What is DC Entertainment doing? What is their plan? - Part 1

[Kyle Rayner]

Whedon's script and his Ideas were just not good enough for the WW character, that is what both DC and WB felt and since then some fans who were aware of the Whedon's take on WW said the same thing, that his take on WW was not good.

I read some of the script and I like it, it may have needed a few tweeks here and there. Wonder Woman has never had an origin done correctly other than the Linda Carter version. Whedon has always pushed heroine character stories as oppose to you normal leading man as a superhero. WB missed the opportunity to make a great Wonder Woman film with Whedon.

 

[Tobias]

WB can move ahead with the Justice League movie plans, It does not matter whether Green Lantern was a successful movie or not here is the reason -

Unlike Thor, Iron Man and to a certain extent Captain America, General Audience does not need to see the origin movies of Batman and Superman again to make their entry into a JL movie, both Bats and Supes are well known and the fact that Green Lantern has had a solo movie recently He can be featured as a JL member. (think of him as DC equivalent of Hulk.)

As for the other two important members like The Flash and Wonder Woman, introduce them in a JL movie and then WB can make a spin off movie afterwards. A JL movie with the Big Five members can be good enough.

I think JL holds the future for WB's DC film properties - along with Batman. JL and Batman need to be the studio's focus over the next decade.

JL has the potential to be a permanent film franchise. Just as Spiderman and Batman and Bond and The Avengers are or will be. Spitting out multiple, multiple films over decades and raking in billions for WB.

JL should be the launching pad for future WB/DC solo franchises.

The first film needs to feature Batman but not focus so much on him but spotlight the the others. I'd not include Supes in JL1 but instead use that character slot to feature one of the non-big 5. Say Hawkman. You'd have Bats, WW, GL, Flash and Hawkman in the first JL. I think 5 is the upper limit for the number of team members in each film.

In the second film I'd drop Batman and Flash. Launch Flash into his own solo franchise while Batman has his ongoing solo franchise. That would allow 2 new characters to be introduced in the second film.

For those who want to see "lesser" DC characters featured on screen I think this is the only way it can happen.

At some point one of the solo franchises launched from JL will become another Iron Man and give WB it's second billion dollar solo DC franchise after Batman.

This seems like the only way forward to me. Hopefully WB is thinking this way. If Avengers breaks the billion dollar figure next year I think WB will focus on launching an ongoing/permanent JL franchise. Keeping my fingers crossed on that.

 

[The Morningstar]

I honestly don't think Green Lantern was much poorer than Marvel's superhero offerings this summer. I think it was decreed that Green Lantern would be a failure before it was even released, and so it came to pass like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Inevitably, at least one of all those superhero movies in quick succession was going to fail - it's just the law of averages. But I'm sad it was Green Lantern that had to be the one, because that was the one that had the most at stake, and the most to lose.

No... GL really was just a horrible, horrible movie.

Thor, Cap and First Class weren't perfect. But they were simply on an entirely different level to GL.

The thing all those movies had that GL didn't? Charm, emotion and great acting. GL was souless, mean spirited and had absolutely horrendous performances.

 

[batman strikes]

I read some of the script and I like it, it may have needed a few tweeks here and there. Wonder Woman has never had an origin done correctly other than the Linda Carter version. Whedon has always pushed heroine character stories as oppose to you normal leading man as a superhero. WB missed the opportunity to make a great Wonder Woman film with Whedon.

How did you get the chance to read it? Is it on the internet? I haven't read much on what Whedon had planned for his Wonder Woman movie, could you tell us a little about the story and characters in it?

 

[Kyle Rayner]

How did you get the chance to read it? Is it on the internet? I haven't read much on what Whedon had planned for his Wonder Woman movie, could you tell us a little about the story and characters in it?

Sorry, but I read it from another website on the web from this dude that had got it thru a friend, that's my fault. However, here's the link, it does sound like Wheadon's work. http://thebitterscriptreader.blogspot.com/2010/04/wonder-woman-script-review.html

It sounded really interesting, I don't know why WB didn't go with it.

 

[The Batman]

Meh. I'm not really bursting a vein over the fact that there hasnt been a Flash or JL movie (I cant wait to read the "thats cause you're a batman fan" response)

DC's comic branch can barely figure out how to sell their characters. Wonder Woman in the comics is messed up, but you expect WB to drop a big budget film? They're still trying to make Barry Allen, the Flash they WILL use if theres a film, accessible. It all starts with the comics. Thor didnt get a film treatment until his comics were successfully modernized by JMS, and GL wouldnt have gotten a film without the work Geoff Johns did in the books. When Wonder Woman, Flash, and Aquaman actually do well in the field they were created for, maybe we'll see films from them.

