All Things DCEU News, Discussion, and Speculation - Part 4

[Nemeres]

One property I think would work wonders for the DCEU roster is Teen Titans. I think it's a big fat bummer it's headed for TV instead. If you base it squarely on the theme of sidekicks, you're offering something that is very, very uniquely DC. A story about these celebrity children with the pressure of a big legacy to live up to -- Robin (Nightwing), Speedy, Kid Flash and Wonder Girl, and adding Beast Boy for good measure. No Starfire, Raven or Cyborg for that first one. Spotlight on the sidekicks. Just a movie about superhero celebrity culture, casting actual teens. If done well, I think it would've been the kind of thing that shows the DC brand as confident and perceptive about what it has to offer.


As for that Supes solo, I really don't see it coming... but as a hypothetical, the talent pool of interesting-even-if-not-A-list voices has been greatly expanded in the last few years and they'd probably be careful about giving it to the "you won't notice my undercooked storytelling" type, which would only perpetuate the perception of the Supes franchise as an uninterrupted stream of weak films. I feel BVS has been relatively easy for the GA to move on from and it's mostly the love it/hate it fanbase that's keeping that discussion alive. While it's probably not a particularly appealing prospect for the studio right now, I think the next Superman solo, whenever it comes, would need to be extra-cerebral and novel and polished in its proposal just for it to make sense financially, and that's a good thing.

 

[2kt09]

One property I think would work wonders for the DCEU roster is Teen Titans. I think it's a big fat bummer it's headed for TV instead. If you base it squarely on the theme of sidekicks, you're offering something that is very, very uniquely DC. A story about these celebrity children with the pressure of a big legacy to live up to -- Robin (Nightwing), Speedy, Kid Flash and Wonder Girl, and adding Beast Boy for good measure. No Starfire, Raven or Cyborg for that first one. Spotlight on the sidekicks. Just a movie about superhero celebrity culture, casting actual teens. If done well, I think it would've been the kind of thing that shows the DC brand as confident and perceptive about what it has to offer.

Problem with that is that kids and parents are more aware of the current animated roster + Young Justice became the defacto team of sidekicks.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Popular shows mean more subscribers to Amazon Video. Who are also subscribers to Amazon Prime. Who buy more on Amazon. You could conceivably have DC as a loss leader... though I doubt that would remain the case for long.



I don’t care about Amazon making blockbuster cinema movies with DC. I want DC to be the main comic book franchise of the streaming media future. Marvel own the multiplex. Why bother competing?

I’d much rather have large budget Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman tv shows. The Netflix series on steroids.

DC can’t really compete at the cinema now. Why not lead the way on new technology? Blaze a new path, instead of retreading an old one?

That’s not a bad idea. All I know is we are long overdue for a live action Batman tv series. I wouldn’t mind seeing the cast of Gotham time jump a few years to a twenty something Bruce Wayne finally becoming The Bat. They would have to recast the kid currently playing Bruce, but they could keep him for flashback “training” sequences....

 

[MbJ]

Speaking of sidekicks, if Aquaman is a hit I could see them introducing Aqualad in the sequel, especially if Black Manta doesn't die.

 

[FunkMiller]

Speaking of sidekicks, if Aquaman is a hit I could see them introducing Aqualad in the sequel, especially if Black Manta doesn't die.

I will be frankly amazed if Aquaman is a hit after Justice League.

 

[MadVillainy]

Nah I still think it has the chance to be a hit. People may have no left JL raving about AquaMamoa but they weren't hating him

 

[FunkMiller]

Nah I still think it has the chance to be a hit. People may have no left JL raving about AquaMamoa but they weren't hating him

Everything has a chance of being a hit. Aquaman’s chances aren’t too great imo.

 

[MadVillainy]

Let me rephrase it wouldn't be surprising if it's a hit. I don't see why anyone would be amazed that it's a hit if the quality of movie is there.

If you wanna say the quality of movie wont be there, then that's another thing.

 

[FunkMiller]

Let me rephrase it wouldn't be surprising if it's a hit. I don't see why anyone would be amazed that it's a hit if the quality of movie is there.

If you wanna say the quality of movie wont be there, then that's another thing.

