DC needs a hard reboot, and this time without Batman.

[Rorschach2012]

I loved Zod as the villain but Brainiac would’ve been amazing

and now they're going to use Brainiac for the Supergirl movie where Superman probably won't even show up! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. It stings so bad, I can't help but laugh. I thought Zod was a mistake from the beginning, and I was right, seeing as we're NEVER getting a MOS sequel.

DC/WB is dumb as **** for saving their big villains for sequels. The only time it actually paid off was with Joker in The Dark Knight. I think it was a mistake to use Sivana instead of Black Adam, Steppenwolf instead of Darkseid, Zod instead of Brainiac, and Parallax instead of Sinestro.

 

[Rorschach2012]

I loved Zod as the villain but Brainiac would’ve been amazing

I actually didn't love DCEU Zod at all and have no idea why he's ranked so highly among fans. Michael Shannon's native accent was jarring for me. Terrence Stamp is far more iconic as Zod IMO.

 

[Boy Scout]

Shannon’s Zod was nothing special IMO.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The DCEU really wasn't that dark, outside of Batman, that's just an easy excuse. The problem is fundamental storytelling. Justice League was badly written. Suicide Squad, badly written. Dawn of Justice, badly written. No amount of acting, stunt choreography or special effects can fix bad writing. I'm not expecting John Sayles here, I'm talking about simplified storytelling. Basic story structure. One of the best written action movies from the 1980s was Conan The Barbarian, IMO. Civil War was well-written despite being a movie about fighting action figures. Speaking of which, all the Toy Story movies were also well written.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Yeah man that’s all it really comes down to is writing. Different characters naturally lend themselves to different tones and styles. There’s not one uniform formula that all comic book heroes can fall under. It just has to be “good”. Comic book fans will flock to comic book movies as long as they’re good. It’s simple.

 

[Greens]

I'm not there if there's no Batman.

 

[Micromind]

DC needs a hard reboot, and this time without Batman.

Nope.

 

[Flash525]

Ignoring the Man of Steel events, in addition to any other scenes involving Batman or Superman, the DCEU had the potential for a reboot whilst maintaining the arcs portrayed by Gal and Jason (at least). Wonder Woman (both of them) take place in the past, Aquaman takes place in the present, as will Shazam. If Aquaman and Shazam don't specifically reference previous events, then there's an opportunity here to salvage that.

All they'd need to do is recast Bruce and Clark, then have a film that ties in to what events may have been mentioned but with a completely different setting and them; maybe even another crack at Steppenwolf. As surprisingly not bad as Cyborg was, I'd have opted for someone like Hawkgirl in his stead, though I further feel we'd need her origin story before she was introduced to the DCEU; Barry and Victor's can be told via Flashback. Alternatively, just recast those two characters and continue the DCEU ignoring the mess that initiated it.

Someone really needs to get on top of a Green Lantern story too, cause we're going to need a Lantern in the Justice League in order for it to seem true. Unfortunately, because of the mess DC/WB have gotten themselves into, a Justice League reboot or sequel doesn't seem too likely anytime soon.

 

[Silver Lantern]

The DCU should start from scratch pretty much but as they have 2 movies coming out soon they should start with those, maybe Aquaman should be the start of new DCU movies then Shazam but recast everything else, new writers for solo movies for Hawkman, Cyborg, Batman, Supergirl, Superman, etc then when good a justice League movie with better villain leading to Darkseid. For all sake NO more wayne parents deaths, its done to death already, no pun intended. Cannot compete with marvel yet or the CW shows so they should stop trying that and make new ideas unlike them. Superman and Batman should be the last movies done solo, there are plenty of DC characters that never had movies made yet. They also say one thing, stop making it, cancel movies, reshoot, etc etc and have no faith in them nor take risks on characters for movies.

 

[Alien Anal]

I think it would be fun if they did a hard reboot and started with a Justice League film. Play it similar to an ensemble piece like guardians or Star Wars but because we already know each character so well we don't need to try over do each characters introductions.

I would then make spin off films using the typical justice league characters but in any of those "solo" films any other character can show up. However I would have it so superman and wonderwoman have gone to space with green lantern while batman, the flash and aqua man stick back on earth.

 

[Bl1nx28]

Yeah man that’s all it really comes down to is writing. Different characters naturally lend themselves to different tones and styles. There’s not one uniform formula that all comic book heroes can fall under. It just has to be “good”. Comic book fans will flock to comic book movies as long as they’re good. It’s simple.