Oh, and any JL movie idea that excludes Batman and Superman is automatically a crappy idea.

 

[HighFivingMF]

Flash, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman were among the top 20-selling comics last month. Flash placing 4th (behind Green Lantern, Action Comics, and Batman), and being met with glowing reviews. If Manapul and his buddy can keep it up, the Scarlett Speedster could hopefully enjoy a success like Johns' Green Lantern.

 

[Thundermatts]

The coolest thing Marvel is doing is tying their films together (well, the ones they can.) and it seems odd that it doesn't even seem like DC is trying to do this. It'd be so easy for them.

 

[The Morningstar]

How would it be easy? They can't make successful superhero movies other than Batman and Superman. Marvel have had the benefit of at least 3 characters having pretty successful movies.

 

[HighFivingMF]

it doesn't even seem like DC is trying to do this.

Because they aren't.

 

[The Batman]

Flash, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman were among the top 20-selling comics last month. Flash placing 4th (behind Green Lantern, Action Comics, and Batman), and being met with glowing reviews. If Manapul and his buddy can keep it up, the Scarlett Speedster could hopefully enjoy a success like Johns' Green Lantern.

....I'm not considering the relaunches a success until a couple months, maybe even a year down the line. Like you said, we'll see.

 

[Tobias]

Meh. I'm not really bursting a vein over the fact that there hasnt been a Flash or JL movie (I cant wait to read the "thats cause you're a batman fan" response)

DC's comic branch can barely figure out how to sell their characters. Wonder Woman in the comics is messed up, but you expect WB to drop a big budget film? They're still trying to make Barry Allen, the Flash they WILL use if theres a film, accessible. It all starts with the comics. Thor didnt get a film treatment until his comics were successfully modernized by JMS, and GL wouldnt have gotten a film without the work Geoff Johns did in the books. When Wonder Woman, Flash, and Aquaman actually do well in the field they were created for, maybe we'll see films from them.

Oh, and any JL movie idea that excludes Batman and Superman is automatically a crappy idea.

Given the existing WB/DCE relationship my sense is only with a JL film will WB move to do other solo franchises. Besides Batman. Spin off a separate studio to focus on DC films and you have a whole different story. But I don't see WB doing that - yet anyway.

You are a Batman fan and you are set with the reboot for a new Bats trilogy. The rest who want to see additional characters will only get that, as I see it, through a JL franchise.

WB is not Marvel. Thor made 470 million and will likely do great on DVD. Cap made somewhat less and will likely too do great on DVD. Marvel sees this as a success and both films already are set for sequels. The fact they didn't do Iron Man numbers hasn't put Marvel at all off on the two franchises.

WB however is looking for Iron Man numbers from anything it tries and only those kind of numbers are seen as good by WB.

GL and Superman don't seem able to do the mega-numbers WB wants. So that puts WB back to square one with the rebooted Bats trilogy coming up but nothing else.

Unless they step out in faith and do JL. I am sure JL can do Iron Man numbers. It can spawn solo franchises one of which will surprise and do mega-numbers. I dunno which DC character can do that. It may not be Flash or WW but a "lesser" character. I think Hawkman has Iron Man potential.

Batman needs to be in the first JL. But not take up too much screen time. Having Superman in it would make that situation worse with the big two taking away critical story-telling time from the other superheros. Batman is a big draw and needs to be in JL but instead of Superman it seems wiser to me to give that precious screentime to develop the other characters. I think this is critical if JL is going to work as a launching pad for solo DC film franchises.

 

[The Batman]

You are a Batman fan and you are set with the reboot for a new Bats trilogy.

Stopped reading right there.

I cant take people seriously after they try and throw my screenname in my face...like it means anything...other than it being my screenname.

The fact that I predicted it and someone still mentioned it is just hilariously sad.

 

[The Batman]

Because they aren't.

And they shouldnt. DC is not Marvel.

I especially wouldnt want to see Superman and Batman films doing that ****. Part of the reason Marvel can do it is because guys like Thor, Iron Man, and Cap arent big like Spidey and X-Men. Iron Man being a hit AND connected to Thor/IM/Cap/Hulk helped the latter movies.

