1. Brad Bird
Why should Bird join the DCCU? The general sentiment among DCCU naysayers is that DC and Warner Brothers are simply trying to capitalize on the success of Marvel and Disney by doing the exact same thing. Marvel hit the jackpot when they brought Joss Whedon on board to direct the Avengers films and oversee the MCU at large - Whedon is a great director, but it's more important that he's a great director for this particular kind of film. To put it bluntly, Brad Bird could be DC's Joss Whedon. It's actually pretty clear at this point that Warner Brothers is straying from the MCU formula (and the fact that they have a shared universe doesn't automatically mean they've "copied" Marvel), so their conception of a Whedon-like creative patriarch may be entirely different. Still, Bird would be the man for the job if it ever came up. He's shown ease with the live-action thriller (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol) and already made one of the greatest superhero movies ever in The Incredibles. That film, though animated and lighthearted, stacks up to any live-action film in terms of directing mastery.
What should Bird direct? Justice League. Yes, Zack Snyder is already lined up, and no, that won't change. But Bird's involvement with a major team-up would be a masterstroke by DC and WB, and his creative vision would be a breath of fresh air after Snyder hangs his cape up. Perhaps Justice Society of America or even a Wonder Woman or Aquaman solo film would work - whatever it is, Bird is exactly the kind of guy DC should be chasing.
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