It looks like Jason Reitman was being courted for Justice League and passed on the opportunity. This news is brought to us thanks to an interview on the Howard Stern show via slashfilm:
Juno director Jason Reitman was also on the Howard Stern Show today and revealed that he turned down an offer to direct Justice League of America for Warner Bros. Howard’s first question was “How’s the script?”
“Good, FINE… You know, I mean. I had to sign something, they send me the script and it comes on this spy paper which cant be xeroxed,” revealed Jason Reitman. “They have a time when I have to have the script back to them and the script is fine and I could be spending…” Jason later continued: “What am I going to do with Justice League of America? So Basically I’ll make a movie that is not as good as X-Men, then I’ll be the guy who made a movie not as good as X-Men. Where just like you talking about, going to smaller stations, if I make another small movie, and it’s really good, it performs well…” “Right now I’m thought of as a particular type of director. I’ve got an oscar nomination. I’ve made two indie films that play film festivals that are considered thoughtful. I want to stay in that world, I like making those type of films.” Reitman later let it slip that the budget for Justice League would have been $150 million.
I think it was wise for him to pass on Justice League. No good news has come out with regards to this project and the ship already seems to be sinking before it has left the harbor. To quote the immoral Mr. T “I pity the fool that directs this mess.”
Reitman has chosen wisely to stick to what he loves to do. He is building a library that he can be proud of, and that his fans will enjoy. I like directors that have a distinct style and I think a large part of developing your fingerprint is to do films that you can take ownership of, and make your own.