 

[HighFivingMF]

He's a Batman fan... Yeah, so what? Isn't every DC fan a Batman fan pretty much?

 

[Tobias]

He's a Batman fan... Yeah, so what? Isn't every DC fan a Batman fan pretty much?

My comment was mis-interpreted. It was in no way a dig at Batman as a character or Batman fans.

It's great to be a Batman fan. I am one too. Probably most DC fans are.

I am excited for the Bats reboot and that the Bats film franchise will likely be going strong 25 years from now.

My point was that DC fans are fans too of Flash, WW, Aquaman and other DC characters such as Hawkman. I think most DC fans would love to see some of these other DC characters on the big screen too.

Given WB's expectations for what a DC film needs to make to be worth turning into a franchise, I think the most probable way to get WB to do solo films for Hawkman or Flash or whomever is through a mega-successful JL franchise.

Given the current WB/DCE arrangement.

The better way to make this happen is, I think, for WB to create a seperate basically independent subsidiary studio dedicated to making DC films and let them run free. That doesn't look like it going to happen anytime soon though.

Hope that clarifies what what I meant - sorry for offending anyone.

 

[Docker2.0]

Given the existing WB/DCE relationship my sense is only with a JL film will WB move to do other solo franchises. Besides Batman. Spin off a separate studio to focus on DC films and you have a whole different story. But I don't see WB doing that - yet anyway.

You are a Batman fan and you are set with the reboot for a new Bats trilogy. The rest who want to see additional characters will only get that, as I see it, through a JL franchise.

WB is not Marvel. Thor made 470 million and will likely do great on DVD. Cap made somewhat less and will likely too do great on DVD. Marvel sees this as a success and both films already are set for sequels. The fact they didn't do Iron Man numbers hasn't put Marvel at all off on the two franchises.

WB however is looking for Iron Man numbers from anything it tries and only those kind of numbers are seen as good by WB.

GL and Superman don't seem able to do the mega-numbers WB wants. So that puts WB back to square one with the rebooted Bats trilogy coming up but nothing else.

Unless they step out in faith and do JL. I am sure JL can do Iron Man numbers. It can spawn solo franchises one of which will surprise and do mega-numbers. I dunno which DC character can do that. It may not be Flash or WW but a "lesser" character. I think Hawkman has Iron Man potential.

Batman needs to be in the first JL. But not take up too much screen time. Having Superman in it would make that situation worse with the big two taking away critical story-telling time from the other superheros. Batman is a big draw and needs to be in JL but instead of Superman it seems wiser to me to give that precious screentime to develop the other characters. I think this is critical if JL is going to work as a launching pad for solo DC film franchises.

LOL! Oh wait, you're serious! Let me laugh even harder! LMAO!!!
No way will Hawkman do Iron Man numbers. Flash could IMHO because he could be DC's Spiderman due to the humor that Wally West is known to have, his villians and even his powers. WB/DC would be crazy to do a Hawkman movie right now with what happened with GL but a Flash movie done right could no doubt do Thor numbers and quite possibly IM numbers with the right star because let's be real: Tony Stark was a role RDJ was born to play................just like the Flash was a role Ryan Reynolds should have played but they cast him as GL instead.

 

[Red Mask]

Sorry, but I read it from another website on the web from this dude that had got it thru a friend, that's my fault. However, here's the link, it does sound like Wheadon's work. http://thebitterscriptreader.blogspot.com/2010/04/wonder-woman-script-review.html

It sounded really interesting, I don't know why WB didn't go with it.

I'd have to read that script myself. It's more a criticism than a detailed analysis. But so far I don't like how the story progresses. It has a long introduction of the Amazons, which is getting to be an outdated approach after Thor and Green Lantern. Maybe it would be better to just have an adventure without always explaining who and where Diana comes from.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

No... GL really was just a horrible, horrible movie.

Thor, Cap and First Class weren't perfect. But they were simply on an entirely different level to GL.

The thing all those movies had that GL didn't? Charm, emotion and great acting. GL was souless, mean spirited and had absolutely horrendous performances.

I hate to admit it...but that's true. Dammit...

