The Hypothetical DCEU Reboot Discussion Thread

[THE WOLF]

Cancel the DCEU. Expand the Arrowverse. Problem solved.

Nah

 

[Osiris-Rex]

WB has one of two options IMO if this goes sour. 1) Reboot from scratch and create a division within the company specifically for superhero films, whoever heads that division has full executive power to make the day to day decisions for the overall universe. 2) Revert to separate universes for the characters and allow film makers the chance to bring their vision to the screen like they did with Chris Nolan. Either scenario requires someone in charge, at the moment there is no one in charge.

I thought that was the whole purpose of Warner Bros. creating DC Films and making Geoff Johns the president of that company. Too separate the DC Comics based movies from the rest of the WB movies and
concentrate exclusively on DC Comics based movies. What you are describing is exactly what Warner Bros. already did.

I think starting over is a major step backwards. Might as well scrap everything and wait 5-10 years and try again later.

And lose out on the billions of dollars they won't be making in those years, that Disney will be making? If it comes down to that, just scrap everything right now and start over right now.
If these new movies are then any good most people won't care.

And you can always recast Batman if Affleck wants out. I think that's no problem whatsoever.

Batman is bigger than any one actor anyway. If the actor they cast and the movie is any good most people won't care. I know I won't care.

 

[jmc]

I thought that was the whole purpose of Warner Bros. creating DC Films and making Geoff Johns the president of that company. Too separate the DC Comics based movies from the rest of the WB movies and
concentrate exclusively on DC Comics based movies. What you are describing is exactly what Warner Bros. already did.

Johns clearly has no power to do anything over there at the moment. I'm talking about someone who has completed control over the division.

 

[BH/HHH]

After some thought, this is purely hypothetical while I love the DCEU and DCCW I still enjoy been (hypothetically) in charge of the destiny of my favourite characters. So I am taking into account with my hypothetical reboot of DC that in my scenario both the DCEU and DCCW have ended. The DCEU with Justice League (so no Aquaman, Gotham City Sirens, etc), the DCCW shows have all ended their runs (although I'm also only creating a movie universe, not a television one).

Ok my pitch is this, Knowing (in my hypothetical scenario) that we have failed at a shared universe of DC characters I play it safe. Batman and Superman are DCs biggest characters, so we first start building a Batman Universe and after the first film we begin to create a new series of Superman films, which could also potentially build a smaller film universe of Superman characters (Supergirl, Superboy, etc). There would be no origin stories for our two heroes, right now everyone knows them so there is no need to retread those story points (also ignore my terrible titles). I wouldn't rule out these films existing in the same universe either as after a few years it would be possible to unite them and also in the meantime try out some of the smaller heroes. Also with the popularity of TV shows such as the Flash and Arrow after a few years it would be interesting to explore cinematic versions of such characters. All roles would be recast in this universe, with new actors. My last point before I begin would be for WBs to watch their budgets on these films, even as a fan of the DCEU I feel the budgets were way too big. I would use bigger budgets for the Superman and Batman movies (although not as big as currently) and other lesser known characters would get budgets smaller to that. So here goes:

2020

The Batman Release: March/April

A Batman vs Joker movie, one which involves the origin of Harley Quinn with flashbacks to the Joker's origin as a parallel to the Harley's origin. This Batman is about two-three years into his career and he is training a young Dick Grayson who wants to partner with him. By the films end the two would unite to save Gotham as Batman and Robin.

Superman Release: August

This would be a traditional Superman movie, Lois wouldn't know the secret, he would be pals with Jimmy Olsen. The two would be friendly rivals at the Daily Planet. The villains would be Lex Luthor (the corporate version) and Parasite (created by Luthor), Superman would also be dealing with Intergang. He would have a STAS/comic book Fortress of Solitude (no Zoo however) with the statue of Jor El and Lara.

2021 would contain no movies but Comic Con would contain the trailer for the next DC film aswell as announcements for the next Batman and Superman films aswell as Gotham City Sirens.

2022

DCs Dark Universe Release: October

This would be unconnected to the Batman and Superman movies. It would be the first experiment at something different and if it panned out would have sequels etc. I would take an X-Men First Class approach to this in that it would have a tighter budget and would only be a fairly small team.

