Justice League Status Updates Thread - Part 1

[solidsnake86]

why is everyone saying its gonna be rushed. The guy was hired a year ago to write the script.

Does anyone not find it funny that there releasing this news now after being hired a year ago. Maybe WB got a little upset that marvel news keeps on coming out so close to the release of batman that they had to leak something to keep the spotlight on DC.

 

[Dark Raven]

His Batman wasn't going to be in the movie....the role was recast and even had a different suit

At the time though, it probably didn't fit with his vision of where he wanted to take the character. Now that the trilogy is finished, that doesn't mean they need to reboot. They can just continue with the same established character, but have him brought into the shared DC universe.

It's like Iron Man. In his first movie, he was grounded in reality and the idea of sharing the screen with the likes of Thor or Hulk might not have seemed to mesh. Now, however, he does fit. Also like Iron Man, someone else can take the reins of Nolan's Batman (ie like Shane Black did with Favreau's Iron Man) and continue it rather than starting from scratch.

Part of what the audience like with the Avengers is seeing RDJ as Iron Man interacting with Chris Evans as Cap or Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Imagine watching Iron Man and Cap and then seeing a different actor in the roles for the Avengers. It would carry much more weight seeing Bale and Cavill in their respective roles.

As for whether Bale would want to play Batman without Nolan. Well, who knows. But seeing the success of the Avengers and everyone having fun together in an ensemble movie, wouldn't he be at least a bit envious and want to do something similar? It's like no matter how much you dislike a song or movie, if it's a huge hit, would you really complain if it were something that was part of your filmography/ discography?

 

[LauraT]

But I can see what WB trying to do. They were trying to get a quirky lead who has good comedic chops and can be an action hero. Different actor, sameish templete So I can see the mind frame of WB when they got Ryan Reynolds. But it didn't work.

Yeah, as has been said many times you can see that they were trying to follow a similar template to the one Iron Man so successfully nailed. "B-List character" plus witty actor + action = new franchise. Too bad they saw a winning formula but got got wrong everything IM got right. Not that IM was necessarily a good formula for GL to follow, even if the script and CGI had been better, but I can understand what they were thinking with the recipe as it were.

I think that, once they see GL as part of this bigger team, audiences might be a little more forgiving of the GL movie and view it in a new light. Or if not a new light, then at least he'll already be out there and they can tweak his character just as Joss Whedon has done for Black Widow and even Hulk (which, although uses a different actor, is following on from TIH).

Would RR want to come back at this point? He signed on probably thinking GL would do a RDJ or Hugh Jackman etc to his career and it didn't work out like that. I know he was signed for multiple movies but does that option for DCE expire after a period of time? TBH I wasn't a big fan of his Hal Jordan, although I don't blame him as much as I do other factors.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

You said "Hal Jordan isn't Tony Stark" and I said I didn't feel like Reynolds' Hal was like Downey's Stark. In fact I think one of the biggest drawbacks of Reynolds' Hal is they didn't let him chew the scenery a bit. He become the emo misanthrope, and he had the hero persona of Spider-Man. There was zero edge at all from his character. Tony has edge. Kind of the perpetual chip that makes him act like a pompous blowhard. Heck, even Affleck had more edge. They made Hal Jordan such a milksop.

I mean the plots are very similar though.

I mean just because Hal's a womanizer who is irresponsible isn't Tony Stark-ish, it's Hal Jordan-ish. That's Hal Jordan from day one basically.

Except that's what Campbell wanted (and admitted to) but failed to capture thanks to the script and lack of creativity. Campbell was trying to make Green Lantern appeal to the Iron Man crowd.

A cocky, irresponsible, smart-mouthed, womanizing individual who has to overcome his own personal shortcomings and/or demons to become a hero.

Yeah, that doesn't like Iron Man at all. Granted, Hal Jordan retained some Emo qualities but nothing significant to stray away from the hot-shot angle.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

Of course. But Nolan did openly object to having "his" Batman in Justice League: Mortal, and that damaged the movie.

No, it didn't. WB was still pushing for the movie to be made (excluding Nolan's Batman was not a massive setback).

