15 Fixes To Save The DC Extended Universe

Marvel have enjoyed tremendous success by hiring unconventional directors for many of their movies: Kenneth Branagh directed Thor, Shane Black helmed Iron Man 3 and most surprisingly, small-time filmmakers James Gunn and the Russo Brothers took on Guardians of the Galaxy and the Captain America franchise respectively.

The results, of course, speak for themselves, and Marvel Studios are clearly leaning into this moving forward, what with low-budget horror filmmaker Scott Derrickson making Doctor Strange, Jon Watts taking on Spider-Man: Homecoming and Kiwi indie director Taika Waititi helming Thor: Ragnarok.

DC could learn a lesson here: directors from other arenas can bring a distinct vision to a film even though there's an overall "house style" that they have to conform to. The DCEU has had Zack Snyder, no question a terrific stylist, and David Ayer, who is no doubt a solid action director with the right script, but it's in taking bold directorial risks that the franchise could break out and truly become a runaway hit that captures audience's imaginations.

Hopefully DC can eventually court The Lego Movie's Chris Miller and Phil Lord, who wrote the story for The Flash, to actually direct a DC movie, because they'd almost certainly knock it out of the park. However, aside from this glimmer of hope, the presence of filmmakers with any palpable indie cred is sorely lacking, and that's a damn shame.