2023

Superman: War World Release: June

This film would be Lobo coming to Earth after been hired by Mongul to bring Superman to War World. This would be very similar to Superman the Animated Series episodes 'The Main Man' with Mongul taking the Collector role double crossing Lobo.

Batman: Dark Reckoning Release: October

This film would see an older Dick Grayson emerge in his guise as Robin as Batman's partner. Whilst they deal with both the Riddler and Catwoman. Also this one would introduce Batgirl, who would be independent as a crime fighter with Barbara Gordon taking the Batman concept and spinning it into her own.

2024

Gotham City Sirens Release: March

Yep I've totally stolen this one from the current DC slate but it's a great idea for a movie. Catwoman and Harley had both been introduced in the two previous Batman movies and it's a case of introducing the third member Poison Ivy and the Birds of Prey. Members of which would be Batgirl, Black Canary and the Huntress. Batman and Joker would cameo.

The Flash Release: Late Summer

The film would have the Rogues as the villains, Boomerang, Heatwave and Captain Cold. Each would be taken down individually by the Flash at some point in the film but they would team up to take down the Flash in the final third of the movie.

2025

The Green Arrow Release: March/April

This would follow a non linear approach same as the series did, the villain would be Deathstroke. It would take cues from the Arrow TV series storyline between the two.

DCs Dark Universe Sequel Release: Summer

This would of course depend on the reception to the first film otherwise it could be replaced by something else.

2026

Batman: Arkham Release: March/April

This film would centre on Batman rescuing (someone) who had been captured by the inmates at Arkham Aslyum. Dick now a few years older is frustrated that Batman benches him on this one and goes against his orders this ends with Dick quitting the Robin mantle. The main villain of the film would be Two Face (maybe again we have brief flashbacks to how he turned the way he did), other villains would cameo like the Joker, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy etc.

Superman Brainiac Release: Summer

The Superman Brainiac story arc from Geoff John's would be the main inspiration here. This would also serve as an origin story for Supergirl

2027

Green Lantern Corps Release: Spring

Hal Jordan buddies up with John Stewart, the newest recruit to the Green Lantern Corp. They along with other Green Lanterns such as Sinestro, Kilowog and Tomar Re would take on the Manhunters

JLA Release: Late Summer

Martian Manhunter would travel to Earth to unite Earth's greatest heroes to take on the White Martians who after taking over Mars would now want to do the same to Earth. The heroes would have to get over their differences to unite. It would play out a little like Justice League War in that the heroes wouldn't really hugely aware of each other and would think Batman is a myth. Wonder Woman would debut here much like she did in the Justice League cartoon.

2028

The Flash II Release: March

This film would see Barry Allen finally uncover the mystery of the death of his Mother where he would take on the villainous Reverse Flash. Wally West would debut, in the finale with Wally now a speedster the two would defeat Reverse Flash.

Titans Release: Summer

Dick Grayson in a search to find himself now he's left the Robin mantle behind would befriend Victor Stone. The film would feature Vic's origin and the finale would have him debut as Cyborg. Dick would unite the Titans to take on a major threat and reveal himself as Nightwing. Deathstroke was be an antagonist in the movie also. Batman, Green Arrow and the Flash would cameo.

2029

Birds of Prey

Here the Birds of Prey would return, but they'd have to deal with a huge threat and call in help from Supergirl. At the end of the film Black Canary would leave the team, post credits would see her approached by Bruce Wayne in a bar to do something for him.

Green Arrow Supermax

The Green Arrow would be captured and locked up in the Supermax prison that holds meta human prisoners along with the likes of Lex Luthor. Amanda Waller would be a behind the scenes antagonist. Black Canary recruited by the Justice League would break Oliver out in the finale.

2030

Supergirl

This film would take cues from the series, Supergirl would be recruited to the DEO. The head of the DEO would be Jonn J'onnz. As Kara she is adjusting to a new life in Smallville living with the Kent's. Superman would appear throughout.

JLA II

This film would be the Throne of Atlantis storyline with the debut of Aquaman.

2031

Wonder Woman

Diana returns to Themiscrya, although she doesn't receive a warm welcome return. Before she has had chance to reunite with everyone she must save her island from the villain Hades. By the films end she is banned from returning to Paradise Island. She returns to the Watchtower where she talks to Jonn J'onnz at the films end.

Task Force X

This would be a heist movie, Amanda Waller weary of the meta human threat would put together a task force to retrieve vital information aswell as a weapon (Atlantean) from the Justice League Watchtower. This would be like the episode in Justice League but on a larger scale. JL members would appear in cameos.


