Spoilers Now that we've gotten Batman v Superman, what are your thoughts on the DCEU?

[JD]

Since we've now gotten the big set up for DC's movie universe, or the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), in BvS, I was just curious to see where people stand on it.
I enjoyed BvS, and the set ups for future movies were some of my favorite parts, so that has me pretty optimistic. I also love what I've seen in the Suicide Squad trailers, and the teaser for Wonder Woman in the CW special. I don't think they got off to quite as good of a start as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I'm still really looking forward to continuing to explore this universe future movies.

 

[Christopher]

I also think, judging from past history, that if WONDER WOMAN grosses any less than 800 million the first weekend, studio heads will once again say that female action heroes are too financially risky. The quality of the film itself won't be a factor for them.

Then it's a good sign that the reaction to Wonder Woman in BvS has been so overwhelmingly positive. Even people who loathed the film overall usually praised Gal Gadot. So I think they've been successful in whetting audience interest for the WW solo film, and that may guarantee a strong opening weekend. At least that's one thing BvS managed to do right.

In fact, given how poorly Snyder has reportedly handled female characters otherwise in this film and elsewhere, I wonder if maybe other hands intervened (Patty Jenkins? Geoff Johns?) to oversee how Diana/WW was treated in BvS, and to protect the character with an eye toward her cinematic future.

I also think it's a good sign that Suicide Squad seems to be playing up Harley Quinn as its lead character, even though Will Smith is in the film (and it's unclear yet what the actual credit order will be, apparently -- IMDb puts Margot Robbie first, but Wikipedia puts Smith and Jared Leto above her). Plus SS is that rare entity in Hollywood -- a team action film that has multiple women on the team. If SS and WW both do well, it could help the cause of female-led comic-book movies.

 

[JD]

I've actually been pretty shocked how little they've been promoting the fact that Will Smith is in Suicide Squad. I guess he must not be seen as quite as much of a draw as he used to be.
During the Rebirth presentation one of the DC people said that Harley is the fourth tier (or something) of DC, so I think that probably has a lot to do with why they are promoting her so much.

 

[Christopher]

Although I'm at least as intrigued by the prospect of seeing Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. This is a case, like Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier, where the moviemakers cast the exact person I had already envisaged in the role even before the movie was announced.

 

[Tosk]

Honestly, I'm not really all that jazzed for the DCEU now. I might still check out WW and SS depending on how they look as they get closer, but there's almost zero chance I'll bother with Aquaman, Cyborg, or The Flash. And for Snyder's next one, Justice League, I'd need to hear some pretty damn good word of mouth first.

...to be fair, I was very unlikely to bother with Aquaman or Cyborg even before BvS underwhelmed me,

 

[davejames]

I was pretty disappointed with BvS as well, but I'm too much of a DC fan not to still be excited at the idea of seeing more of it's characters on screen. Although right now it's the standalone movies featuring Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Flash that I'm more excited about than the Justice League itself, sadly.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Currently I have no interest whatsoever in the Justice League with Snyder at the helm.

However, SS and WW are still of interest. Though he has never bettered his script for Training Day, Ayer does have a knack for banter and dialogue, with a kinetic camera style. If combined with a fun story I can certainly see SS being flashy blast.

WW is still a bit of a non entity for me. Though she was fun in BvS I really don't think it was that big or strong showing by Gadot through her 15 minutes of screentime for me to figure out if she can carry her own film. Similarly, Patty Jenkins has only one significant film to her name, Monster, which is a fascinating dramatic horror film, but certainly did not have to do the plot juggling that WW will no doubt have to do (Differing time periods, mythical elements clashing with the real world, the horrors of WW1), PLUS deal with the unrealistic expectations of the fanbase and WB. She's an interesting choice and production design seems to be spot on, but mostly she has been a TV director for the past few years and sadly very few TV directors have been able to translate to the big screen, especially on a canvas size this big. It's a risk. But I like risks.

Hugo - more interested in Robin Wright in WW at the moment

 

[Christopher]

She's an interesting choice and production design seems to be spot on, but mostly she has been a TV director for the past few years and sadly very few TV directors have been able to translate to the big screen, especially on a canvas size this big.

Steven Spielberg... Ridley Scott... Joss Whedon... the Russo Brothers... J.J. Abrams... Drew Goddard... Edgar Wright... Alfonso Cuaron... Brad Bird... They all started as TV directors.

 

[dahj]

I was interested in seeing both Suicide Squad and especially Wonder Woman prior to BvS, and I expected Gal Gadot to be great, so she didn't surprise me. Therefore, my enthusiasm for both has neither diminished nor increased by seeing BvS. I'm still very optimistic for both.