While the writing was bad in some of the films, I'm mostly blame the people in charge of the studios and their constant reshoots. DCEU's tone is wildly inconsistent. First it was suppose to be dark and edgy, banking on the popularity of Nolan's fims. When that wasn't working it goes in the direction of being more family friendly.

Just take for example the shift in tone to Bat's character in BvS and JL. The former is a psychotic murdering madman hell bent on killing Superman, in the sequel he's cracking jokes. Bad writing yes, but this also just shows the wild shift in direction this universe keep going in.

They ruined Superman by trying to make him another batman.

I'm merely saying the studios just don't know what to do with DCEU half the time and the quality is suffering for it. Personally, a hard reboot is needed, this time without interference. It's mainly whoever is giving the orders not knowing what to do with these characters. And this shared universe just isn't holding together as well as Marvel's.

 

[Bl1nx28]

I'm not there if there's no Batman.

In my original post, I am not advocating a permanant removal of Batman. I was just pointing out that WB want's a dark batman but at the same time they want a family friendly team of heroes. These two things just do not mix well. All I was saying if WB want's both then have them separate because it's not working together.

A batman universe that can be as dark and edgy as it wants to be and a DCEU universe that can be as family friendly as it wants to be. If batman can retooled to fit the latter then I'm all for him sharing the universe with everyone else. But for the time being imo his character just does not work when side by side the likes of wonder woman and Aquaman.

 

[Avs21]

Just take for example the shift in tone to Bat's character in BvS and JL. The former is a psychotic murdering madman hell bent on killing Superman, in the sequel he's cracking jokes. Bad writing yes, but this also just shows the wild shift in direction this universe keep going in.

But thats the point with the movie.
Batman feels guilty after Supermans death and wants to replace him with the League. And you can still feel his dark side, he makes WW the leader and goes out on a suicide mission.

 

[Bl1nx28]

But thats the point with the movie.
Batman feels guilty after Supermans death and wants to replace him with the League. And you can still feel his dark side, he makes WW the leader and goes out on a suicide mission.

Point or not. The shift from dark and brooding to light and campy was poorly handled.

 

[Silver Lantern]

I agree there has been like 11 live action Batman movies or cameos over the years including 1930s serials. They have used Batman and Superman tons of times. There are many other DC characters never used in live action such as Dr Fate, Question, and more that can be adapted into films. My god there are too many damn joker movies coming out or bat family. Come up with new ideas already. I'm more excited to see Shazam, Aquaman, a cyborg movie, etc cause they are new ideas live action not used.

 

[Boy Scout]

Fate was on Smallville, actually.

 

[Vaibow]

In my original post, I am not advocating a permanant removal of Batman. I was just pointing out that WB want's a dark batman but at the same time they want a family friendly team of heroes. These two things just do not mix well. All I was saying if WB want's both then have them separate because it's not working together.

A batman universe that can be as dark and edgy as it wants to be and a DCEU universe that can be as family friendly as it wants to be. If batman can retooled to fit the latter then I'm all for him sharing the universe with everyone else. But for the time being imo his character just does not work when side by side the likes of wonder woman and Aquaman.

Erm, i'm not sure i see your point, respectfully.

Batman can exist in a family friendly universe.... so.... what they going to do about villians for our heroes, do they not exist either for being dark? Batman can be handled just as he is in the animated series - he can cameo, come in, give advice, play it straight, not warm to the team and be an outsider of sorts then be off... realising the greater good they do. They don't need to give us movies, but they can give us batman. Batman is inherently good.

The truth is, the DCEU is continuing and probably without Batman and Superman, they'll exist, but just not mentioned.

WW1984 is set in the past and doesn't rely on others - her 3rd could be in the late 90's or as i hope, way in the future, say WW2066, they can age up Gadot in a similar style to Diana Lane. She would look great too. So WW can make money and move forward with another movie and not be held hostage to BvS or JL.

Aquaman is under sea, obviously and that has it's own world of possibilities. Sure, mention Superman is future movies, but they could easily use Shazam as his go to guy for help.

Shazam is this whole new magical beast and can easily stand on it's own - again, can form links and have cameo's from AM, WW, heck even GL.

GL corps - all about space - world, or universe is there oyster.

Flash - same as above, with speed, time, it creates a whole different movie aspect which can be small in scale and not so reliant on others.

Then we have Harley and her pals.

So for the next say 6-8 years the DCEU can make money (if they have learnt), and not worry about joining and explaining where everyone is.

So where does this leave Superman and Batman.