And so on it continues...

 

[STARMAN]

You really put a lot of time and thought into it, BH.

 

[sweetre15]

The Matrix's Kym Barrett attached as Aquaman's costume designer:

http://comicbook.com/2017/02/21/matrix-costume-designer-tabbed-for-aquaman/

 

[BH/HHH]

You really put a lot of time and thought into it, BH.

Sadly I did

Had a draft of it for days and when I've had some spare time I've added bits to it, etc.

 

[STARMAN]

I figured you wouldn't have the time since you have a newborn.

Anyway, I read all of it with interest.

I'm too lazy to come up with an entire reboot.

 

[BH/HHH]

I figured you wouldn't have the time since you have a newborn.

Anyway, I read all of it with interest.

I'm too lazy to come up with an entire reboot.

Haha yeah that why it took me a few nights t:

Any feedback?

I enjoy rebooting/remaking films in my mind. It's actually annoying in some ways cause I'm never holey satisfied with anything aside from a handful of films which I think are perfect the way they are (Halloween, Jaws, Robocop, maybe a few others). So I always remake parts in my mind etc.

 

[STARMAN]

I like what you did with the Batman trilogy. Both the inclusion of Robin and Arkham. Same thing with Flash. I like your Titans movie over a Cyborg film.

As for Superman, I'm still so desperate for MOS 2 that I'm holding off any idea of a full Superman reboot. I like that you included Johns' Brainiac storyline. As well as mentioning Mongul.

 

[Slade W]

Haha yeah that why it took me a few nights t:

Any feedback?

I enjoy rebooting/remaking films in my mind. It's actually annoying in some ways cause I'm never holey satisfied with anything aside from a handful of films which I think are perfect the way they are (Halloween, Jaws, Robocop, maybe a few others). So I always remake parts in my mind etc.

Deathstroke better be the main villain in the Teen Titans movie in addition to the Green Arrow one you put him in .

 

[BH/HHH]

I like what you did with the Batman trilogy. Both the inclusion of Robin and Arkham. Same thing with Flash. I like your Titans movie over a Cyborg film.

As for Superman, I'm still so desperate for MOS 2 that I'm holding off any idea of a full Superman reboot. I like that you included Johns' Brainiac storyline. As well as mentioning Mongul.

Thanks

Haha but in my hypothetical world it's all rebooted t:

Deathstroke better be the main villain in the Teen Titans movie in addition to the Green Arrow one you put him in .

I was going to write him as the villain alongside another threat but I got bored of writing even minor storylines so made them abit more generic haha. In my mind I have Deathstroke put into the Supermax prison where he breaks out and shows up in Titans. In my Green Arrow II (which I didn't add on yet) it's the Oliver locked up in the Supermax prison unknowingly by Amanda Waller. Black Canary would break him out at the films climax and she would recruit him for the JL.

 

[Bebop Cowboy]

What WB could do is use Justice League 2 to be the clearing of the decks in a sense.

Then everything made after it like Man of Steel 2 for example, can all have a whole new style with new directors etc to move away from the Snyderverse.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

I wouldn't mind ditching JL entirely and going with the following:

Batman and Robin (Dick Grayson origin story)
Batman and Robin 2 (Nightwing and Jason Todd origin story)
Batman and Robin 3 (Red Hood and Tim Drake origin story)

Superman Sequels
- v Brainiac
- v power suit Lex Luthor
- v Metallo/Bizarro

Green Lantern done right...

 

[DrCosmic]

I really like what you've done BH/HHH. It's doable, has a modest two films a year, and covers the big things, while taking advantage of the best parts of the DCEU and DCCW. I too appreciate the DCCW for several reasons, and including the best parts of Flash and Arrow, is a smart move. Not redoing origins for the big two is very smart, though I wouldn't lead with them, I can definitely understand why someone would, and I think the thing I'd do most differently would be creating a vivid TV Universe.

There are a lot of things I'd do just the same. Your Flash series is the same as my Flash film series, and my Arrow would be similar, and it's hard to argue with Supergirl too loudly. While I'm not as excited about the title personally, Justice League Dark is a good thing to keep, and renaming it Dark Universe is a great move. I think Gotham City Sirens is silly, and it that really should be a Birds of Prey series, which, again, is a weird movie franchise, and kinda shows how big the Batman universe is, compared to the Superman one, much less anyone else's (except maybe GL).

