Source: Hero Complex
The first priority for the man with the ultimate say on what films get made at Warner Bros.: Finally getting the Justice League, DC’s team featuring all its top characters, on the big screen in 2013. The picture had been very close to production in late 2007 and early 2008, but was killed by the Writers Guild of America strike, tax credit issues in Australia, and concerns by some at Warner about presenting a competing (and conflicting) version of Batman while director Christopher Nolan’s films were breaking box office records.
Which immediately segways into the following statement.
We have the third Batman, but then we’ll have to reinvent Batman…Chris Nolan and [producing partner and wife] Emma Thomas will be producing it, so it will be a conversation with them about what the next phase is.
First and foremost we should acknowledge that these statements are picked out from a larger conversation so everything has to be taken with a grain of salt. With that out of the way I just have to say that I love what Nolan has done with Batman but on the other hand the franchise could be holding up a potential Justice League movie. I’m torn.
I would be ‘OK’ with rebooting reinventing Batman for film if Chris Nolan does not have any intent to return to the Batman franchise after his 3rd film, but if he does intend to continue to make Batman movies then… it puts these guys in an uncomfortable situation as they would have two iterations of the character in the film world simultaneously which could cause unwanted confusion for audiences.
I was happy when they scrapped their original plans for the Justice League movie and decided it was a bad idea as I didn’t want their terrible ideas ruining any potential for a franchise but if they can somehow manage to put together a good production team then I’d happily do a 180.
No need for a reboot. They could make it work. Batman is a mortal human with technology, and so they portray his universe in fact…the other members of the JLA have actual superpowers…They wouldn’t use Ra’s as the JLA enemy anyway…
They’ve done the same thing with Iron Man/The Avengers. I had to stretch my imagination a bit to see Thor in the Iron Man universe they built, but they’ve peppered the movies with enough lore from the other characters that I think it will be great.
Nolans Batman is red hot right now…USE it, don’t kill it. Does anyone really want to see another iteration of Batman? I LOVE Batman, and I couldn’t be less interested in that idea…
I love Batman too (He’s my favourite), but I also love the DC universe and characters. That’s why I want to see another guy driving the Batmobile (Not that damn Tumbler thing either). I really do!! I’m so fed up with people stating how fantastic Nolan’s Batman movies are. I say if Nolan wants to hang up the cape then let him. No I’m not fickle, I just don’t want Nolan’s interpretation to become the only acceptable vision of the character.
It’s time to let someone else create a place where we can see some of DC’s great creations. Fighting side by side agianst the criminals, monsters & aliens that threaten their universe.
Fantasy in a fantastical setting!!!! Is what I expect from any comic book movie. Especially a Justice league of America movie!!!
Oh and I’m not saying I didn’t like Batman begins or The dark knight, I did!!! Personally I just don’t think some of character adaptation was done very well. I didn’t like the Joker as much as everyone else seemed to either (Shocker I know)!!!!
They have some major catching up to do.
I dont think Nolan will be back after the 3rd, He’s a visonary director and IMO wouldn’t want to do Bat’s after 3 and move on with other avenues for his creativity.
Also There’s a small need for another Batman But not as much the other characters of Justice League, Mainly Flash and Aguaman before a movie should be done (Like Marvel is doing)
If they rush it, it’ll show…BigTime!
Thanks Rodney that’s exactly how I feel. You worded it so much better though.
There is no need to reboot Batman. Bale’s Batman is already doing great. Why mess with something that’s been praised worldwide? Just cast the right actors and actresses for the JLA movie and create a landmark story and have Nolan guide the whole thing – it’ll do just fine.
You all know me and where I stand.
In one word, baloney.
Oh, it is not that I doubt the intention of “re-inventing” Batman or bringing forth a JLA film. It is that I know from WB track records that’s what they will turn it into. They will camp it up. That’s what they do, or that they allow some filmmakers to do.
This news isn’t cause for celebration. It’s cause for mass panic.
They need to establish other DC heroes before a JLA film; they have to hope the Green Lantern film is a hit. They have to hope that Nolan says he won’t be doing a Dark Knight 4, or that the next director likes the formula set by Nolan. They are asking to re-invent something that’s working and thus I envision red flags waving high in the wind…I want to be wrong.
But let’s break out the magnifying glass and ask these questions:
1) When does WB plan a [tenative] release date for a JLA film? Answer: 2013.
2) When does Dark Knight Rises is expected to be released? Summer 2012. *There may or may not be a fourth film under Nolan’s direction, but they expect him to be involved in some way* There is also a strong chance that the director following Nolan may keep the formula as much as possible. In any case, *when will a Batman 4* or a reinvented movie happen? Speculate. Now you know that Batman (let alone Robin/Nightwing) show up in a JLA film unless Bats were re-invented there one year or so after Dark Knight Rises with no guarantees that the current franchise comes to an end with Rises.
3) Man Of Steel (Superman) is expected in 2012 (or 2013) so how does Supes tie in to JLA?
Now I’ve covered two related matters that helped ashcan the former JLA film project (other than bad casting ideas). In the same interview, the WB head says there may be a separate Wonder Woman movie aside from the planned series. One will have nothing to do with the other ‘like Smallville was to Superman Returns’. Gee, that’s encouraging.
