With “The Avengers” making more money in a day than the yearly output of the entire Eurozone, the movie executives at Warner Bros must be looking for a way to cash in on their similar grown-men-in-spandex comic book franchise.
After many false starts and half-baked ideas, Warner Bros currently have no firm plans for a “Justice League” movie. But you have to imagine it must be coming soon given The Avengers’ success.
What Culture is here to give them a shortlist of who should play who, what the storyline should be and who should helm this grossly expensive corporate cash in. It’s lucky they have us really, or what else would they do?
Potential Plots
Justice League Does An “Avengers” Like Alien Invasion Flick
According to my extensive research (wikipedia), the original incarnation of the Justice League is due to the impending threat of an Alien Invasion of Appelaxians here to conquer the world. Sound familiar?
Marvel kind of has the market cornered on ludicrously outlandish tales of Alien invasions and their ensuing battle with Earth’s greatest heroes; although The Avengers success means that people are willing to see aliens destroyed for the good of New York (which apparently is the only place in the world according to every Hollywood disaster flick). Can Warner Bros get away with telling the same story whose success made this a necessary film for them to compete in the comic book market? Probably not.
2. Justice League Meets Video Games in a Super Human Ball-Buster
The most successful comic book franchise in history? Batman. What does it do differently? It’s believable. Sure, the notion of a man running around beating people up dressed as a Bat is a little bit beyond what you normally expect in your day to day life, but why Chris Nolan’s films are the most successful is that they take the notions of the comic books but root them in a believable scenario with metaphors, themes and all manners of social commentary. Marvel can dazzle us with extensive CGI and humorous characters, but the reason Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” and potentially “The Dark Knight Rises” will be stronger because it’s easier for a viewer to connect with.
So instead of resorting to an easy go to, ‘Aliens! Everyone hates aliens! Watch “Independence Day!” Everyone hates aliens! Apart from ET…He’s so cute…But other than that everyone hates aliens!’, they could embrace Nolan’s style of comic book film and put it into a real scenario, only with the believability stretched slightly. What threat could they have to unite a group of superheroes? I refer you to Batman: Arkham Asylum and the ‘Titan’ story arc.
A gene modifier is in the hands of the Joker (on this occasion, played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who unleashes it to create huge super humans that the Justice League needs to stop before it goes all ‘Prototype’ on the world.
This idea would work as Green Lantern’s monumental failure and critical panning may have caused a loss of faith in DC’s back catalogue at Warner Bros. Centering this story around the best known and most loved comic book character would help introduce the rest of the Justice League and stop Warner Bros from having to bankroll a series of potential flop films to sort out a story for one big one.
Cast
Batman
Christian Bale
This is particularly dependant on the ending of “The Dark Knight Rises”, if our theories come true and Batman is destroyed by Bane, then this wouldn’t be a very logical choice. However if there is an open ending in which Christian Bale is still Batman then this would be perfect. A. For the continuity and B. Christian Bale rocks as Batman.
I know he isn’t every ones perfect Batman because of the voice, but that’s how he protects his identity, the amount of people who complain about the fact that Clark Kent taking off his glasses makes him Superman is ridiculous, but also complain about Bruce Wayne adopting another voice to protect his identity are….well….I can’t really give my true opinion without upsetting a lot of people. So I’m just going to move on.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Once more, end of “The Dark Knight Rises” dependant, if my belief that Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character is Dick Grayson under a different name is true, then he will be the logical Batman for this film. Which would be nice as it shows a new beginning. Joseph Gordon-Levitt rules and Bruce Wayne can be the Nick Fury character from his back broken wheelchair, which, if you don’t mind me saying, is potentially the greatest idea since the wheel.
Michael Fassbender
Just in case they wanted to start Batman as someone completely different, Michael Fassbender would be perfect. He was the best part about “Inglorious Basterds”, “X-Men First Class” and proved he could royally kick ass in “300″. Doing the line of being marketable and also an incredibly talented actor, he would be my personal choice of the next Dark Knight if they rebooted the franchise from the beginning.
Superman
Henry Cavill
Like “The Avengers”, continuity will be key and as Henry Cavill is preparing to send the world in to plumes of incomprehensible anger by his style of LOOK ANGRY AT ALL TIMES acting rubbing off on the audience in next year’s “Man Of Steel”, he has every right to be included in the Justice League.
Only difficulties may come from “Man Of Steel” flopping and DC needing to take a different direction with a more well known lead which could be…
The Flash
Matthew Fox
He wore a mask and was in speed racer…Which is all about travelling quickly. What more could you possibly need? …Really? Not enough? Well alright then.