I started working on my take, and with the TV aspect in there, it gets really, really large, so I may have to try and post that later.

 

[Jochimus]

What I wouldn't mind seeing:

* A proper stand-alone Superman franchise that aims the character a little younger than is the norm for the movies --- and is designed for the express purpose of taking Warner Brothers' apparent three-decades-and-counting aversion to doing any real justice to Superman and the mythos that surrounds him on the BIG screen and giving it an old-fashioned super-powered Smallville High kick right in the ***damn nuts. And it starts with something crazier and more ambitious than any Superman movie to date, made or unmade: a time-travel-heavy Legion of Superheroes story set during Clark's senior year of high school following Pa Kent's death, complete with the original Brainiac (in addition to his chip-on-his-shoulder descendant) with a temporally-plucked Terra-Man as his bionic henchman, and a climactic showdown in present-day downtown Metropolis which sees the city transformed by Brainiac from another guest-shot by the City of New York or Vancouver into a 100% Fritz-Langed City Of Tomorrow. I'd even get Lana into the act as Insect Queen, too, in a last-ditch effort to rescue that irreversibly-miniaturized city of surviving Kryptonians Brainiac's got stored away on his skullship.
* Concurrent to Superman's stand-alone franchise, I'd have Batman in The Brave & The Bold as a team-up franchise pairing him with a different super-powered non-alien DC hero in each film, against either one of their rogues, or one of Bats' more super-human ones, or a tag-team of both. That doesn't mean I'd exclude space-faring heroes entirely in the pairing, just alien ones - J'onn J'onzz and Katar Hol would probably be out, but Adam Strange and/or (insert Earth-born Green Lantern of your choice here) would still be fair game. This would expediate the expansion of this particular cinematic world pretty significantly, and that would just be on Earth. Also, by having Bats play straight man to a hero as different from him as night is to day, this would allow a natural margin for more humor to be injected into the proceedings without betraying the tone of Batman's character and environment.
* Beyond that, Wonder Woman would still need her own stand-alone franchise, set in the present day. And yes, I would want that invisible plane in there somewhere, by cracky --- I don't give a flying fart how pants-crapping loony it is.

 

[BH/HHH]

I really like what you've done BH/HHH. It's doable, has a modest two films a year, and covers the big things, while taking advantage of the best parts of the DCEU and DCCW. I too appreciate the DCCW for several reasons, and including the best parts of Flash and Arrow, is a smart move. Not redoing origins for the big two is very smart, though I wouldn't lead with them, I can definitely understand why someone would, and I think the thing I'd do most differently would be creating a vivid TV Universe.

There are a lot of things I'd do just the same. Your Flash series is the same as my Flash film series, and my Arrow would be similar, and it's hard to argue with Supergirl too loudly. While I'm not as excited about the title personally, Justice League Dark is a good thing to keep, and renaming it Dark Universe is a great move. I think Gotham City Sirens is silly, and it that really should be a Birds of Prey series, which, again, is a weird movie franchise, and kinda shows how big the Batman universe is, compared to the Superman one, much less anyone else's (except maybe GL).

I started working on my take, and with the TV aspect in there, it gets really, really large, so I may have to try and post that later.

Thank you, if only they'd put me in charge

I will be adding more at somepoint too.

Well please do I would love to read it

 

[Micromind]

Cancel the DCEU. Expand the Arrowverse. Problem solved.

It's amusing that on one side you have WB moving full steam ahead with DC movies like they have never done before and on other side there are fans like the post above, who want WB to just cancel the whole thing.

Never thought that fans will feel this way.

 

[Micromind]

I don't want WB to go back to the time when they just made separate solo movie franchises for Batman, Superman and other characters.

I mean we have seen such "separate solo movies for each character" since Donner's Superman movies, Burton's Batman movies.

Even Green Lantern (2011) was a separate solo movie, as was Jonah Hex and Constantine.

I don't want the same thing.

 

[BH/HHH]

It's amusing that on one side you have WB moving full steam ahead with DC movies like they have never done before and on other side there are fans like the post above, who want WB to just cancel the whole thing.

Never thought that fans will feel this way.

