If you haven’t heard then here it is in a nutshell: Warner Brothers announced at Comic Con in July that Batman will be a character in the Man of Steel sequel. No title has been given to the movie yet nor any details. Only a few days ago was it announced that Ben Affleck will take on the role of the new Dark Knight.
Before going any further, let me just fill you in on some current events. Marvel (owned by Disney), the arch nemesis of DC (Warner Brothers) has dominated all of pop culture and beyond. They released six movies in the course of four years, all of which very well received by critics and fans, one of them having the highest box office opening weekend of all time. During this time DC has put out three films (Dark Knight, Dark Knight Rises, and Green lantern) with one being a colossal failure. The conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy has paralyzed DC from a fighting chance. With the Justice League project cancelled multiple times it seems to show a faint pulse with Man of Steel. But this raises the question, is the DC cinematic universe doomed to fail?
I do not have any definite answers but I can give you a few reasons to help you understand Warner Brothers’ critical state.
People are looking to hate: Marvel owns pop culture and the movie theatre. This should come as no surprise at all. The Avengers has been so well received it has leaned people’s thinking against DC, and deservingly so. Marvel has earned all bragging rights with creating a universe that balances the importance of each character, while DC has been sitting in the corner playing with Batman. This subconsciously turns people against the arch rival.
Lack of Momentum: DC has launched three of their properties to the silver screen in recent years; Batman, Superman and Green Lantern. Green Lantern provided mediocrity on all levels besides Ryan Reynolds’s abs. Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel have both created a furious backlash among its diehard fans (no time to get into details). Because of this there may not be much optimism pointing towards the future, especially with the controversy surrounding Man of Steel: the first installment of the Justice League universe.
Characters: movies are different than cartoons or comics in the sense that it’s easier for the audience to criticize because we tend to apply our own reality into the fictional world. This makes sense because it is in fact shown to us before our own eyes, no imagination required. For those two hours in the theatre, that world exists. Because we tend to apply our own reality, we find characters like Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman a collection of loop holes: they are way too strong. It’s easy for us to be skeptic of the characters who do not utilize their ability to kill their enemy by the simple snap of the finger.
Wonder Woman: There is a reason why Wonder Woman has not been featured in a film yet. She is arguably the most difficult character to portray because she is quit dated. In the World of 2013 the Lasso of Truth doesn’t pose much of a threat. Neither does the woman’s suffrage symbolism from the 50’s. Plus, it’s hard to find a woman intimidating while simultaneously being shown off as a sex symbol. Even excuse the fact she is a comic book character, audiences don’t really tend to care about female lead action stars. Probably the most successful in recent years is the Underworld series. Know who I’m talking about? No? Exactly my point. Wonder Woman is a little too tricky to stick into today’s interpretation of super heroes.
Too Soon for Batman: Here’s why we have a new Batman: Christopher Nolan did not want his Batman to extend beyond his films. Because of this Ben Affleck was awarded the mantle. He is by no means the problem. He is a phenomenal actor who has proven in The Town and Argo that he has the ability to properly play the role. Here’s the problem: in order for Batman to exist in this new world he needs to be fantasized and taken out of reality bit. He needs to be given some imaginative gadgets and abilities. This may upset the majority because we are too attached to the stone-cold reality of Christian Bale’s batman. The only way for this change to succeed is if people realize that the realistic Batman is essentially worthless to Superman. The sooner we realize this the sooner we can accept the change.
Tone: This is the key element found in each of these reasons said before. To sum it up completely, each character requires too diverse of a tone to be seen with the other. The best example is Wonder Woman and Batman. Wonder Woman is bright, cheerful, flamboyant and admirable. Batman is tortured, colorless, and intense. Start to see the problem? Some of these characters will have to make more sacrifices than others in order to exist together. It is obvious this tone will be darker and more sinister than the Avengers. I fear this will infuriate people who already identify with these characters.
Out of Time: Marvel made use of their time. DC did not. It’s as simple as that. True, the Dark Knight Trilogy served as an unstoppable force, but it was the only arsenal loaded. Once fired, the cannon was empty. DC has no time to establish individual films leading to a crossover like the Avengers. They need to pump out a Justice League quickly, which is why it seems they will start with the Man of Steel film and add to it (ex. Superman Vs. Batman). The release date for the JL movie is 2016, all I can say is do NOT expect the pacing to be like the Avengers.
I do not mean to sound pessimistic about the operation, but it is the truth that so many items are favoring against it. I am being optimistic about the Batman casting and am looking forward to what is yet to come. The most important thing for everyone to keep in mind: this is NOT and will NOT be done the same way the Avengers is. DO NOT have expectations, just take what’s being given. I do not know what kind of ride we are in for, and I’m not sure Warner Brothers knows either.
