Justice League For the Lead Up Films: How to Differentiate From "The Avengers Stretegy".

[Rowsdower!]

There is a bit of an irony here because it doesn't matter what DC/WB does at this point; it will inevitably draw Avengers comparisons. If they begin with a JL movie and follow it up with various solo character films (other than Man of Steel of course, which will obviously come out first), people will say the JL movie was a clear reaction to the Avengers movie. And if they release all solo character films that eventually lead into a JL movie, they'll be accused of copying Marvel's strategy.

So I say, the hell with it. Do whatever feels right. If the JL script is strong, a good director wants to do it and you can get the right cast members together, then just go for it. If you have better scripts for each of the solo characters, then do that... make the solo films first. Don't worry about the Marvel comparisons because they're going to come anyway and at this point, there's no way (or no need) to completely differentiate from their approach. The characters and the stories themselves are different enough that it really doesn't matter.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

**** the Marvel comparisons. If WB was worried about that then JL would never get off of the ground.

 

[shauner111]

There's going to be similarities that u cant avoid no matter what. But they can try their best to stay away from a good amount of them.

All you need is 1 movie from the original/biggest superhero of all time to trigger it, then your off to a JL film. Starting it with a Superman movie has always been the best idea, not some half-assed Green Lantern movie like they tried to do last year. All because they wanted to emulate the Tony Stark/Downey/Comic Relief experience. All they ever needed was 1 film with either Supes or Batman and they're off to the races.

Im sure they can come up with a plot that isnt exactly like the Avengers, which was great fun but extremely predictable. I personally dont want to see the Avengers 2.0 done with DC characters.

I dont want JL to have its Stark by bringing back Reynolds so he can be Van Wilder for 2 hours. I dont want Aquaman to serve as our Thor. Or our very own Nick Fury, the african-american who brings everyone together (Martian Manhunter/Amanda Waller). No lesser characters like Hawkeye written in the story just so it makes it seem like the group is large...meaning no MM, Cyborg, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Hawkman/girl.

I want it simple, 5 heroes, grittier direction, 1 main threat, darker, still fun but not a lazy plot, a good cast, no silly one-liners every 2 minutes, a villain who isn't made a joke of by the end of the movie, and some kick-ass costumes.

If they use even just a bit of those requests, it should make it different enough to TA. They can do what they want with a sequel, add whoever, expand on whatever. But thats what id like to see in the 1st flick.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Come on, man. I know plenty of people didn't like Ryan Reynolds but he didn't act like Van Wilder in Green Lantern.

 

[The Guard]

People are under the impression that Green Lantern cracked jokes and whatnot.

(Shrugs)

 

[Zionite1]

Well if they are going with 5 heroes.Then I think at least 3 should have been introduced to the audience via successfull Cbms.Batman and Superman are covered,Gl ,Flash,Wonderwoman are not.Ill go with Wonderwoman solo.
2013-Man of steel
2014-Wonderwoman
2015-Justice League with 5 lineup.

 

[KangConquers]

I don't think they do need to differentiate. I think they need at least 3 successful film franchises going into JLA. Batman can get by on past glories, and hopefully Man of Steel catches commercial fire; They need one more to sell JLA imo.

 

[KangConquers]

Well if they are going with 5 heroes.Then I think at least 3 should have been introduced to the audience via successfull Cbms.Batman and Superman are covered,Gl ,Flash,Wonderwoman are not.Ill go with Wonderwoman solo.
2013-Man of steel
2014-Wonderwoman
2015-Justice League with 5 lineup.

Perfect. That would put them in the exact same position as Avengers; 3 successful characters, and one character that, while not successful, has still been introduced in films. (Green Lantern.)

 

[KangConquers]

I really don't think Justice League will be the popcorn flick that Avengers was - if anything, it'll be a lighter version of the Watchmen movie, and not as stylized. I think the way to differentiate itself from Avengers would be to make is philosophical, deep, and serious...at least as much as you can with caped superheroes.

It's weird, because the SHH posters are right - DC's characters are far more fantastical and more magic than science, but since Marvel already made quite possibly the best comic book adaptation on screen ever, I think it would be best for the JL movie to be thought-provoking and relevant to contemporary issues; some JLA stories were like that anyway.

I think the middle ground between Watchmen and Avengers would be a great place for JLA.

 

[Zionite1]

Perfect. That would put them in the exact same position as Avengers; 3 successful characters, and one character that, while not successful, has still been introduced in films. (Green Lantern.)

Indeed.My only worry though is that 2014 Summer is a bit loaded with Cbms- Cap America,Antman for one to release a Wonderwoman movie.Granted Cap America takes place at the beginning of the summer which means a Wonderwoman film will only have to contend with Antman in midsummer .....ANTMAN.......You know thinking about it I think Wonderwoman has a very good chance of success.

 

[KangConquers]

Indeed.My only worry though is that 2014 Summer is a bit loaded with Cbms- Cap America,Antman for one to release a Wonderwoman movie.Granted Cap America takes place at the beginning of the summer which means a Wonderwoman film will only have to contend with Antman in midsummer .....ANTMAN.......You know thinking about it I think Wonderwoman has a very good chance of success.