I saw nothing in Momoa’s performance, the characterisation, or the reception to JL that suggests Aquaman will do anything more than unspectacular numbers, even if it’s a great film. Too much baggage.

 

[Rorschach2012]

I saw nothing in Momoa’s performance, the characterisation, or the reception to JL that suggests Aquaman will do anything more than unspectacular numbers, even if it’s a great film. Too much baggage.

Jason Momoa was simply not good in Justice League. He relies a lot on his looks, his acting was really not up to par in that movie, and he didn’t remind me of any interpretation of the character that I’m familiar with. He looked kinda like Peter David’s take but that’s about it.

Hopefully I’m proven wrong about him in Wan’s movie

 

[FunkMiller]

Jason Momoa was simply not good in Justice League. He relies a lot on his looks, his acting was really not up to par in that movie, and he didn’t remind me of any interpretation of the character that I’m familiar with. He looked kinda like Peter David’s take but that’s about it.

Hopefully I’m proven wrong about him in Wan’s movie

Wan is saddled with the characterisation from Justice League. Even if he makes changes in the actual film to it, people are going to remember ‘Aquabro’ and Momoa’s rather uncharismatic performance from JL and stay away. The same way BvS ruined JL’s opening. Talk about an uphill struggle. I don’t envy Wan at all.

 

[misslane38]

I saw nothing in Momoa’s performance, the characterisation, or the reception to JL that suggests Aquaman will do anything more than unspectacular numbers, even if it’s a great film. Too much baggage.

People were saying similar things about Wonder Woman before it defied the odds.

 

[FunkMiller]

People were saying similar things about Wonder Woman before it defied the odds.

They were also saying Wonder Woman was the highlight of a turgid, poor movie. Nobody was saying the same about Momoa. And, much like Black Panther, WW’s success was justifiably partially down to its cultural relevance. Good luck getting the same with Aquaman...

 

[misslane38]

They were also saying Wonder Woman was the highlight of a turgid, poor movie. Nobody was saying the same about Momoa. And, much like Black Panther, WW’s success was justifiably partially down to its cultural relevance. Good luck getting the same with Aquaman...

Huh? Aquaman features the first Polynesian lead/superhero with several POC actors and a badass female superhero co-lead. It's cultural significance may not be the same and the film may not reach the exact same heights, but it has a lot more potential for success than I think you're giving it credit for.

 

[FunkMiller]

Huh? Aquaman features the first Polynesian lead/superhero with several POC actors and a badass female superhero co-lead. It's cultural significance may not be the same and the film may not reach the exact same heights, but it has a lot more potential for success than I think you're giving it credit for.

Possibly. But as far as I see it, it’s just another big muscular dude superhero film, coming off an abject failure of a movie. What is there about it that’s going to convince a general audience who have been massively put off the DCEU?

And as for Momoa’s enthnicity, there’s another actor out there who comes from Pacific island polynesian descent, who’s doing pretty well for himself, and representing that area’s culture very well. You may have heard of him. Big guy. Bald. Has the elbow of the people. Momoa is very much in his shadow.

 

[Jekecy]

Possibly. But as far as I see it, it’s just another big muscular dude superhero film, coming off an abject failure of a movie. What is there about it that’s going to convince a general audience who have been massively put off the DCEU?

The spectacle. Or at least that's the hope. If Wan can pull of "Star Wars underwater", it's going to be a huge draw.

Momoa, Aquaman, DCEU, etc., will all take a backseat to that.

 

[Boom]

I think the novelty factor should help Aquaman quite a bit, assuming the film isn't a complete dumpster fire.

 

[misslane38]

Possibly. But as far as I see it, it’s just another big muscular dude superhero film, coming off an abject failure of a movie. What is there about it that’s going to convince a general audience who have been massively put off the DCEU?

Just because you see it that way doesn't mean other people do.

And as for Momoa’s enthnicity, there’s another actor out there who comes from Pacific island polynesian descent, who’s doing pretty well for himself, and representing that area’s culture very well. You may have heard of him. Big guy. Bald. Has the elbow of the people. Momoa is very much in his shadow.

Gross. So there's only room for one? Aquaman is a superhero. That's special.