Well, Reeves is doing his own thing and before that, his greatest villain has his own movie - will that lead into Reeve's universe, who knows, i hope so - an aged up Phoenix as a 60 year old joker incarcerated would be epic. So, people will get their Bat fix from the hints and BOP and Reeves take.

Which leaves us Superman - Cavill isn't bad at all and can still do it for another 10 years and they have an 18 month window between MOS & BvS where 2/3 events could easily be made into respective movies.
MOS2 should jump right off the bat from MOS, weeks after ending to MOS, we see him getting to know the city and vice versa, the politics of him and we focus on Clark in the office, we see him be superman/clark kent and live a life, we saw what it means to be superman. I wouldn't have a super vilian, i would have crime syndicates that clark and lois crack together as journalists with superman saving their bacon, filtered around epic fire saves, collapsing bridges etc. MOS3 should be brainiac and be a military heavy film, almost off world.

Failing that, superman probably exists in Reeves' universe - lets explore that.

 

[Silver Lantern]

I think they should reboot and recast all DC movies, let Gadot and Mamoa have their own films but recast a new WW and Aquaman for DC Universe movies and cast characters like Flash, Blue Beetle, Cyborg, Hawkman, Steel, Superman, Batman, and put them in solo films first then create a new 2 part JLA movie mentioning Darkseid and better villain like Bizarro and few other villains to fight them, even make the Justice League Mortal movie which still sounds cool then after other so films with characters like Zatanna, Hawk girl, etc in same universe which leads to a second 2 part JLA vs Crime Syndicate movie introducing Owlman, superwoman, power ring, johnny quick, etc facing them when Darkseid appears and the two teams up to face him after in brutal battle.

 

[Silver Lantern]

I do have a better idea being written that includes all of this and more but too much to put on this site.

 

[gerrym51]

It does not need a hard reboot-. they need to lure Cavill back and replace Affleck with younger actor. With now Aquaman and WW as the most popular DC movie characters-it would be much easier than putting it on the shoulders of Superman and Batman

 

[Jochimus]

If Shazam's a success, I think we'll have seen the last of Superman in the DCEU whether Supergirl gets made or not.

After all, WB didn't spend twenty-plus years and millions upon millions of dollars trying to turn Billy into another dark-rubber ^$$hole, so if the movie ends up being a hit I can see them looking at him as a suitable substitute - he's even got his own Bald-Megalomaniac Archnemesis! - and positioning him in Clark's place in any later movies (which as developments go WOULD have an ironic tinge to it, come to think of it - the character DC once saw a Superman rip-off becoming to WB a Superman replacement), and then letting Kara carry the Super-mythology from here on out in whatever they end up doing with her (especially since the show is already lifting elements from the mythos wholesale).

I just can't see WB either continuing the DCEU Superman OR rebooting him at this point.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

He'll get rebooted eventually. Might not be soon but it'll happen. Suggesting he won't is like saying if batman had a monumental failure and a green arrow like the tv version turns out to be a success then batman would never get rebooted.

 

[Jochimus]

Except Batman had a better track record during that time: Just eight years after B&R we got the first installment of the Dark Knight trilogy. Conversely, nearly two decades after The Quest For Peace we got...Superman Returns; then a seven-year hiatus; then a reboot that split audiences right down the middle; then Batman being sent in to save the day again just in time for WB to finally crap that Death of Superman fix out; then an extended cameo in Justice League. That doesn't even take into account all the cartoons that have been Batman-fronted, or the Arkham games for that matter.

Or, for that matter, the fact that Ollie himself STILL has his own show (as does Barry) whereas we've got one where Clark's just a guest star and one where he hasn't even been born yet. Yeah, there was Smallville, but by the time Clark put the suit on for like the last three minutes of the very last episode for long shots and a single shirt rip the whole bloody DC universe had already come into being around him.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Like I suggested it could take years for the character to get rebooted, but it'll happen eventually. He still one of the worlds most recognizable characters, and no amount of shazam can replace that. Even the rumors suggesting that they want a tv show is a good sign, they have to rebuild faith in the brand. And if a successful tv show does that then a movie with a better outlook wont be far off.

 

[BatZack]

While I understand the point of rebooting without Batman, as a fan, I can't agree. To me, Batman is our entry point to the universe, a mostly straight and normal version of Earth that we would recognize before being introduced to all these other facets that we didn't know existed. How would WE, as citizens, react to a nearly immortal Amazon princess and her divine counterparts? Or discovering the race of underwater humanoids in Atlantis and the universe of aliens in the Lantern Corps? Batman's world as the base of this DCEU is how you keep it all connected and honest, because through Gotham, you see how people view these other races and events.