Ant-Man isn't being released in Summer 2014. Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Guardians of the Galaxy are though, with X-Men taking the usual "Batman" release date.

I'm hoping the likely success of Thor and Captain America sequels in Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 will inspire Warner Bros to look at Winter, Spring and Fall options for their own Superhero properties. If you have a great product, and a great marketing campaign behind it, a film should be able to make money, regardless of when it's released.

 

[Zionite1]

Ant-Man isn't being released in Summer 2014. Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Guardians of the Galaxy are though, with X-Men taking the usual "Batman" release date.

DAMN.That means Wonderwoman is out for Summer.

I'm hoping the likely success of Thor and Captain America sequels in Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 will inspire Warner Bros to look at Winter, Spring and Fall options for their own Superhero properties. If you have a great product, and a great marketing campaign behind it, a film should be able to make money, regardless of when it's released.

Hmmm.Good idea.So Wonderwoman can go for Fall 2014

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

You'd think WB would already have confidence in winter spots given the huge success they had with LotR and the success they want for The Hobbit and initially Superman.

 

[Smashlilman]

There is a bit of an irony here because it doesn't matter what DC/WB does at this point; it will inevitably draw Avengers comparisons. If they begin with a JL movie and follow it up with various solo character films (other than Man of Steel of course, which will obviously come out first), people will say the JL movie was a clear reaction to the Avengers movie. And if they release all solo character films that eventually lead into a JL movie, they'll be accused of copying Marvel's strategy.

So I say, the hell with it. Do whatever feels right. If the JL script is strong, a good director wants to do it and you can get the right cast members together, then just go for it. If you have better scripts for each of the solo characters, then do that... make the solo films first. Don't worry about the Marvel comparisons because they're going to come anyway and at this point, there's no way (or no need) to completely differentiate from their approach. The characters and the stories themselves are different enough that it really doesn't matter.

As long as the JL movies is a high quality movie none of that will mater. People will just enjoy the movie for what it is.

 

[Zionite1]

As long as the JL movies is a high quality movie none of that will mater. People will just enjoy the movie for what it is.

Easier said than done though.Jl has the unenviable task of establishing a world filled with aliens,advanced tech,gods and magic,timetravel as well as explaiin backstories of characters lacking Solo movies whilst maintaing a semi realistic setting.It needs to get Team Dynmaics in such a way that everyone shines not just Supes/Bats.Quite frankly Solo movies make the job a lot easier.Hence why I am calling for a WW release before Mos

 

[KangConquers]

Easier said than done though.Jl has the unenviable task of establishing a world filled with aliens,advanced tech,gods and magic,timetravel as well as explaiin backstories of characters lacking Solo movies whilst maintaing a semi realistic setting.It needs to get Team Dynmaics in such a way that everyone shines not just Supes/Bats.Quite frankly Solo movies make the job a lot easier.Hence why I am calling for a WW release before Mos

The biggest problem is doing a JLA film without solo films will turn A-list superheroes into warm bodies, occupying space.

Wonder Woman and Flash will resonate with Audiences much more than say Hawkeye or Widow did, but the lack of solo introduction will still hurt them. I'd like to see at least one of them get a solo film before JLA, perhaps both, with Justice League pushing back until 2016.

As for the film itself, am I the only one who thinks WB needs to spend a lot less time worrying about what Marvel is doing, and just worry about making the best movie possible?

 

[Raiden]

The biggest problem is doing a JLA film without solo films will turn A-list superheroes into warm bodies, occupying space.

Wonder Woman and Flash will resonate with Audiences much more than say Hawkeye or Widow did, but the lack of solo introduction will still hurt them. I'd like to see at least one of them get a solo film before JLA, perhaps both, with Justice League pushing back until 2016.

As for the film itself, am I the only one who thinks WB needs to spend a lot less time worrying about what Marvel is doing, and just worry about making the best movie possible?

I agree that perhaps this is what WB should be doing, but it is easier to say than done. I think anyone who is doing a project that is similar to another one released not too long ago and was a massive hit is going to approach it with a bit more wariness than otherwise, because they knew that they will be inviting comparisons with that film, whether they want it or not. Even TDKR, which follows Heath Ledger's Joker in TDK, struggles to set itself apart and the result shows. Besides, I think although WB may said that the script was in a development for a number of years, it is clear that they've put it in fast track only after the box office success of The Avengers, and it gives the appearance and preception that they're just aping a successful formula.

However, if JL becomes a good movie, it will alleviate alot of the skepticism and cynicism toward it. I'm just not entirely convinced of its success, due to the fact that the only good superhero movie WB has churned out in the past decade had Chris Nolan involved, and even MOS had Nolan overseen its early stage.

 

[shauner111]

It's a good idea to do a Flash AND Wonder Woman beforehand but it's not that big of a deal. I still think they can get away with it, with just Man Of Steel .They might even do a WW cameo in MOS.