 

[The Guard]

I think people underestimate how popular Jason Mamoa has gotten over the last few years, and how much people like him. The man is an ongoing meme simply for being attractive and badass.

 

[Limonade]

I think people underestimate how popular Jason Mamoa has gotten over the last few years, and how much people like him. The man is an ongoing meme simply for being attractive and badass.

Yeah but some cats also remember Momoa with his "**** Marvel" stint.

Definitely, something that Marvel fanboys won't let go anytime soon.

 

[FunkMiller]

Just because you see it that way doesn't mean other people do.

Yes. Different people have different opinions on things.

Gross. So there's only room for one? Aquaman is a superhero. That's special.

You chose to raise the idea that Momoa’s enthnicity could be a selling point in the same way that Gal Gadot’s gender was for her movie, and Chadwick Boseman’s was for his. I merely pointed out that Momoa would most certainly not be the first highly successful Polynesian actor, and therefore the effect would not be the same as Gadot’s or Boseman’s backgrounds culturally. And Momoa ain’t Dwayne, and he never will be.

And being a superhero is not special at the cinema these days. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there are a lot of superheroes at the cinema these days.

 

[misslane38]

Yes. Different people have different opinions on things.

Yep.

You chose to raise the idea that Momoa’s enthnicity could be a selling point in the same way that Gal Gadot’s gender was for her movie, and Chadwick Boseman’s was for his. I merely pointed out that Momoa would most certainly not be the first highly successful Polynesian actor, and therefore the effect would not be the same as Gadot’s or Boseman’s backgrounds culturally. And Momoa ain’t Dwayne, and he never will be.

I'm glad you brought up Gadot and Boseman. With them, it's not a if there weren't female leads or black leads in action films before. Yet, what made Gadot and Boseman special was that they were playing superheroes, which is relatively new territory for women and POC. Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, or Will Smith, who played countless action heroes, didn't make Gadot's or Boseman's roles any less significant or special just because they were popular. What Momoa is doing with Aquaman is different than what Dwayne Johnson has done, and if Gadot can win people over with her first big spotlight of a role in Wonder Woman, then Momoa has the potential to do that too; there is room for him to thrive along with Johnson.

And being a superhero is not special at the cinema these days. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there are a lot of superheroes at the cinema these days.

Being a Polynesian superhero is special, though.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Yep.



I'm glad you brought up Gadot and Boseman. With them, it's not a if there weren't female leads or black leads in action films before. Yet, what made Gadot and Boseman special was that they were playing superheroes, which is relatively new territory for women and POC. Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, or Will Smith, who played countless action heroes, didn't make Gadot's or Boseman's roles any less significant or special just because they were popular. What Momoa is doing with Aquaman is different than what Dwayne Johnson has done, and if Gadot can win people over with her first big spotlight of a role in Wonder Woman, then Momoa has the potential to do that too; there is room for him to thrive along with Johnson.



Being a Polynesian superhero is special, though.

You win, you’ve got the moral high ground because no one is going to say the first Polynesian superhero isn’t a big deal.

Personally I don’t think it’s nearly as important for our culture as Black Panther and Wonder Woman were, and Aquaman, if it successful will have more to do with the novelty of an underwater epic rather than any cultural significance

That said, I think it’s great that other cultures are finally getting representation

 

[misslane38]

You win, you’ve got the moral high ground because no one is going to say the first Polynesian superhero isn’t a big deal.

Personally I don’t think it’s nearly as important for our culture as Black Panther and Wonder Woman were, and Aquaman, if it successful will have more to do with the novelty of an underwater epic rather than any cultural significance

I never said it would be as big of a deal, just that it could be a factor that increases interest beyond the usual. Add that to the potential of it being a genuinely good movie with a badass female co-lead in Mera and the novelty of the underwater aspect, and I think there are several ways for this film to succeed beyond the pessimistic expectations of some.

 

[FunkMiller]

You win, you’ve got the moral high ground because no one is going to say the first Polynesian superhero isn’t a big deal.

Personally I don’t think it’s nearly as important for our culture as Black Panther and Wonder Woman were, and Aquaman, if it successful will have more to do with the novelty of an underwater epic rather than any cultural significance

That said, I think it’s great that other cultures are finally getting representation

Agree completely.