Last weekend the highly anticipated Man of Steel was released in theaters and it has now surpassed the $200 million dollar mark. I think Warner Bros. still spent more money than that upon making the film, but with it still being released in other countries I'm sure they'll get their money back. The studio was so pleased with the opening weekend numbers they've already planned a sequel to be released as early as next year. Then a Justice League movie is set to be released as early as 2015.
Man of Steel seems to have done what Warner Bros. wanted it to, which was jump start the DC movie universe much like Iron Man jump started the Marvel movie universe. DC was supposed to get their start with Green Lantern, but after it supposedly "bombed" at the box office Warner Bros. had to re-evaluate what they were doing with their DC properties because Marvel was already six films ahead of them. The Avengers set box office records and made $1.5 billion world wide. The only thing that was working for Warner Bros. was their Batman movies, and that was because of writer David Goyer and director Christopher Nolan. After the success of the Dark Knight trilogy Warner Bros. decided to give these men a shot at Superman, and now it seems the entire DC franchise. So can Warner Bros. catch up to Marvel and make their films as popular, and profitable, as The Avengers? I'm gonna answer that question as gently as I can; NNNOOOOOOOO!
For years the rights to making Marvel films were owned by 20th Century Fox studios. They made Spider-Man films, X-Men films, Daredevil, The Punisher, etc. Spider-Man and X-Men have done well and Fox continues to drain blood from those hollow stones(thank god for Sam Raimi and Bryan Singer). After making their cut of the money Marvel decided to form their own studio and use the characters they still had the rights to for their movies. Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America films all went on to do great at the box office, which lead to The Avengers. Marvel Studios achieved something no other studio thought could ever happen and every comic geek dreamed would happen; they made movies like they make comic books. The films all interacted with each other and fed off one another for the next installment. 20th Century Fox lost the rights to Daredevil and Punisher, which Marvel Studios gladly claimed, but still owns the Spider-Man and X-Men movie rights so long as a film is made every couple of years.
So what's this got to do with the Justice League movie? Warner Bros.is a movie studio who owns all of the DC character movie rights, and just like 20th Century Fox, they don't have the talent to bring out what is great in their characters. Did you see Superman kill General Zod? I mean, I used to give David Goyer some credit as a good writer and fan boy, but no person who read Superman, and loves the character, would write that scene and think it was a good idea; at least not in the origin film. Warner Bros. and crew said they want to make their universe more realistic? Batman is a mortal man but Superman is an alien who looks human, flies, and shoots heat from his eyes; and you want something that's realistic? Their excuse for Man of Steel is to make the character more modern. Guess what Warner Bros.? The character worked for ten years on TV starting in 2001, it was called Smallville, watch it and get back to me.
Warner Bros. executives probably haven't read a comic book (if they ever did) since they were kids. Comic books are fun and exciting to read. Their were barely any jokes or even smiles in Man of Steel. Just two hours of CGI fights(which were well done) and a bunch of talk about a Codex. Marvel Studio films made money because they embraced their comic book roots. The films had explosions as well as laughs. They're fun to watch! Man of Steel was just depressing and this what they want to try and build a billion dollar franchise off of? Marvel Studios has actual Marvel comic book writers in their meetings advising them about what works for the character, what would this character act like, and what would they do when their back is against the wall. Yes, they have taken some liberties, but we fan boys forgive and look past them because the core of the hero(es) is still intact. Joss Whedon said he has read every Avengers comic made. Even though I feel like that may be bullshit I'm still curious; how many Superman comics has Zach Snyder read?
I think everyone knew from the get-go that Warner Bros. was going to fight an uphill battle after The Avengers did so well, and we all knew they couldn't follow the exact same formula, but wanted the same result. I like to think of them as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Anyway, so they're going to try and make a Justice League movie first. That film will introduce Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and maybe a new Green Lantern and Batman. Then of course they will each have their own film; presumably. Pretty much a reverse Marvel formula. But unless they get the right people behind these films it won't work. The director of Thor was known for his Shakespearean films like Henry V and Hamlet. The director of Captain America: The First Avenger was known for making vintage films like October Sky and The Rocketeer. Snyder was known for making stylistic, serious, films that are a little too violent and edgy. Does that sound like Superman to you, or Flash, or Aquaman? Baskin Robbins doesn't have 31 flavors that all taste like their best seller do they? I'm just saying Warner Bros. is trying to make everything feel like Batman because that's what has been working for them. But these characters have been around for decades because each character has their own fan base of flavor, and Warner Bros. has to find out what each character's taste is and why it works.
I really want to see a Justice League movie; I really do. But the direction and speed Warner Bros. is taking the DC properties are going to lead the Justice League to a train wreck. Man of Steel couldn't even hold down the #1 spot in theaters for one week. There's your blinking yellow light. I'm going to go get some ice cream now.
(found this fan art online an loved it! Notice how Cobie Smulders is in both of these pictures)
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