After anchoring “Lost” and becoming the most underappreciated actor on television behind The Honourable Prince Regent Hugh Laurie and expressionless, teenage angst quote machine Michael C Hall.
Matthew Fox has stepped away from television and into a world of punching strangers and driving under the influence of alcohol (if recent press reports are to be believed). He would be a wild choice but he’s a brilliant actor who has the desire to prove himself on the big screen; he could be the Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man casting of the Justice League movies.
Wonder Woman
Christina Hendricks
The world’s obvious and favourite choice; the voluptuous red head sparkles in “Mad Men” and gets her head blown off in “Drive” brilliantly well. She could make a jump in to mainstream films like the internet has been telling her she should be doing.
Green Lantern
Jared Leto
If we avoid any conversation of THAT Ryan Reynolds film (which I believe is what they’re doing at the Reynolds household…And Warner Bros…And the rest of the world) we can look at alternatives for a character that would need to be rebooted with a different edge. I present Jared Leto.
An actor/singer who screen tested for Green Lantern first time round, he could be an outlandish choice who could take Green Lantern in a completely different direction. Making him gritty and harsh like the Nolan style of movies that Warner Bros would want this to follow.
He was brilliant as a tortured, breaking down soul in Requiem for a Dream and would definitely be an alternative choice for one of the lower profile characters.
Aquaman
Sam Worthington
A character I only really included in this due to the interest of fairness, and in my idea of making a believable, original Justice League movie he was the least ridiculous of a tossup between him and the Martian Manhunter.
General internet consensus seems to give Sam Worthington the vote here, and he is known for turning a profit from semi-exciting action movies so would be a logical choice as a functional character. Whether he would like to take on his 8,679th movie franchise in the last week is neither here nor there, the question is whether he could pull out a character who isn’t upsettingly ridiculous.
Special Mentions:
The Cast of The Big Bang Theory, every ones first choice for the Justice League.
Director
Christopher Nolan
It would have to be wouldn’t it? I’m not a Nolan fan boy by any means, but I can appreciate that he’s by far the best man for the job in making an ensemble super hero film which is both believable and brilliant…Even with Aquaman involved.
His ensemble work with the Batman franchise, the continuity he could bring and the stories could tell would make him the only logical man to take on Joss Whedon’s The Avengers.
There comes the fact he is pretty much owned by Warner Bros who would beg him to take all of their money to make a film which is just revolving pictures of the statue of himself made of diamond placed on Halley’s Comet after the inevitable success of “The Dark Knight Rises”. He could get away with a Justice League film which included Aquaman… well…Only just.
What do you think? What plots would you like? Who would you like to see play who? Would you consider anybody else to direct? Let me know below!
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11 Comments
My feelings on this is that they shouldn’t be brash and just announce this is where we’re headed. Given we have a new Supes next year and potentially a new Batman not long after, DC should just take their time and decide what they want their team movie to evolve into, rather than match Avengers on blockbuster level, they should find a great film to show the importance of their characters. As for Wonder Woman they should introduce her in the team movie rather than a solo tale and give her the Hulk style limelight. Just wading in and kicking ass and being cool, win the audience that way and then do a solo story afterwards. Make people WANT Wonder Woman rather than mishandle her like they have recently.
Joss Whedon of course should now do every comic book movie from here on in!
Don’t be retarded. Christina Hendricks can not be Wonder Woman I hope you where joking. Not going to happen. All other choices ok
“Dark Knight will be easier for viewers to connect with” – yes only because he has NO superpowers. What about superman greenlantern wonderwoman flash aquaman??? Harder to relate to them than Marvel’s characters IMO.
Christina Hendricks is an awful choice for ww. At least pick an actress that looks semi-athletic and not in her mid 30s.
If we are being fair and objective, Nolan has never made a “superhero” movie. So there’s no reason to think he can have successfully mesh all the characters mentioned above into a more grounded Gotham-like environment. He purposefully does not connect his trilogy to the rest of the DC universe and has no desire to.
If there is no Nolan, then there certainly will be no Bale as batman.
The idea of dealing with arkham bullies hardly requires the JL team…superman would be enough. DC characters were meant to be larger than life and God-like. The threat needs to be something much more.
Superman: Henry Cavill, as long as they do something about that bad fake hair job.
Batman: Anyone BUT Christian Bale. Worst Batman ever. My pick: Timothy Olyphant. Great pissed off Deadwood Sheriff.
Wonder Woman: Jennifer Connelley. Perfect. Just get her toned up.
