We can all agree Justice League was a critical success maybe to some people but overall it was a flop for the DCEU. However, that being said how can we make this film better? How can we make it on par with Marvel's The Avengers (2012) basically strengthening our DCEU with this film...here is how I would go about it:
- Delay initial production to work on script
- Delay reshoots and by extension the film's release pushing it back all the way to 2018, 2019 or 2020 at the latest
- Not making strange technical mistakes such as the Cavill mustache using CGI there and what not; wait until Cavill finishes filming MI6 and he shaves the mustache for JL
- However, as far as how I would write the film if I were doing it:
- Film opens with Steppenwolf's invasion of Themyscira. It would pretty much be the same sequence but with differences. The differences being that on Themyscira he kills one of the Amazonians because he is in search of the Kryptonian (ie. Superman). Queen Hippolyta, Diana's mother shoots the Invasion Flame signal after Steppenwolf successfully invades Themyscira basically getting word to her daughter Diana/Wonder Woman; opening credits roll.
- Bruce/Batman then would seek out metahumans similar to the actual film. Bruce would find Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) first who would reject his offer to join this alliance he is setting up. Bruce then would end up finding Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) himself next and Victor too would also reject Bruce's offer to join the League. Bruce then would find Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) who happily accepts Bruce's offer to join the League.
- Bruce would then meet up with 20-something Dick Grayson...Dick would be introduced in the DCEU in this film and Dick Grayson/Nightwing would be played by Dacre Montgomery. Dick on no certain terms would tell Bruce that he is not interested in working with him again. Bruce is out of luck because the only person who has joined him thus far is Barry.
- Next scene would be the shot of The Invasion Flame hitting and word would get to Diana somehow after she's been off as Wonder Woman on one of her many solo adventures (crime-fighting missions). Bruce would contact Diana and she joins the League.
- Introduction of Lex Luthor Sr; his appearance would basically be a retcon due to BVS. Lex Sr. would be played by Bryan Cranston and his son Lex Luthor, Jr. would be played by Jesse Eisenberg. Lex Sr. is pretty much a charismatic public figure in the public eye as he basically stepped into lead & save LexCorp as a company due to the events of BVS. In reality Lex Sr. is a master manipulator of the public and behind the scenes he has been weaponizing Kryptonian technology at a secret base of his. Lex Sr. is hoping to acquire alien and ancient technology with help from Slade Wilson/Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) who is basically the enforcer for the Luthors.
- Steppenwolf then shows up at Lex Luthor, Sr.'s secret base because the Kryptonian technology led him there. Steppenwolf wants to seek out Superman and Lex Sr. uses extensive knowledge of Kryptonian tech and Mother Boxes to convince Steppenwolf with the help of his idiot son Lex Jr. and Victor Stone/Cyborg to find Superman; Steppenwolf agrees.
- Next scene would be the Invasion of Atlantis with Parademons invading Atlantis and taking said Mother Box from there. The Parademons then end up kidnapping Victor/Cyborg.
- Next scene would be the mini Justice League comprised of Batman, Wonder Woman and The Flash as they try to investigate strange occurrences happening all over the world due to it being caused by Steppenwolf. The 3 of them then figure out that Victor Stone/Cyborg has been kidnapped and they set out to find him.
- Lex Luthor Jr. (Jesse Eisenberg) leads his father Lex Sr. (Bryan Cranston) and Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) to the Kryptonian ship that has Superman's body. They take the body to one of the LexCorp facilities and Superman is placed in a black recovery suit.
- Batman, Wonder Woman and Flash figure out where Cyborg is and they head to the LexCorp facility that he is being held at. Once there they run into Aquaman (Jason Momoa) who is also there because he tracked the Mother Box that was being held in Atlantis there. Aquaman then joins the League and now they have 4 members.
- The 4 of them then are inside of the LexCorp facility and fight their way in to get to Victor.
- We learn that Steppenwolf has been sent to Earth by Darkseid (CGI/mo cap will be voiced by Jeff Bridges) to retrieve the Kryptonian Codex; using Luthor technology, Victor's processor and Mother Boxes Superman is reborn as the Codex is copied from Superman's DNA.
- Steppenwolf now has control of reborn Superman in black suit
- Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman confront Lex Luthor, Sr; Bruce wants to know why Sr. is helping Steppenwolf; Sr. says that he always chooses the winning side and knew mankind was doomed the moment Zod and the other Kryptonians showed up on Earth (ties back to the 2013 film Man of Steel).
- Justice League save Victor/Cyborg. Victor then joins the League however Steppenwolf sends mind-controlled Superman in to attack Justice League. Superman basically is dominating them one by one until all of them manage to work together long enough to restrain Superman. Bruce then uses Kryptonite to incapicate Superman not kill him.
