Despite recent reports, George Miller(Mad Max, Happy Feet) is still on board to direct the much troubled Justice League film set to release sometime in 2011. Reports were that he had gone on some Australian talk show and confirmed that he was no longer attatched to the film nor a Mad Max film. However, a representative from Kennedy Miller Mitchell has come out and said the reports are actually the "complete opposite".
The fanboy in me so desperately wants to see a big screen JL movie. The idea of DC's Big 7 teaming up on screen, especially considering how amazing superhero movies have been lately, is one that really gets my blood pumping. How cool would it be to see Green Lantern fighting alongside Ollie Queen?
The realist in my thinks this movie is headed for disaster. Warner Bros. can't seem to get a handle on how they want their movie franchises to go. This is one time where Marvel has so completely trumped them that's it's almost embarrassing. The Dark Knight film aside, DC blew it big time with the Superman Returns film and may have killed that franchise for awhile. They have no other tentpole films for their lower tier characters, while Marvel is building something with The Punisher of all people and the X-men as well. And let's not forget the Hulk and the other Avengers films(Thor, Captain America, even Ant-Man have stuff in the pipeline). Need I even mention the phenomenal successes of Spider-Man and Blade? Blade!!??
Another problem is fan expectation. After the Batman films you simply cannot do a JL film without Christian Bale. Period. And you can't do a JL film without Batman. Not a good one, anyway. But there's been no mention or movement on the idea of Bale reprising the role outside the franchise. With the Superman franchise in flux, would it even be to their benefit to add Brandon Routh to the cast? Do you restart the Superman franchise altogether? And lets not forget the abominable idea of McG doing Wonder Woman.
I think what's best for DC and Warner Bros. is to put the entire idea on hold for awhile. Table it until the surrounding characters have cemented their place in the minds of filmgoers. Get Superman back on his feet. Settle on the way forward for him and the rest should fall into place fairly quickly. Batman is on solid ground right now. Establish a cohesive film universe for your characters much the same way Marvel Studios has done. Bring in your top comic writing talent(particularly Geoff Johns) to lend a helping hand. He's been angling to do a Superman film for weeks now, just let him do it!
Whether Marvel zombies want to admit it or not, DC Comics has the most iconic superheroes in the biz. Everyone knows Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Well done films featuring these characters will almost always outdraw any of Marvel's. In wrestling, they have a term for blowing a potentially hot, money making storyline by giving it away too soon or not properly building it up in hopes of making a quick buck: it's called "hot shotting". DC and WB don't need to "hot shot" a Justice League movie. Slowly build up the anticipation and harness the creative minds needed to make it a success. Do that, and success will surely follow.
