WB/DC: It's All Part Of The Plan

[FilmNerdJamie]

By the time Dan & Mike made their first pitch for the sequel, it was crystal clear that it wouldn't make its original 2009 release when WB badly needed it. Bryan was already in deep prep on Valkyrie during the time he was supposed to be working on the Superman sequel, and with an opposing studio no less. The WGA Strike was looming and the studio was attempting to ready multiple projects for their Summer 2009 slate.

At that point, they were less interested in playing ball simply because they thought they had their bases covered with Justice League: Mortal to fill in that slot.

 

[KalMart]

We should consider ourselves pretty lucky that none of that came to fruition, no?

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

Depends on who you ask. Some people are still pining for Justice League: Mortal. Yeah, I know. Odd.

 

[KalMart]

Did the JL thing present certain compatibility issues for Nolan's Batman as well?

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

Pretty much. It was originally written to play off both Batman Begins and Superman Returns with the intention of Bale and Routh to headline JL:M.

Knowing that Routh was a guarantee to agree, they went to Bale (who was working on The Dark Knight at the time) who basically said, "****.No."

 

[SuperDaniel]

They should just wait until all the characters are adressed in solo origin movies to make Justice League. At least Superman and Green Lantern need a solo origin movie.

 

[The Guard]

Knowing that Routh was a guarantee to agree, they went to Bale (who was working on The Dark Knight at the time) who basically said, "****.No."

That's odd. Bale said he was never approached for JUSTICE LEAGUE.

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

Well, he was approached.

 

[Dark Knight]

Repost.....Lol

Are you ready Show?

It's time to move the Supes forums into the DC Comics movie forums buddy!

No new developments with the supposed next Superman film and no minor or major announcements are pending or expected. The Supes forums have become a repetitive forum that just goes around in circles.

Aren't you dizzy yet?

Move it! LOL

 

[Double Down]

Well, he was approached.

Are you trying to say someone in Hollywood wasn't being 100% truthful? That is ludicrous!

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

Are you trying to say someone in Hollywood wasn't being 100% truthful? That is ludicrous!

 

[KalMart]

Pretty much. It was originally written to play off both Batman Begins and Superman Returns with the intention of Bale and Routh to headline JL:M.

Thank....GOD....it didn't happen.

Knowing that Routh was a guarantee to agree, they went to Bale (who was working on The Dark Knight at the time) who basically said, "****.No."

See above. t:

 

[The Guard]

Well, he was approached.

That's odd. Bale said he was never approached for JUSTICE LEAGUE.

And one wonders how JUSTICE LEAGUE was to play off SUPERMAN RETURNS. Perhaps Talia Al Ghul was going to build an evil continent and...

or do you just mean those were the actors it was intended to feature?

 

[Excel]

Obviously W.B. wouldnt seriously consider having 2 different live action Batmans at once. If JLM was as far along in preproduction as we were lead to believe, clearly they were hoping Bale would be their Batman.

 

[batman strikes]

But Armie Hammer was cast as Batman for Justice League: Mortal, in fact they had the whole League cast for the movie and costumes and sets made.

 

[Excel]

That was more of a joke than anything, I would guess. There was no way w.b. would let that film get made with ARMIE HAMMER as Batman over Bale, espec. with TDK right around the corner. It would have been a laughing stock upon release in 2009.

 

[KalMart]

It's still hilarious.

 

[batman strikes]

I agree that it would of been stupid to have Armie Hammer play Batman in a movie right after Christian Bale, but even Armie Hammer said in interviews that he was so close to playing the part he that they even had a costume made for him. Of course the writer's strike and The Dark Knight greatfully stopped this movie from happening.

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

The notion that Warner Brothers "wouldnt seriously consider having 2 different live action Batmans at once" is crap. Costumes were designed and made, sets were built and actors were cast for Justice League: Mortal including Armie Hammer as Batman with a Summer 2009 officially announced twice.

Was it stupid? Beyond description. But they were serious about keeping the Batman, Superman and Justice League franchises as seperate film-series even with the different actors, continuities, etc.

A combination of common-sense and the fear of pissing off Nolan and the Batman team (who made it crystal clear they would walk from the franchise if JL:M were to move forward) changed matters.

 

[BestGirl]

Pretty much. It was originally written to play off both Batman Begins and Superman Returns with the intention of Bale and Routh to headline JL:M.

Knowing that Routh was a guarantee to agree, they went to Bale (who was working on The Dark Knight at the time) who basically said, "****.No."

I can see Bale saying this. JL has never seemed to me like the kind of project that he would agree to star in.

 

[MadVillainy]

^^^I agree. Thats why I say WB should wait to do a JL film (if they want to include Batman) after Bale has finished his run be that the next film or 3 more films away

 

[stargazer]

Obviously W.B. wouldnt seriously consider having 2 different live action Batmans at once. If JLM was as far along in preproduction as we were lead to believe, clearly they were hoping Bale would be their Batman.

But they did, along with 2 different live action Supermen.

I can see Bale saying this. JL has never seemed to me like the kind of project that he would agree to star in.

Who knows.. after all, he accepted being part of a movie directed by McG..

 

[Dark Knight]

But they did, along with 2 different live action Supermen.




Who knows.. after all, he accepted being part of a movie directed by McG..

Bale originally didn't want to do Terminator, but I think WB's offered more base money than he made on BB and maybe even TDK....plus Bale got some rewrites that he requested from Jonah Nolan.

 

[Smit84]

I think it's only rumor that Nolan was pissed about Justice League. In an interview he said he was too busy to pay atttention to it.

As for the Superman sequel I've posted this before but I really think Singer just didn't want to do a Superman sequel. He envisioned Superman Returns as a stand alone story that would pay homage to Superman The Movie, which Singer reiterated in all of his interviews. I think his whole "Wrath of Kahn" for the sequel talk was just a PR move when it was clear fans were dissatisfied with the movie...or at least the action.

The reason I believe this: he, Dougherty, and Harris were constantly talking about how they were working on the script and then suddenly the news reports say Dougherty and Harris "have chosen" not to write the script as though they had never begun. I also think Singer left Superman to do Valkyrie the same way he left X-men to do Superman Returns.

 

[Excel]

The fact that all it took was a pre TDK Nolan to say "Make and we're gtfo" to make W.B. cancel JLM makes me think W.B. couldnt have taken the project THAT seriously no matter what they said in announcements; Nolans pull in the summer of 2007 wasnt half of what it is now yet it was enough to get W.B. to cancel JLM.