 

[protocida]

Yes, it did. The movie was planned with Christian Bale as Batman in a continuation of the storyline of Batman Begins, and Nolan's refusal to allow them to use the concepts forced them back to stage one, at which point the WGA strike and the problems with the Australian government ended the movie. Nolan was a factor of it's cancellation.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

Yes, it did. The movie was planned with Christian Bale as Batman in a continuation of the storyline of Batman Begins, and Nolan's refusal to allow them to use the concepts forced them back to stage one, at which point the WGA strike and the problems with the Australian government ended the movie. Nolan was a factor of it's cancellation.

Dude, Hammer was already casted as Batman at that point. Bale not joining the cast was not a setback.

The writers never asked permission to use concepts from Nolan's Universe. However, they should have known writing a story using Batman Begins would anger Nolan considering he made it clear that his Batman was the only hero in his universe.

Nolan didn't kill Justice League: Mortal. The writers did that themselves.

 

[solidsnake86]

Yes, it did. The movie was planned with Christian Bale as Batman in a continuation of the storyline of Batman Begins, and Nolan's refusal to allow them to use the concepts forced them back to stage one, at which point the WGA strike and the problems with the Australian government ended the movie. Nolan was a factor of it's cancellation.

You can't really fault Nolan because even though he likes to say he only thinks of one film at a time its obvious they had ideas for a third movie which JLM was using talia.

The strike was another big factor and I think what put the nail in the coffin was TDK's surprising box office. At that point, financially speaking, the box office of batman begins and superman returns weren't exactly spider-man numbers. So I see why WB wanted to try a justice league film.

 

[Dark Raven]

Dude, Hammer was already casted as Batman at that point. Bale not joining the cast was not a setback.

The writers never asked permission to use concepts from Nolan's Universe. However, they should have known writing a story using Batman Begins would anger Nolan considering he made it clear that his Batman was the only hero in his universe.

Nolan didn't kill Justice League: Mortal. The writers did that themselves.

Now that Batman has worked with Catwoman in TDKR, that's already a small step in the direction of Batman not being the only hero. Sure, Catwoman may not be a full hero, but at least Nolan has gotten used to the idea of Batman not working alone.

Since he will no longer be working on the trilogy, it's not like he owns the character. Therefore WB should be able to do what they like, even with the Batman of TDK world.

 

[protocida]

I'm not blaming Nolan for the end of Justice League: Mortal, but he had a participation in it. That's not bad, but it happened.

 

[solidsnake86]

I'm not blaming Nolan for the end of Justice League: Mortal, but he had a participation in it. That's not bad, but it happened.

Oh that I know, I'm pretty sure there were reports he was unhappy, and frankly when he delivers a movie like inception that makes a lot of money, its best not to sour that relationship with him.

I agree with you, he was one factor that contributed to it among other things.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

Now that Batman has worked with Catwoman in TDKR, that's already a small step in the direction of Batman not being the only hero. Sure, Catwoman may not be a full hero, but at least Nolan has gotten used to the idea of Batman not working alone.

What's funny about Selina Kyle in TDKR is that Nolan and Anne have yet to describe her as a Hero. In fact, from everything we've read and seen, there's a pretty good chance that Selina will be an Anti-Hero who joins Batman because Bane's views are far too extreme.

Since he will no longer be working on the trilogy, it's not like he owns the character. Therefore WB should be able to do what they like, even with the Batman of TDK world.

Bingo. Nolan had leverage but he was never in full control of the character.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

I highly suspect if the Justice League movie starts moving forward shortly Bale will be a part of it. I mean assuming TDKR isn't a complete failure like SM3 or something, but I don't see it being that way. Bale is still a young actor and frankly, if they are going to market Justice League to make Avengers money they'll want Bale onboard because of his previous franchise's numbers. It's a win-win for them, and hey, Nolan probably won't be director and with a different editing team and creative vision maybe they'll finally get Bale to stop pretending he has throat cancer (and maybe overhaul his costume a bit as well).

 

[Dragon_316ca]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055216

According sources close to the development process, the studio learned that when making a superhero pic, it needs to tap creatives that genuinely understand the characters the way Joss Whedon was comfortable with "The Avengers".

DC Execs are excitedly discussing all of the projects in motion with the major exception of its films.

The main reason: Christopher Nolan. With the filmmaker having relaunched Batman, and producing Superman pic, WB has increasingly put more control of its DC films in Nolan's hands.