Personally I think it’s too late for DC/WB too make a justice league movie. Marvel has a huge jump on that and only had to reboot one character, two if counting Captain America. DC’s only chance will be to start planting the seeds in Green Lantern. If not than he will have to be rebooted, same as Wonder Woman (tv doesn’t count), Batman, and maybe Superman.
That’s the only reason this JLA movie is even getting attention. It’s such a “me too” sort of thing to do. Marvel’s got a huge team up movie that’s been well planned for years? What?! How fast can we shovel something out there to grab some cash? Go! Make it happen!
You’re exactly right. The difference between Marvel and DC is that Marvel is a comic book company that decided to create Marvel studios so their characters would be done justice on the big screen. DC is owned by WB, a movie comany that doesn’t have a freaking clue as to how to bring comic book properties to the big screen.
WB lucked out with Batman Begins and the Dark Knight. It wasn’t planned, heck, they didn’t even want to give Nolan the full budget needed on Begins. Now they are all behind him because the Dark Knight made a butt load of money and garnered critical acclaim. What did WB do right after this big hit? They green lit Green Latern, and we haven’t seen hide nor hair of it since that corny trailer was shown. They dropped the ball on the very next movie. They need to sign Nolan to a life time contract and let him bring all their DC properties to the screen. When the exec’s take the helm, they give these properties to any director that’s availiable. They lucked out with Nolan.
didn’t WB make a DC Comics division just for comicbook movies….?
Don’t know if that’s true, but if it is sounds like WB execs are still running the show and not DC.
Yes, DC Properties had to fight it out with all potential WB productions in order to make it to the big screen which means every other genre was grabbing for a slice of their annual budgets.
DC Entertainment was formed as an imprint studio and production company under the WB banner that would have its own budget for producing DC Comic properties.
Rodney do you think they need to reinvent Batman so they can proceed with the JLA movie? My opinion is they don’t. They can keep Nolan’s version because it’s pretty faithful to the comics. In the comics Batman has recently been protrayed as working along side the Superpowered members of the JLA but not completely trusting them because of their great power. The universe Nolan has created is no different than the Gotham seen in the comics. In the Dark Knight, the Joker tells Batman that he changed things forever with his emergence. Warner Bros could twist things a little within their movie universe and have Batman be the first costumed crime fighter. Seeing his example Superman and others would come out of the wood work.
Batman would now find himself surrounded by Superpowered allies not of his choosing. He would work along side them but all the while be slightly suspicious of their motives. I think this could be done and lead to some interesting movies. Bale could stay on as Batman if he wanted to. All WB needs to do is add to the foundation Nolan has already built. What do you think?
I have always said that there is no reason Nolan’s Batman can’t co-exist with the supernatural of other characters.
Just because aliens, amazons and atlanteans exist in the DC Universe doesn’t mean normal people doing extraordinary things stop happening.
I do however think it is a mistake to ignore Nolan’s franchise in favour of a JLA-ready Batman.
Batman is already a “realistic” Batman (using the term lightly of course), even if there are vampires and supernatural things in his world.
I say forget the Batman reboot and just go straigt in to a Justice league movie. We all know Batman’s origin story. If anything give us a couple of movies about the other members before the team-up movie. Then give us a full blown DC Universe blowout. Batman, Superman, Hawkman, The Flash, Green lantern and possibly Wonder woman.
Because of the nature of the universe and the many different worlds within it really is the only way. Just go in guns blazing and create a world where the things we are going to see are considered the norm.
After all we don’t worry about these things when we read the comics, watch the cartoons, and play the video games. That’s just the way it is and we except it!!!!
I really hope Nolan’s style dosen’t continue!!! Why do these movies need to be so extensively and painstakenly grounded in reality??? They are meant to be fantastical stories, set in a fantasy world, occupied by super human beings.
It works with Batman (we get that), but now it’s time to meet the gang!!!!
I don’t think the “Nolanized” Batman should be rebooted for the sake of this proposed “Justice League” film. It would be so cool to have Christian Bale (that is if he’s willing to reprise his role) to continue his role and go team up with the new Superman, Henry Cavill plus the tv Wonder Woman – Adrianne Palicki. For as long as Chris Nolan is supervising all of this, I don’t think fans should be worried.
I’d rather have Christian Bale continue his Batman/Bruce Wayne role for this Justice League movie. There isn’t anyone else who could play The Dark Knight but him. It would be so cool to combine the elements of Batman Begins with Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot for the JLA movie.
Been discussing this on other venues since the news broke.
I totally get the logic behind the idea: Nolan’s Batman is grounded in ‘reality’ (ie Ras Al Guhl wasn’t an immortal with a “Lazarus Pit” ; The Joker didn’t fall into a vat of chemicals to end up all pasty faced). So for the Batman character to properly fit in a movie universe that includes Aliens, Amazons, Aquatic Kingdoms and Magic, a movie “reboot” would be needed.
But I propose this: Skip the origin and just tell a good Batman story set in that universe. Honestly, is there anyone that doesn’t have at least a basic idea of who Batman is and why he’s a Superhero? It’s silly to retell the origin for the umpteenth time.
Instead, they should start a ‘rebooted’ Batman with Credits interspersed with scenes summarizing the origin — then leap into a solid, well crafted tale. Problem solved.
Of course… the suits in WB won’t do that.