 

[dave2201]

the nolan batman movies have been so successful is because they are simply great, well written, acted, filmed, produced and marketed movies, not just comic book movies but great movies in general with very broad cross over appeal as highlighted by the fact dark knight is like the tenth highest grossing film ever.
i think a well produced superman film with the right cast and story could do well, i think a better written and acted green lantern movie could do well (we need a new hal jordan, ryan reynolds is, well, ryan reynolds. i'd go with someone like nathan fillion). heck a justice league or batman universe movie spin off (i like the idea of a nightwing movie) would work with the right pieces in place. the later 2 would work better if:
a)nolan was involved
b)christian bale reprised his role as batman to give that already proven rub to others to stand on their own in their respective franchises
c)the right story and villan, for justice league i'd go with dark side or rhas aul gul. for night wing i'd go with deathstroke.

could work?

 

[Thundermatts]

It'd be easy for them because all of the films would be WB, they don't have to worry about rights. People are LOVING the Marvel Studio flicks right now, and a big part of the reason is because of the inter-connectivity. To continue making superhero flicks that have nothing to do with one another is idiotic. Part of the fun of comics is seeing everyone together. I mean my fave comics are usually stuff like Teen Titans or JL or even the odd other hero showing up in someone elses book. It's just cool. I'd love to see that in DC movies.

 

[OsGom]

How would it be easy? They can't make successful superhero movies other than Batman and Superman. Marvel have had the benefit of at least 3 characters having pretty successful movies.

And they shouldnt. DC is not Marvel.

I especially wouldnt want to see Superman and Batman films doing that ****. Part of the reason Marvel can do it is because guys like Thor, Iron Man, and Cap arent big like Spidey and X-Men. Iron Man being a hit AND connected to Thor/IM/Cap/Hulk helped the latter movies.

When Marvel Entertainment branched off on their own they did so with a coherent strategy. They were going to create a cinematic Marvel Universe and they were going to interweave all their properties. That strategy was in place before they even began filming on IM. They did not know that IM would be successful and took a HUGE risk that paid off.

WB/DC has had no strategy. They put projects in development that go no where (JL, Flash, WW, SM vs BM) they produce poorly made features (Jonah Hex, Catwoman) and they ride franchises they are confident will make money for all they are worth.

I understand that DC is not Marvel and honestly this late in the game trying to emulate Marvel's business model would be kind of pointless. Even if WB was willing to pony up the funding for such an ambitious project. Which they NEVER will.

Again I would point out that one of WB/DC's strengths has always been animation. I believe if they spent more in exploring that market segment they would see that is an avenue that would better help them set their brand apart from what Marvel is doing.

As I stated in a previous post. http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?p=21438197#post21438197

Buying a big time CGI studio like Dreamworks would not only bring valuable properties in house but provide an growing outlet with which they can revitalize their superhero properties.

 

[HighFivingMF]

It'd be easy for them because all of the films would be WB, they don't have to worry about rights. People are LOVING the Marvel Studio flicks right now, and a big part of the reason is because of the inter-connectivity. To continue making superhero flicks that have nothing to do with one another is idiotic. Part of the fun of comics is seeing everyone together. I mean my fave comics are usually stuff like Teen Titans or JL or even the odd other hero showing up in someone elses book. It's just cool. I'd love to see that in DC movies.

So they should throw all their eggs in one basket 'cause it'd be neat?

 

[Thundermatts]

yes. totally. All of their eggs are already in one basket. They own them all. There is NO reason not to interconnect the films.

 

[Tobias]

LOL! Oh wait, you're serious! Let me laugh even harder! LMAO!!!
No way will Hawkman do Iron Man numbers. Flash could IMHO because he could be DC's Spiderman due to the humor that Wally West is known to have, his villians and even his powers. WB/DC would be crazy to do a Hawkman movie right now with what happened with GL but a Flash movie done right could no doubt do Thor numbers and quite possibly IM numbers with the right star because let's be real: Tony Stark was a role RDJ was born to play................just like the Flash was a role Ryan Reynolds should have played but they cast him as GL instead.

It's all opinion. No one knows what the next break-out solo DC franchise will be. I am saying it may be one of the lesser characters that strikes pay dirt.

As it is SR fell short of the huge expectations WB had. WB had even bigger expectations for GL than Superman. GL was to be the next Star Wars franchise. It fell way short too.

Flash could be the next Batman franchise but that is not guaranteed - as we saw with GL and Superman there are no guarantees..

Just saying the next biggie Batman like franchise for WB may not be Flash or WW or Aquaman but someone under the radar as Iron Man was prior to hitting pay dirt.