The one I'm much more looking forward to now then before is The Flash, I thought Ezra Miller killed it in the few seconds he had. I'm really curious who'll they get as a creative team behind it.

Regarding Justice League, they should probably take some of the more reasonable complaints levelled at BvS and see how they could alleviate some of them while keeping the more grand, mythic tone of the whole thing, but I hope they don't take the backlash from BvS the wrong way and just turn it into some light fluff devoid of any risk. That's my biggest concern.

I am also slightly worried about Wonder Woman releasing on the same day as Transformers 5, and in the short time around it there are also the releases of: Divergent: Ascendant, The Mummy, World War Z 2, Kingsman 2, Cars 3, Despicable Me 2, Uncharted, Spider-Man, Bad Boys 3, War for the Planet of the Apes.
I do hope she'll be able to break through all that noise.

 

[kirk55555]

I'm excited for any DC movie that isn't being done by Snyder and/or Goyer. They at least have a chance, and as a superhero fan I want the movies to be good. If WB allows the other directors/writers to do their own thing without having to follow Snyder's style, some of the upcoming movies could be pretty good. I'll keep an open mind about them. Justice League, though, I'm not excited for at all because its another Snyder movie.

 

[Hugo Rune]

@Christopher Yup and we also have:

Rob Bowman (X-Files), Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones), Mimi Leder (ER), Allen Coulter (Sopranos), Clark Johnson (The Wire), Michael Rymer (BSG), Anthony Hemmingway (Treme), Thomas Schlamme (West Wing), David Nutter (All of TV), David Carson (TNG). All of whom are fantastic in how they shoot TV, yet struggled significantly on the big screen.

Joss Whedon was criticized in The Avengers for his TV style direction of the action and larger scenes. He improved immensely in my opinion with the follow up, but even his first film, Serenity (even though I love it dearly) was small - and frankly I think he works better, small.

As I said, I like risks and Jenkins is a fascinating one. I'm just curious if she will fit into the DCEU mould and if she has the scope for WW, which probably will be as big as something like MoS or Captain America: The First Avenger

Not all directors have the ability to slap up these massive films (Snyder in fact being one in that group) and I can only hope that Jenkins is more of a Russo than a Rob Bowman

Hugo

 

[davejames]

I am also slightly worried about Wonder Woman releasing on the same day as Transformers 5, and in the short time around it there are also the releases of: Divergent: Ascendant, The Mummy, World War Z 2, Kingsman 2, Cars 3, Despicable Me 2, Uncharted, Spider-Man, Bad Boys 3, War for the Planet of the Apes.
I do hope she'll be able to break through all that noise.

Well I get the feeling Wonder Woman is what drove an awful lot of the box office and excitement for BvS (at least judging by how much she was highlighted in all the trailers and promotion), so I'm sure her standalone movie will do pretty well.

 

[Christopher]

@Christopher Yup and we also have:

Rob Bowman (X-Files), Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones), Mimi Leder (ER), Allen Coulter (Sopranos), Clark Johnson (The Wire), Michael Rymer (BSG), Anthony Hemmingway (Treme), Thomas Schlamme (West Wing), David Nutter (All of TV), David Carson (TNG). All of whom are fantastic in how they shoot TV, yet struggled significantly on the big screen.

Your list is the same size as my list (and I left off Robert Altman, since he didn't fit the "canvas size" under discussion). Obviously there are going to be successes and failures in any field, but I hardly think it's realistic to say that "very few" TV directors can successfully transition to movies. It's lazy and unfair to stereotype by category in any case. Directors are individual human beings, just like everyone else. Their success or failure is a function of their own individual talents, regardless of where they happen to start out.

Heck, there are tons of directors who get their start in movies but still "struggle significantly." Remember Josh Trank? To prove your case, you'd have to demonstrate that TV directors fail at movies more often than directors who start out in short films or music videos or commercials or whatever. And since there are always going to be plenty of failures in any field, I doubt that's a case you can prove.

 

[Mr Light]

I liked at least half of BVS and I'm excited for the future movies. I'm not a huge fan of WW stories but I'm dying to see her first movie. Suicide Squad's trailer looks like a lot of fun. I'm excited to see Justice League, because, it's the Justice League! On the screen! Fighting Darkseid! I just hope they learn their lesson and make that movie(s) a LOT more fun and less dour, despite dealing with an apocalyptic alien invasion. Please don't tell me the Flash is going to be grimdark

 

[Commander Richard]

Loved Man of Steel and had issues with Batman v Superman. That said, I still love these DC movies and look forward to more. Hard to believe it's just beginning.

I've actually been pretty shocked how little they've been promoting the fact that Will Smith is in Suicide Squad.

It's an ensemble cast rather than a Will Smith vehicle. By the way, I saw Smith and Robbie in Focus a few months ago and really liked it. