DC Studios' SUPERMAN written & directed by James Gunn (2025) 3 3

[Jesse-Lee]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:14 PM, jsilverjanet said:

maybe the general public but this is the Avengers - top 3 team in the comic universe

it's a solid foundation moving forward

That's true - I wish DC would have taken a page out of Marvel's playbook: start with the big 3 in solo movies, then build on that universe by introducing new "sub-A-list" characters. They kind of tried to do that with the Snyderverse, but then they had other movies and properties that had zero connection to the Snyderverse, and it just confuses the issue (and the more casual/newer fans).

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 2/15/2023 at 2:14 PM, Jesse-Lee said:

It's all fantasy though, that's the point. Damian Wayne was raised as an assassin by a cult led by his basically immortal grandfather and his own assassin mother. It's not like he's some kid Bruce Wayne saw eating paste on an elementary school playground.

I chose to look at it over 15 years because Iron Man came out in 2008, which was basically the starting foundation of the MCU. I think you have to compare it to Marvel in the sense that Marvel has been massively successful with its cinematic and TV universe and properties, where DC hasn't been as much. They're largely competing for the consumer dollars - from a pure, hardcore fan-base perspective there will be Marvel and DC purists, but even in the larger fan base I'd guess that there are a lot of people like myself who will go see both Marvel and DC movies, so both of their products matter in that conversation.

I guess you missed the "unfettered" part of my response. Unfettered fantasy, and Robin, are 2 extremely different levels of fiction.

Do you want homogenized cinematic universes? Because that's how you get 'em. DC playing catch-up to copy the MCU is how they ended up collapsing last time. If they don't start with the foundations of the Justice League, history is going to repeat itself.

[Jesse-Lee]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:20 PM, theCapraAegagrus said:

I guess you missed the "unfettered" part of my response. Unfettered fantasy, and Robin, are 2 extremely different levels of fiction.

Do you want homogenized cinematic universes? Because that's how you get 'em. DC playing catch-up to copy the MCU is how they ended up collapsing last time. If they don't start with the foundations of the Justice League, history is going to repeat itself.

Two different Robins have died and been brought back to life - one by having reality altered by a super being from a parallel Earth and then being dunked in a pit of magic liquid, the other by a magic crystal - I don't see a lot of fetters on the storytelling.

I do want a cohesive universe that mirrors the style of how they do major event in comics, where the movies are like the main story lines and the TV shows are like tie-in issues - so yes, I'd like to see the DCU be similar to the MCU in that fashion. I think Gunn can find a way into that even by introducing sub-A-list characters and products as a jumping off point.

I can understand why he's doing a Superman reboot (even though I don't think we need another Superman-focused or Batman-focused movie at this stage), because you're right in that it's a good - or at least sensible - foundation. But I think there could be a novel approach in taking lesser-known characters and building around them; that's how DC could differentiate from Marvel while still being able to create a robust universe that gets fans excited and invested.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 2/15/2023 at 2:33 PM, Jesse-Lee said:

Two different Robins have died and been brought back to life - one by having reality altered by a super being from a parallel Earth and then being dunked in a pit of magic liquid, the other by a magic crystal - I don't see a lot of fetters on the storytelling.

I do want a cohesive universe that mirrors the style of how they do major event in comics, where the movies are like the main story lines and the TV shows are like tie-in issues - so yes, I'd like to see the DCU be similar to the MCU in that fashion. I think Gunn can find a way into that even by introducing sub-A-list characters and products as a jumping off point.

I can understand why he's doing a Superman reboot (even though I don't think we need another Superman-focused or Batman-focused movie at this stage), because you're right in that it's a good - or at least sensible - foundation. But I think there could be a novel approach in taking lesser-known characters and building around them; that's how DC could differentiate from Marvel while still being able to create a robust universe that gets fans excited and invested.

In comics and animation, sure. Do you really think they're going to tackle anything like that? Consider how they've approached live-action Batman stuff over the past 20 years; They always use the term "grounded".

Well, do you want the DCU to start like the MCU, or not? You can't say "yes", but then also want to liftoff with random GotG-level stuff as the DCU is currently planning on doing. I wouldn't be betting on The Authority to make money without a JLA to prove to us that they can even attempt to pull it off.

Edited February 15, 2023 by theCapraAegagrus

[Jesse-Lee]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:54 PM, theCapraAegagrus said:

In comics and animation, sure. Do you really think they're going to tackle anything like that? Consider how they've approached live-action Batman stuff over the past 20 years; They always use the term "grounded".

I have my doubts, but I hold a small glimmer of hope. Peacemaker and Suicide Squad were the opposite of grounded. I'd love to see stories along the lines of Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, 52, etc., where there's a mix of grounded storytelling and drama with a dash of humor and over-the-top stuff.

On 2/15/2023 at 1:54 PM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Well, do you want the DCU to start like the MCU, or not? You can't say "yes", but then also want to liftoff with random GotG-level stuff as the DCU is currently planning doing. I wouldn't be betting on The Authority to make money without a JLA to prove to us that they can even attempt to pull it off.

