With the Avengers finally coming and going, Disney and Marvel have shown us what a shared universe of superheroes looks like. Now fans are just waiting for Warner Brothers and DC to do the same. Word has it that they are planning to do Justice League first, THEN produce more individual films about its members, but part of the reason Avengers worked is because those characters were well-established in their own films. And, let's face it, DC superhero movies have a very spotty track record to overcome. Doing Justice League requires faith that they will do each of the characters well enough that they can hold their own films. If they can't, its going to lead to bigger problems later on.
So I decided to play studio executive and see if I could do better. Below are my picks for the next wave of DC films to compete with the new Marvel films. I included a villain (or villains), general plot synopsis, suggested director, and my reason for choosing them. The only rules were to choose directors who had not done superhero films and to choose villains that hadn't yet been seen in a major film.
So, without further ado, my DC film series (wave one):
Superman
Director
Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky)
Villain
Brainiac
Plot
Reboot the franchise based on a combination of Birthright, Secret Origins, and the recent Action Comics reboot. This isn't about Superman moping about his powers, but rather trying to find the right way to use them. Downplay Lex as a lesser antagonist. He’ll have time to shine in sequels. Brainiac serves as a soulless reflection of his Kryptonian heritage which has come to threaten his new home.
Why Crowe?
Cameron Crowe has a great sense of optimism, characterization, and American culture in his work that definitely suits Superman. Although he doesn't have any experience with action, Vanilla Sky showed that he could direct a complex narrative as well as excel at interesting visual effects.
The Flash
Director
Doug Liman (Swingers, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity, Jumper)
Villains
Captain Cold, Trickster, Mirror Master, Captain Boomerang, Weather Wizard
Plot
When crime scene investigator and “slowest man alive” Barry Allen is hit by an electrical bolt from a kinetics experiment, he discovers a connection to the Speed Force, a limitless source of kinetic energy. In order to unlock the secrets of the speed force, a group of colorful mercenaries have been sent to capture and contain the Flash.
Why Liman?
As the most human of the Justice League, Barry Allen should feel grounded and human so you need a director who can make his life relateable while also able to capture the intensity of high speed action. While I chose Liman for his superb action work in The Bourne Identity, his background in both Swingers and Jumper would also lend itself well to this movie.
Green Lantern
Director
The Wachowskis (The Matrix, Speed Racer)
Villain
Sinestro
Plot
Following the plot of the animated movie (and ignoring without contradicting the previous film), Hal Jordan is partnered with and trained by Sinestro even as he plans to betray the Corp, using Jordan as the fall guy.
Why the Wachowskis?
Simply put, they love comics, present great action, and they know how to work with a mostly green color palette. Green Lantern needs an epic scale that the last movie lacked and the Wachowskis can do epic.
Wonder Woman
Director
David Yates (Harry Potter 5-8)
Villain
Ares
Plot
This film would center around the history of the Amazons, Diana’s upbringing, and her introduction to “man’s world” from the incidental crash landing of Steve Trevor. As Diana leaves paradise and enters man’s world, she finds that the spirit of Ares is strong and Steve Trevor’s crash was simply the opening gambit to destroy Themiscyra.
Why Yates?
David Yates' extensive experience directing Harry Potter films shows that he knows (A) how to direct action, (B) how to tell a fantasy story, and (C) how to appeal to a mostly female audience. While this would likely be the hardest of the stories to adapt for a mainstream audience, Yates would be an excellent choice.
Aquaman
Director
James Cameron (Terminator, Aliens, T2, Avatar, Titanic)
Villains
Ocean Master, Scavenger
Plot
Naval officer Arthur Curry is under investigation after being the sole survivor of a submarine lost in the Mariana Trench and no one believes his stories of a sea monster crushing the hull. Even Arthur himself doesn’t know how he survived, but it seems to be tied to the experiments his father ran on him when he was a child. With the help of his brother, a deep-sea explorer, Arthur searches for the source of the monster only to discover the lost city of Atlantis.
Why Cameron?
James Cameron has his background in science fiction (Terminator, Aliens), deep sea exploration (Titanic, that one documentary), and epic 3D action (Avatar). It only makes sense that he would blend these skills for a 3D take on Aquaman.
Martian Manhunter
Director
Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Blade 2, Pan’s Labyrinth)
Villains
Ma’alefa’ak (Malefic), The Headmaster (Thaddeus Romero Hoskins), Professor Arnold Hugo
Plot
Due to fracking on the surface of Mars by the Mars rover, a hidden chamber is opened deep beneath the ground containing a living martian held in suspended animation for millennia. Sensing the dead planet and seeing signs of the investigation from Earth, the alien leaves the dead planet for the live one. Disguising himself as a human, J’onn tries to resume his life as a crimefighter (or “manhunter”) as he is pursued by government agents eager to dissect him. In time, he learns that he was not the only martian awakened by the disturbance and that his brother, Ma’alefa’ak, one of those responsible for the martian extermination event, has survived.
Why Del Toro?
Although Del Toro had previously done Hellboy and Blade, he has not yet done a strict superhero film yet. This film would use his monster movie background to tell the story from the "monster's" perspective as he is pursued by an even more monstrous organization.
Batman
Director
David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven, The Social Network, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)
Villains
Hugo Strange, Deadshot, Firefly, Professor Pyg, Clock King, the Ventriloquist, Ratcatcher, Zsasz
Plot
Avoiding the reboot, this story is set a few years into Batman’s career as he has put numerous villains in Arkham Asylum. This story focuses around rogue Arkham doctor Hugo Strange and his obsession with Batman while at the same time retelling the story of Robin. Essentially, the story asks if Batman is destined to slip deeper into his psychosis or if he has a chance of healing. Strange is determined to break him so he organizes his patients to take Gotham hostage and wear Batman down.
Why Fincher?
I shouldn't need to say anything more than "Seven" and "Fight Club," but I will. Nolan captured the strange psychology at the heart of Batman and, for his successor, you need someone with the same ability, yet not someone who will try to do what Nolan did. By placing Fincher in the role, you get someone with the same sensibilities but a darker and messier approach that might help move the character from the street level up to the superhero level.
Justice League
Director
Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien, Hannibal, Prometheus, Gladiator)
Villain
Despero, Starro
Plot
The story would begin with Aquaman as a “stampede” of violent sea creatures attack Atlantis and ignore his commands. Ultimately, he and the city are overwhelmed and possessed by the alien starfish. All across the world, individuals and groups are targeted by the starro attacks. When Aquaman declares war against the surface world, Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman unite to stop him. Meanwhile, Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Flash are investigating the creatures to find an effective deterrent... only to discover a central mind controlling them all... a mind called Despero.
Why Scott?
Admittedly, I haven't seen Prometheus, but the man is a godfather of sci-fi movies who can deliver action, horror, or spectacle with equal ability. When blending such disparate characters in the ultimate movie, you need someone who can handle big tonal shifts without drawing away from the epic scale of the film.