- Steppenwolf escapes and so does Lex Sr & Lex Jr and Deathstroke. Justice League then take Superman's body back to the Kryptonian ship as his body is placed back into the water. Superman is in a coma-like stasis once again but he is not dead. Superman then has a vision of his father Jor-El (Russell Crowe) as Jor-El explains to Kal-El his true destiny/identity and purpose. With help from Victor's Mother Box Superman eventually awakens and is truly himself again no longer under Steppenwolf's control.
- Batman and Wonder Woman explain everything that Superman did but also just how bad their situation has gotten with Steppenwolf and the Luthors. Superman then meets Arthur/Aquaman, Barry/Flash and Victor/Cyborg as himself.
- Superman then tells them all about Steppenwolf's plan that since the Codex was copied he plans on creating an army of Kryptonian slaves. The JL must stop Steppenwolf not only to save Earth but the whole entire universe as a whole.
- Cyborg then informs the JL which now includes the resurrected Superman that Steppenwolf plans on returning to Apokalips using the Mother Boxes to create a portal to get back there but that he plans on doing it all at at Lex Luthor's base.
- Alfred (Jeremy Irons) shows up by means of ship along with Dick Grayson (Dacre Montgomery) who is now Nightwing. Dick then says to Bruce that he still plays by his own rules and that the reason he is here is because he is not working for Batman but will work with him to take down Steppenwolf. Basically Dick joins the JL at this point. The 7 of them head off to battle w/Steppenwolf.
- They then all end up at Luthor's secret base. Steppenwolf manages to open the portal and just as he is about to walk through it to leave Earth Superman lands right in front of him standing between him and the portal to try to stop Steppenwolf from leaving Earth with the Mother Boxes and the Codex.
- Lex Sr. shows up as he shoots Kal-El/Superman with Kryptonite; Superman is weakened considerably but he isn't killed.
- The rest of the Justice League show up and all hell breaks loose from this point on. Superman is paired off with Steppenwolf. Aquaman, Flash and Wonder Woman are fighting Parademons. Batman, Cyborg and Nightwing fight their way through the LexCorp facility to shut down the Kryptonian technology that is powering up the portal and also in essence what is weakening Superman. Batman is then paired off with Deathstroke fighting him. Nightwing protects Cyborg in order for him to be the one to break up the Mother Boxes. Superman who is weakened is struggling against Steppenwolf in their fight sequence but is managing to somewhat hold his own but for how much longer? Batman then eventually gets the better of Deathstroke defeating him as he manages to shut down the technology as Victor manages to break up the boxes as the portal is beginning to close.
- Steppenwolf realizing he can't win manages to escape through the closing portal leaving his Parademon army behind in a cowardly act.
- Lex Sr. realizing that the Justice League are about to win he decides to use his troops to help the Justice League as they all defeat the Parademons. The League then retrieve the Mother Boxes and the Codex.
- Closing moments of the film would be Lex Luthor, Sr. being publicly praised for his partnership with the Justice League. Lex Sr. managed to throw Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) under the bus framing him and the organization for their association with Steppenwolf and for LexCorp facilities being taken over by Steppenwolf because of his public figure persona.
- Film cuts to the planet Apokalips as Darkseid kills Steppenwolf for failing him. Film ends with a montage of the Justice League members returning to their own lives. Arthur returns to his lighthouse and in essence we see him return to Atlantis with the Mother Box in his possession. Barry returns to Central City to see his father Henry Allen (Billy Crudup) in prison to let him know about his new job as the forensic investigator and that he will make sure that his father gets out of prison now that he is on the force. Diana returns to her gallery/museum and we see Victor reunited with his father Dr. Silas Stone (Joe Morton).
- We then see Dick go back to his life and we see Bruce go back to his rebuilding Wayne Enterprises going back to work there. We then see Kal El as Clark Kent as he is reunited with his mother Martha Kent (Diane Lane)on the farm and we see him reunited with Lois Lane (Amy Adams).
- Final shot of the movie's ending would be Batman and Superman the 2 of them meeting up at Wayne Manor in Bruce's Batcave in their uniforms. Superman then tells Batman that the threat that we face will be back. Batman then says he knows and that this time we will be ready we all will. Batman and Superman then begin looking at files of other metahumans potential new recruits in the DCEU to join their League setting up JL2.
- Cuts to mid-credits scene which is the 7 Justice League members (Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, Superman and Nightwing) at Wayne Manor at their Roundtable as they are discussing potential new members for their Justice League.
