1. He's Got Experience With Iconic Characters
Brian Clough. John Adams. King George VI. Jean Valjean. Javert. To varying extents these characters, fictional or not, are indeed iconic. It takes a real talent to do justice to these people and humanise them for an audience, and Hooper has always pulled that off with aplomb, never idolising them too much and never afraid to deconstruct them. Of course a lot of that is down to the actors who played them, but it takes a great director to complement a great performance. Superman. Batman. Wonder Woman. Green Lantern. The Flash. All iconic and more prominently in the public consciousness. What's the difference for Hooper, since he doesn't seem to have grown up with these characters and felt reverential to them. So much of his work has focused on people with a legacy, so surely the likes of these costumed superheroes will come as second nature to Hooper? His films have never been centred around thematics, visual flair or spectacle, even though they are always present- they've been about characters. That's why his movies have been so damn popular- The King's Speech is about King George and overcoming his stutter to lead a nation. When you boil down Les Mis to its bare bones, it centres on the fractured relationship between Javert and Valjean. The Damned United was all about one tortured genius. The Justice League is about a group of extraordinary individuals with fragile egos brought together under exceptional circumstances. In short, it doesn't seem like Hooper will be burdened with the task in front of him, where each beloved hero needs their own arcs and evolution as well as a share of the action and the running time. Not only does it seem he'd handle it well, but find something fascinating in each character- what director wouldn't relish sinking into Batman's psyche? How can you make Wonder Woman interesting and relatable? How can Superman be developed in a new way never seen before? How do Flash's powers affect him on physical, emotional and mental levels? Is Green Lantern ever tempted to misuse the extraordinary powers granted to him? Justice League may be something of a burden technically and in terms of story, but also an incredible opportunity in character study for a director who understands that. No matter how great it looks or how great the performances are, the Justice League will live and die on the characters. My money is on Hooper understanding that better than most and exploiting that to the best extent. He seems a safer bet than most.