You know it's interesting cause the DCCW Universe (or Arrowverse as its often known) is my absolute favourite shared live action comic book universe but there's no way I'd want the to cancel the DCEU to expand it into the movies. I like how different all the live action universes are.

 

[smallville fan]

Cancel the DCEU. Expand the Arrowverse. Problem solved.

The DCEU and the Arrowverse are two subpar universes that both succeed where the other fails

Well they could end the Arrowverse on TV with Earth-Arrow/Flash/Legends merging with Earth-Supergirl forming a new Earth resembling one more closer to the comics and only the main casts of each show remember the events. From there, you start off a new soft-rebooted movie series keeping the casts but now they all have bigger budgets with maybe new costumes etc and make it in a way that's accessible to new audiences.

Probability of that occurring though: 0.000000001%

I had another idea in another thread where DC phases out the Justice League as the "It DC Superhero team" and instead set themselves apart from Marvel(which seems to be the entire aim of their cinematic universe) by pushing forth Teenage superheroes like the Teen Titans/Young Justice in live action.

If there were a DC Movie reboot to ever happen, how about making the Teen Titans/Young Justice line-up the flag ship DC Movie "It team" as a way to set themselves apart from Marvel? Then you have the adults like Superman/Batman etc act as supporting characters who eventually get their own movies with folk from the Teen Titans movies as supporting characters in those and then we go from there?

Unless Marvel wants to give Spidey a team in a Young Avengers movie or make a Champions movie this looks like it could be a really viable and new route to take in terms of superhero movies as most of the big ones tend to focus on the adults. And before anyone says X-Men, that franchise looks like it's tapping the R-Rated audience with Logan and Deadpool. If Power Rangers becomes a massive success either now or later, I could see more studios opting to jump in on the trend of teenage superheroes.

The most certain way to make a reboot happen though and hopefully make good DC movies again, is to wait for a young filmmaker who loved the Timmverse and anything written by Paul Dini to take over as said with some quotes from this article:
DC FILMMAKERS NEED TO LEAVE ’80S COMICS BEHIND

"I’ve already talked about how comic book movies are most successful when they’re true to the source material, and about my hope that the big screen version of The Flash be the bright light in what’s shaping up to be the DCEU’s dark filmic tunnel. I think I’ve boiled my feelings down to a single crux: DC movies will always be dark as long as Miller and Moore devotees are making them, and once they start getting made by people who grew up watching the Bruce Timm/Paul Dini Batman: The Animated Series universe, we’ll finally see movies that don’t rely on the most dour of everything."

"But one day, friends, once the men and women currently in their late 20s and early 30s who grew up as boys and girls who watched the Timmverse get to take hold of the filmmaking, we might actually see stories told that can be universal, relatable, and wholly uncynical make it to the big screen. Schumacher’s Batman was played by Adam West; Snyder’s Batman was drawn by Frank Miller; our Batman was animated."

What's that old song? "I believe the children are our future"?

 

[ManWithNoName18]

You know post JL reception, I think a soft reboot or not referencing old stuff will happen.

They can go a lot of different directions with Flashpoint,

but I don't think you got to make an explanation for any changes they make.

 

[Silvermoth]

It's too hard to reboot now. You would have to kill the universe and then wait ten years for another go. By then comic book movies might be over.

They're on the right track. They just need to stick on it and away from the dark stuff

 

[Frodo]

In one form or another, its gonna be rebooted.

That's where its going , whether its emphasis solo films which remain separate , whether its recasting or out and out rebooting Batman and Superman, which I think is likely regardless of public statements right now, whether its a shift to elseworlds filmmaker driven films, its going to be rebooted.

WW is safe, but if Aquaman stinks , he's gone too. Flashpoint? Forgetta about it.

We will be getting a reboot of some sort.

 

[batman44]

At one point I was more a salvage this universe type guy, but now I say blow it up. It's unfortunate because I will likely be losing actors I rather enjoyed in certain roles *coughCavillcough*. The big dilemma is WW (which on her own is a success) and Aquaman which just wrapped filming. I would treat everything not Wonder Woman and Aquaman as if they never existed and continue from there.

So Reeves' Batman isn't bogged down by anything prior but still in a cinematic universe with other DC characters. Superman can be rebooted in the middle or early in his career, give Flash/ Green Lantern a proper solo. Only when these characters are established do you go for a Justice League movie and expand the DC universe with lesser known characters.