That's similar to how WB entrusted producer David Heyman with all eight "Harry Potter" films.

Nolan has long preferred not to talk about his projects until their release, preserving some of that "movie magic" for the bigscreen.

It's why only one image of Henry Cavill as Superman has been released so far, with the first official footage of "Man of Steel" likely to play at Comic-Con in San Diego next month.

Warner Bros. isn't expected to make any concrete moves on the DC film front until after the third Batpic opens on July 20. Putting so much power in Nolan's hands is an interesting move -- especially as the filmmaker does not have a first-look deal at the studio. Still, WB is showing signs of veering into adventurous creative territory.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

Throat cancer? Dude, the Batvoice is awesome. They just took it overboard in TDK during post-production. I hardly think it'll be an issue in TDKR.

I severely doubt we'll see Bale in the Batsuit again. Christian has already committed to 3-4 films.

 

[Octoberist]

Throat cancer? Dude, the Batvoice is awesome. They just took it overboard in TDK during post-production. I hardly think it'll be an issue in TDKR.

I severely doubt we'll see Bale in the Batsuit again. Christian has already committed to 3-4 films.

I think there were some scenes when the voice got overwhelming (Like in the third act with his conversation with Joker, then Two-Face/Gordon) but I think most people can tolerate it. It's iconic now, maybe for the wrong reasons, but now it's a part of pop culture.

 

[Octoberist]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055216

People are afraid of 'realism' and blah, but I think they want Nolan to create some QUALITY CONTROL but still let individual directors do their thing. That's how I see it.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055216

Hmmmm, if true, I knew this was coming. Nolan rebuilt Batman and brought him into the Golden Era and according to Gill, MoS has pleased WB executives very much so. So, this was a logical move by WB to give Nolan more influence and creative power to it's DC's properties.

The Governor isn't going anywhere. Great move by WB.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

People are afraid of 'realism' and blah, but I think they want Nolan to create some QUALITY CONTROL but still let individual directors do their thing. That's how I see it.

That's how I see it too. This is fantastic news, in my opinion.

 

[Octoberist]

It's smart, and it shows that perhaps, they need a guy like that just to guide it. Or Jonah.

I'm in the mind that he won't do the hiring of directors or writers, but he'll have suggestions. I'm sure he'll give out notes with scripts, but overall, the director(s) chosen will steer their respective ship.

 

[Octoberist]

That's why I hope Nolan can suggest Duncan Jones to WB when the time comes, since he was considered at one point for Man of Steel.

 

[craigdbfan]

Very good news if you ask me. WB is going to offer everything to Nolan.

It'll be worth it though. Jonah should be heavily involved as well. Heck even throw Goyer in there if he's game for it. Those three together ride the same wave when it comes to these characters.

Even Jonah and Goyer being the headmasters of all this would be great.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

I think there were some scenes when the voice got overwhelming (Like in the third act with his conversation with Joker, then Two-Face/Gordon) but I think most people can tolerate it. It's iconic now, maybe for the wrong reasons, but now it's a part of pop culture.

Definitely. I hated the voice during the Falcone interrogation and the final confrontation between The Joker and Bats. It was indeed overwhelming. Hopefully Nolan took easy with the Batvoice this time around.

Bale sounded much better in Terminator Salvation and Batman Begins.

 

[Kyle Rayner]

Except that's what Campbell wanted (and admitted to) but failed to capture thanks to the script and lack of creativity. Campbell was trying to make Green Lantern appeal to the Iron Man crowd.

A cocky, irresponsible, smart-mouthed, womanizing individual who has to overcome his own personal shortcomings and/or demons to become a hero.

Yeah, that doesn't like Iron Man at all. Granted, Hal Jordan retained some Emo qualities but nothing significant to stray away from the hot-shot angle.

DA, from a POV of a military member, fighter pilots are like Tom Cruise's Maverick. The cocky-smarth-ass attitude is normal for them and Prime is right. Reynolds came off as a emo Peter Parker.

 

[Octoberist]

BTW, that Variety article linked is blocked by their paywall, but there's A LOT MORE TO THE ARTICLE not posted here, included talks of Flash, Suicide Squad, Green Arrow, etc movies.