Green Lantern: Don’t like Ryan Reynolds, but he’d be ok. Just please
don’t script him as witty. Reynolds already is dimwitted enough on his own.
Flash: Jude Law.
Aquaman: Johnny Lee Miller.
Martian Manhunter?: Some WWE guy lol. Rock, HHH? Just keep his lines limited.
Lex Luthor: Raiph Fiennes (spelling) One of the best actors of our time, can convincingly play smart evil guys.
Joker: Willam Dafoe.
The main reaSon I’m not into Nolan’s Bat flicks is that he is too scared of fantasy so I wouldn’t want him anywhere near a director’s chair for a JL film.
I haven’t read comics a good portion of my life for their reality, I bonded and related well to the X-Men, SpiderMan and a ton of other superheroes because of their faults and travails but what kept me coming back was the unabashed fantasy of it all, if not I would’ve just watched soap operas all day
Best concept for a story line is to have sinestro attack earth with a yellow lantern corps. Sinestro turns captain marvel evil to give superman an adequate challenge and boom you have a blockbuster!
This should never happen for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, the characters have not been set-up like Marvel’s films. Green Lantern failed because the story was gratuitous and the effects were cartoonish. I am not a fan of Reynolds but him being Hal Jordan is too perfect; in fact, Ryan Reynolds was the only thing positive about that entire movie and, again for emphasis, I can’t stand Ryan Reydnolds. Batman lives in his own universe–there is no room for magic or alien invaders. And Superman does not connect at all with the 21st century–audiences want flawed characters, not ones with powers to overcome any obstacle. Throw in a superhero who can run really fast (Flash), and a woman with a magic lasso and an invisible jet (imagine that CGI) and you have a team of incredibly stupid looking, out-of-place actors in outlandish costumes, fighting a plot instead of a villain in a setting no one will ever believe, even if for an hour and thirty minutes.
Christian Bale is leaving the Batman ‘world’ and so is Nolan. They spent way too much time and effort into closing out this trilogy for them just to recast a new Batman in two years and expect everyone to buy this JLA movie. This key question is: will people actually care about the characters? The answer is simply ‘no’ since none of these superheroes have connected with audiences as well as their Marvel counterpoints.
The best us DC fans can do is hope Joseph L-G will be introduced as Dick Greyson and Thalia gets pregnant with Damian. Otherwise we will have to wait at least 5 years for a Batman reboot and maybe then can we start thinking about a JLA. DC should focus on the pieces before the puzzle and get the individual characters ingrained in our heads before trying to unleash them all at once.
And don’t even get me started on that “Batman vs. Superman” crap they tried to start a few years ago…
Here’s who should play the roles its perfect:)
Henry Cavill as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman
Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern
Jessica Biel as Diana / Wonder Woman
Bradley Cooper as Barry Allen / Flash
Laurence Fishbourne as J’onn J’onzz / John Jones / Martian Manhunter
Channing Tatum as Orin / Arthur Curry / Aquaman
And Michael Clarke Duncan as Darkseid
What do you think people?:)
Here’s who should play the roles it perfect:)
Henry Cavill as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman
Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern
Jessica Biel as Diana / Wonder Woman
Bradley Cooper as Barry Allen / Flash
Laurence Fishbourne as J’onn J’onzz / John Jones / Martian Manhunter
Channing Tatum as Orin / Arthur Curry / Aquaman
And Michael Clarke Duncan as Darkseid
What do you think people?:)
Cast shud keep the established actors simply as they are recognised by filmgoers already. Imagine if marvel cast a different actor than robert downey jr in avengers?!?!
Superman- henry cavill
green lantern-ryan renolds
batman-christian bale
Martian manhunter-the rock
wonder woman- mila kunis (might need to be a little bigger)
The flash- sean william scott (a goof who can bulk up)
Joss whedon shud direct as he shown with avengers he can handle an ensemble cast and a li.e up of marvels biggest charecters without clusterfukkin it, and made sure all the main characters were equally important to the storyline. Any director of a jla film wud need to do this and resist turning it into “the batman with a team ” movie or “superman and others” film.
As for the plot, we need summat that justifys the need for seven of DCs biggest stars to confront. The obvious choice wud be alien invasion but thats been done in avengers. How about martian manhunter is introduced in this film by being captured by project cadmus, who use his dna to create an “unstoppable” creature that is stolen by darksied who learn of its power and unleashed on the earth , starting with gotham city with batman unable to stop it alone ,superman and wonder woman stepping in because of the clear power of the monster, and lantern rescuing manhunter from cadmus after hearing his phsycic call for help while patrolling his sector. That wud be the main story arc