- Credits roll...fades to black...cut to post credit scene and the post-credit scene would tease Green Lantern Corps as a film for the DCEU.
- Delay initial production to work on script
- Delay reshoots and by extension the film's release pushing it back all the way to 2018, 2019 or 2020 at the latest
- Not making strange technical mistakes such as the Cavill mustache using CGI there and what not; wait until Cavill finishes filming MI6 and he shaves the mustache for JL
- However, as far as how I would write the film if I were doing it:
- Film opens with Steppenwolf's invasion of Themyscira. It would pretty much be the same sequence but with differences. The differences being that on Themyscira he kills one of the Amazonians because he is in search of the Kryptonian (ie. Superman). Queen Hippolyta, Diana's mother shoots the Invasion Flame signal after Steppenwolf successfully invades Themyscira basically getting word to her daughter Diana/Wonder Woman; opening credits roll.
- Bruce/Batman then would seek out metahumans similar to the actual film. Bruce would find Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) first who would reject his offer to join this alliance he is setting up. Bruce then would end up finding Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) himself next and Victor too would also reject Bruce's offer to join the League. Bruce then would find Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) who happily accepts Bruce's offer to join the League.
- Bruce would then meet up with 20-something Dick Grayson...Dick would be introduced in the DCEU in this film and Dick Grayson/Nightwing would be played by Dacre Montgomery. Dick on no certain terms would tell Bruce that he is not interested in working with him again. Bruce is out of luck because the only person who has joined him thus far is Barry.
- Next scene would be the shot of The Invasion Flame hitting and word would get to Diana somehow after she's been off as Wonder Woman on one of her many solo adventures (crime-fighting missions). Bruce would contact Diana and she joins the League.
- Introduction of Lex Luthor Sr; his appearance would basically be a retcon due to BVS. Lex Sr. would be played by Bryan Cranston and his son Lex Luthor, Jr. would be played by Jesse Eisenberg. Lex Sr. is pretty much a charismatic public figure in the public eye as he basically stepped into lead & save LexCorp as a company due to the events of BVS. In reality Lex Sr. is a master manipulator of the public and behind the scenes he has been weaponizing Kryptonian technology at a secret base of his. Lex Sr. is hoping to acquire alien and ancient technology with help from Slade Wilson/Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) who is basically the enforcer for the Luthors.
- Steppenwolf then shows up at Lex Luthor, Sr.'s secret base because the Kryptonian technology led him there. Steppenwolf wants to seek out Superman and Lex Sr. uses extensive knowledge of Kryptonian tech and Mother Boxes to convince Steppenwolf with the help of his idiot son Lex Jr. and Victor Stone/Cyborg to find Superman; Steppenwolf agrees.
- Next scene would be the Invasion of Atlantis with Parademons invading Atlantis and taking said Mother Box from there. The Parademons then end up kidnapping Victor/Cyborg.
- Next scene would be the mini Justice League comprised of Batman, Wonder Woman and The Flash as they try to investigate strange occurrences happening all over the world due to it being caused by Steppenwolf. The 3 of them then figure out that Victor Stone/Cyborg has been kidnapped and they set out to find him.
- Lex Luthor Jr. (Jesse Eisenberg) leads his father Lex Sr. (Bryan Cranston) and Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) to the Kryptonian ship that has Superman's body. They take the body to one of the LexCorp facilities and Superman is placed in a black recovery suit.
- Batman, Wonder Woman and Flash figure out where Cyborg is and they head to the LexCorp facility that he is being held at. Once there they run into Aquaman (Jason Momoa) who is also there because he tracked the Mother Box that was being held in Atlantis there. Aquaman then joins the League and now they have 4 members.
- The 4 of them then are inside of the LexCorp facility and fight their way in to get to Victor.
- We learn that Steppenwolf has been sent to Earth by Darkseid (CGI/mo cap will be voiced by Jeff Bridges) to retrieve the Kryptonian Codex; using Luthor technology, Victor's processor and Mother Boxes Superman is reborn as the Codex is copied from Superman's DNA.
- Steppenwolf now has control of reborn Superman in black suit
- Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman confront Lex Luthor, Sr; Bruce wants to know why Sr. is helping Steppenwolf; Sr. says that he always chooses the winning side and knew mankind was doomed the moment Zod and the other Kryptonians showed up on Earth (ties back to the 2013 film Man of Steel).
- Justice League save Victor/Cyborg. Victor then joins the League however Steppenwolf sends mind-controlled Superman in to attack Justice League. Superman basically is dominating them one by one until all of them manage to work together long enough to restrain Superman. Bruce then uses Kryptonite to incapicate Superman not kill him.
