the movie working until I heard the idea of him directing. Imagine what the master of chase scenes would do with The Flash!
Many times i agree with you Johnny boy, but what makes you feel that some people DONT want the other hereos in this? I think this film SHOULD be about the “supporting cast”.
I do agree with you on this… Batman & Superman are KNOWN and do indeed have their own franchises. So, LET THEM have a smaller role in the JLA film. I would love to see Flash, GL, and Wonder Woman take “center stage”. Hell, if handled right, i would love to see classics like The Atom, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, and Black Lightning make an appearance.
I know, i know… these characters stand a HUGE chance of seeming really cornball. But, i think if they simply pick 3 – 5 charcters, and THEN tie in Bats & Supes, you could have a great film.
I think a solid 1st movie could be made up of Flash, The Atom, Black Lightning, Black Canary, & Wonder Woman. Then bring in Superman & Batman. I love GL & MM, but maybe them for a sequel involving space or something. 1st movie, keep it Earthbound, and relatively simple. No martians or space cops.
—
Flash – Carries the name of Wally West, but could be a police/forensic scientist/investigator ala Barry Allen.
The Atom – Carries the name Ray Palmer, and possibly some of his background, but he could be of Asian decent and younger age ala the current Atom, Ryan Choi.
Black Lightning – Jefferson Pierce. They could maybe drop the “Black” and just call him Lightning. I like the current comic continuity of having him work in the government as a “presidential advisor” or something like that. He could be a bit older, and serve as the stern father figure of the group.
Wonder Woman – Diana Prince. She could hail from the “island nation” of Themyscira, a matriarchal society. She could be a princess from the ruling family. Bit of the old “fish out of water” routine when she hits American society.
Black Canary – Dinah Lance. Havent thought much on her back story. Keep the wig thing. Keep her sonic scream. Maybe mix up many of her past “origins”. Make her a drop out of the Gotham police academy, who now tends bar in the seedy side of town. The Gotham link could help bring in Batman.
Batman & Superman: Bring them in halfway through the film… they tend to have opposite methods, but similar goals. The each try to “guide” this new group in their own way. In the end, team up, bang… there’s your movie.
This group would also give the studio the nice mix of sexes (boy & girl heroes), races, and national/political origins. That stuff doesnt matter too much to me, but you know studios think about that.
Note to Time Warner: please feel free to hire me as a write for this film!
Thoughts anyone?
@Darren,
I’m afriad Teen Titans is getting the ‘MARVEL Direct-to-DVD cartoon’ treatment… at least that is what Wizard magazine said.
@NAZZ,
J.J. Abrams did a Superman script…
and the whole internet was ready to burn down WB! Guy’s got directing skills, so hopefully all is not lost (no pun intended).
Anyways, does anyone have Megatron’s number? I would like to know if he’ll destroy our world now.
Ahhhh silly me…forgot that Abrams is helmed to direct “Star Trek”
This movie has disaster written all over it if WB is so keen on sticking to that production schedule. So is it possible to rush out a movie project as big as Justice League in one year’s time before the pending strike, when they dont’ even have a director yet or know if Batman or Superman is to recasted at this pt of time.
Hey John, who would you like to see as Superman and Batman if Routh and Bale aren’t doing it. Although, I read before that Routh would love to be in the film.
As director, I personally would like J.J. Abrams to do this. Okay, I know he doesn’t have a whole lot experience directing movies, but I think he could do it well.
Bats and Supes, “World’s Finest” as they may be, should NOT be the center of a Justice leauge movie… Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern even… sigh… Aquadude, should be in the movie, okay maybe not Aquaman, but GREEN LANTERN and Wonder Woman should be as big as Supes and Bats in a JLA movie, Those four, three lesser heroes, and kill one, the movie SHOULD write itself.
****An Open Letter/Comment*** to Warners:
Focus on the Teen Titans instead. It is a safer, less dangerous way to go.
Nothing wrong with taking a gamble, nothing wrong with thinking outside of a box.
But cowboy up…you’re putting this on the fast track because you want to compete with Marvel’s proposed Avengers film.
What would happen if JLA were made and fail? Would the concensus be “We didn’t have Batman or Superman” that’s why it flopped or…worse. Green Lantern and Wonder Woman didn’t work in the movie so that means they should not get thier solo films. IF you do JLA and it is a hit, will the success be attributed to Batman/Superman, or how badass The Hawkman* turned out?
Now, I know you won’t pay attention to me, but please, if nothing else, don’t rush it. I know the minority of “fans” are bubbling with glee. It seems the majority doesn’t want Superman, much less the “new” Batman involved in the JLA film. They have thier own franchises. BTW, who will be in Legion Of Doom? Lex Luthor? Scarecrow? Cheetah? The very stupid looking Manta Ray (I think that’s the name)?
Please. Think this through.
*and, why not have a Hawkworld movie anyway? Or a Green Lantern Corps where all Lanterns could coverge together in one or more films?
It’s better to hold off and produce QUALITY than to rush rush rush and produce shit.