TDKR had no problems at all seperating it from the previous film. Those were 3 movies with 3 extremely different tones. They managed to bring back elements of Begins & TDK while making it look and feel like a completely different movie. The best example is how opposite Bane was to the Joker. They could have easily thrown in the Riddler but Nolan didnt. JLA has to choose a villain that isn't going to come across like Loki or even Thanos.

WB needs to look at Avengers so they know what not to do. The worst thing they can do is look at it and say "this worked and we should do it too! because it made money." That would be awful. They need to look at the good and the bad of TA and say ... "What worked for them may not work for us. Even if it can, we must do something different so it's not a rehash and so Justice League has its own identity".

 

[DoomsdayApex]

Yep, JL should have a different concept, foundation, atmosphere and tone. It doesn't have to be grittier and darker than The Avengers but having Justice League be a bit more serious and have an emotionally-fueled story/narrative is for the best.

 

[KangConquers]

I agree that perhaps this is what WB should be doing, but it is easier to say than done. I think anyone who is doing a project that is similar to another one released not too long ago and was a massive hit is going to approach it with a bit more wariness than otherwise, because they knew that they will be inviting comparisons with that film, whether they want it or not. Even TDKR, which follows Heath Ledger's Joker in TDK, struggles to set itself apart and the result shows. Besides, I think although WB may said that the script was in a development for a number of years, it is clear that they've put it in fast track only after the box office success of The Avengers, and it gives the appearance and preception that they're just aping a successful formula.

However, if JL becomes a good movie, it will alleviate alot of the skepticism and cynicism toward it. I'm just not entirely convinced of its success, due to the fact that the only good superhero movie WB has churned out in the past decade had Chris Nolan involved, and even MOS had Nolan overseen its early stage.

What worries me is Justice League doesn't seem like a property put together by a visionary; it seems to be put together by suits.

Christopher Nolan had a vision and created the biggest, best received comic book movie ever in 2008. Rather than bending to satisfy the niche that Nolan had created, Kevin Feige stuck to his guns and the result was an Avengers film that shattered records by the dozen.

All of the classic comic book movies achieved greatness through having a vision of their own; Avengers ignored TDK ignored Spider-Man ignored Batman 89 ignored Superman: The Movie. They all set out to do something different from those before them. Justice League seems more like a calculated cash-in than a stroke of inspiration.

I have all of the faith in the world in Justice League's potential, just not WB's ability to realize that potential. Man of Steel will be indicative of what we're dealing with, and I hope it's something special.

 

[shauner111]

Yep, JL should have a different concept, foundation, atmosphere and tone. It doesn't have to be grittier and darker than The Avengers but having Justice League be a bit more serious and have an emotionally-fueled story/narrative is for the best.

That's true, it doesn't have to be a dark film by any stretch but more serious and a story you can emotionally invest in. That's why a simplified team would do them justice (no pun intended).

It can still be fun and full of fighting and flying with the odd bit of humour. Just tone it back with the jokes, add more story to it rather than fighting for the sake of seeing fists thrown for 40 minutes. Make it mean something.

I want to feel invested in the League and their purpose for coming together.

 

[Gary Griffith]

Is it really that difficult to envision a JL film without the lead in movies? I mean you could open the film with Starro attacking some city - a nice nod to JLA #1 back in the day - and show each hero come in one by one to showcase their individual powers. Flash first, then Green Lantern using his ring to save citizens and attack Starro. Then WW flies in, pounding the crap out of the alien, followed by Batman in his Batwing/Batplane (or whatever their calling it these days) showcasing his gadgets and finally Superman enters and they finish off the big starfish. WW can even use her lasso to determine that Starro wasn't attacking the Earth, he was teleported here by some force, thereby showing off the lasso and introducing some villainous plot.

You then show each member in solo "true identity" segments that show Diana on her island, Barry in the crime lab, Hal doing some jet flying, Bruce in the BatCave with Alfred and Clark at the Daily Planet. Intermingle these with scenes of the villain (Maxwell Lord? Vandal Savage?) doing his thing and -if you want - scenes of the government/public distrust of these meta-humans.

Either way, open the move with the team already in place, show them meeting on their satellite and go with whatever "tone" you want. The bottom line is to make them interesting characters that the audience will respond to and will hopefully want to see in future solo films. A Wonder Woman solo film could tell her character's history through flashbacks, as she was essentially born into a warrior race ala Thor. It's not like she got her powers from a meteor or something. And the Flash's origin is so kind of random - lightning striking him and the same instant some chemicals fell on him - it could easily be covered in the opening minutes of a solo movie and gotten out of the way.

Anyway, just some thoughts. Hope DC ups their game and we get some great movies from both companies. That would be a win/win for everyone.

 

[MrGreen]

Even if they do Darkseid the GA wont compare him to Thanos since most of them dont know who he was (I heard people saying it was Hellboy) and it will be new in the GA mind.

 

[shauner111]

Not really because JLA will probably be out a few months to a couple of years after Avengers 2. They need to stay away from that stuff.

 

[The Guard]

Edited.