- Steppenwolf escapes and so does Lex Sr & Lex Jr and Deathstroke. Justice League then take Superman's body back to the Kryptonian ship as his body is placed back into the water. Superman is in a coma-like stasis once again but he is not dead. Superman then has a vision of his father Jor-El (Russell Crowe) as Jor-El explains to Kal-El his true destiny/identity and purpose. With help from Victor's Mother Box Superman eventually awakens and is truly himself again no longer under Steppenwolf's control.
- Batman and Wonder Woman explain everything that Superman did but also just how bad their situation has gotten with Steppenwolf and the Luthors. Superman then meets Arthur/Aquaman, Barry/Flash and Victor/Cyborg as himself.
- Superman then tells them all about Steppenwolf's plan that since the Codex was copied he plans on creating an army of Kryptonian slaves. The JL must stop Steppenwolf not only to save Earth but the whole entire universe as a whole.
- Cyborg then informs the JL which now includes the resurrected Superman that Steppenwolf plans on returning to Apokalips using the Mother Boxes to create a portal to get back there but that he plans on doing it all at at Lex Luthor's base.
- Alfred (Jeremy Irons) shows up by means of ship along with Dick Grayson (Dacre Montgomery) who is now Nightwing. Dick then says to Bruce that he still plays by his own rules and that the reason he is here is because he is not working for Batman but will work with him to take down Steppenwolf. Basically Dick joins the JL at this point. The 7 of them head off to battle w/Steppenwolf.
- They then all end up at Luthor's secret base. Steppenwolf manages to open the portal and just as he is about to walk through it to leave Earth Superman lands right in front of him standing between him and the portal to try to stop Steppenwolf from leaving Earth with the Mother Boxes and the Codex.
- Lex Sr. shows up as he shoots Kal-El/Superman with Kryptonite; Superman is weakened considerably but he isn't killed.
- The rest of the Justice League show up and all hell breaks loose from this point on. Superman is paired off with Steppenwolf. Aquaman, Flash and Wonder Woman are fighting Parademons. Batman, Cyborg and Nightwing fight their way through the LexCorp facility to shut down the Kryptonian technology that is powering up the portal and also in essence what is weakening Superman. Batman is then paired off with Deathstroke fighting him. Nightwing protects Cyborg in order for him to be the one to break up the Mother Boxes. Superman who is weakened is struggling against Steppenwolf in their fight sequence but is managing to somewhat hold his own but for how much longer? Batman then eventually gets the better of Deathstroke defeating him as he manages to shut down the technology as Victor manages to break up the boxes as the portal is beginning to close.
- Steppenwolf realizing he can't win manages to escape through the closing portal leaving his Parademon army behind in a cowardly act.
- Lex Sr. realizing that the Justice League are about to win he decides to use his troops to help the Justice League as they all defeat the Parademons. The League then retrieve the Mother Boxes and the Codex.
- Closing moments of the film would be Lex Luthor, Sr. being publicly praised for his partnership with the Justice League. Lex Sr. managed to throw Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) under the bus framing him and the organization for their association with Steppenwolf and for LexCorp facilities being taken over by Steppenwolf because of his public figure persona.
- Film cuts to the planet Apokalips as Darkseid kills Steppenwolf for failing him. Film ends with a montage of the Justice League members returning to their own lives. Arthur returns to his lighthouse and in essence we see him return to Atlantis with the Mother Box in his possession. Barry returns to Central City to see his father Henry Allen (Billy Crudup) in prison to let him know about his new job as the forensic investigator and that he will make sure that his father gets out of prison now that he is on the force. Diana returns to her gallery/museum and we see Victor reunited with his father Dr. Silas Stone (Joe Morton).
- We then see Dick go back to his life and we see Bruce go back to his rebuilding Wayne Enterprises going back to work there. We then see Kal El as Clark Kent as he is reunited with his mother Martha Kent (Diane Lane)on the farm and we see him reunited with Lois Lane (Amy Adams).
- Final shot of the movie's ending would be Batman and Superman the 2 of them meeting up at Wayne Manor in Bruce's Batcave in their uniforms. Superman then tells Batman that the threat that we face will be back. Batman then says he knows and that this time we will be ready we all will. Batman and Superman then begin looking at files of other metahumans potential new recruits in the DCEU to join their League setting up JL2.
- Cuts to mid-credits scene which is the 7 Justice League members (Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, Superman and Nightwing) at Wayne Manor at their Roundtable as they are discussing potential new members for their Justice League.
- Credits roll...fades to black...cut to post credit scene and the post-credit scene would tease Green Lantern Corps as a film for the DCEU.