I wanted them to start like the MCU a decade ago, but they didn't do it. Now, I'd rather see a new approach. I could understand them rebooting and rebuilding with the big 3, but I'd rather see if (and how) they could pull it off in a different way.

[bronze_rules]

I tend to be in the camp that says you can create great comic movies without them being known and top tier properties. I think what makes cinema renditions great is novel and refreshing takes and milieus on top of storylines. Look at the fantastic surprise performers...

GOTG. Third, maybe fourth tier characters. Gunn turned into success with novel take and view of what the cosmos looked like outside of earth.

Aqauaman, Black Panther. No one would expect any success, but there you have it. Wan took Aquaman and made a great storyline coupled with a novel underwater rendition that turned out to be great. BP showed us Wakanda universe.

Joker. Blew it out of the water very unexpectedly, but excellent execution and take on Joker. Practically zero humor necessary. That in itself is unique.

 

Now all that being said, it's hard to deliver more and more novel approaches and milieus and not be stale.  BP, GOTG, Sub-Mariner followups lost those first person advantages and to me are looking stale. I'm getting tired of Gunn's over the top stupid humor, it grates on me now, whereas it had me in stitches at the beginning. Flash looks great, but then again the novelty of bringing back old actors and characters has already been used up first by Marvel. Studios try to strike twice by copying the same lightning. I don't think that will last that long.

I would love to see DC take the same big characters and build them up to Kingdom Come. Maybe add Red Tornado, Martian Manhunter, etc along the way. Maybe even Kamandi. (I think each one of those has potential to be billion dollar breakout with right ingredients). But please temper the Gunn Beavis and Butthead characters, they are getting boring.  I'm not really looking forward to him taking over the reigns, if only because his sameness and over the top humor is getting old, like Waititi.

*All that being said, with much of these films landing in top 50 blockbusters of all time, it's hard for me to see them as failures. And doubtful they will letup anytime soon. It's just that they could maybe take the time to make them better.

Edited February 15, 2023 by bronze_rules

[trademarkcomics]

 

 

On 2/15/2023 at 11:14 AM, Jesse-Lee said:

It's all fantasy though, that's the point. Damian Wayne was raised as an assassin by a cult led by his basically immortal grandfather and his own assassin mother. It's not like he's some kid Bruce Wayne saw eating paste on an elementary school playground.

 

The first thing you learn as a writer is that you must first establish rules for the universe you create then stay within those rules as you write your stories. The rules for a world that the Guardians of the Galaxy inhabit are going to far and wide different than the rules for a universe Batman inhabits. For that much more realistic world, Robin has always seemed out of place to me. Still, I'm a huge Richard Grayson fan, but mostly since he became Nightwing. 

Edited February 15, 2023 by trademarkcomics
You know that D-I-C-K was a name first right?

[Bosco685]

[Bosco685]

 

[Bosco685]

 

[theCapraAegagrus]

James Gunn's tweets read like pure, unfiltered narcissism.

Aside from that, this movie is going to be monumentally disappointing with his direction.

[Gatsby77]

So...we're supposed to believe this will be released in just over 2 years…

With zero cast announcements so far?

Even if the screenplay's finished, that's still a tight deadline.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Gatsby77

[Bosco685]

Ben Affleck on ‘Air,’ New CEO Gig and Those Memes: “I Am Who I Am”

[theCapraAegagrus]

Quote

But I was going to direct a Batman, and [Justice League] made me go, “I’m out. I never want to do any of this again. I’m not suited.” That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some experiences. It broke my heart. There was an idea of someone [Joss Whedon] coming in, like, “I’ll rescue you and we’ll do 60 days of shooting and I’ll write a whole thing around what you have. I’ve got the secret.” And it wasn’t the secret. That was hard.

Are there any bigger tales of studio mismanagement? Alienating your 2 biggest comic hero actors, in the middle of peak CBM hype, is simply insane to me.

[bentbryan]

On 3/16/2023 at 8:58 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

James Gunn's tweets read like pure, unfiltered narcissism.

Aside from that, this movie is going to be monumentally disappointing with his direction.

I have really liked the guy for a long time but this seems to be the case more and more.   The part about his dads birthday is 

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 3/16/2023 at 10:45 AM, bentbryan said:

I have really liked the guy for a long time but this seems to be the case more and more.   The part about his dads birthday is 

It immediately made me think of parents who claim that their 5-year old made a genius, philosophical, life-changing statement.

It also reminds me of this FB group: This didn't happen so much that it unhappened things that had.

[Bosco685]

On 3/16/2023 at 10:29 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Are there any bigger tales of studio mismanagement? Alienating your 2 biggest comic hero actors, in the middle of peak CBM hype, is simply insane to me.

You can feel his pain, and how we landed where we did. But people trolling Snyder supporters as being blind to he was the problem.

[Bosco685]

[bentbryan]

On 4/26/2023 at 4:17 PM, Bosco685 said:

Narcissist much, James? 
 

 

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 4/26/2023 at 4:17 PM, Bosco685 said:

Why didn't James Gunn cast himself as Ego instead of Kurt Russell?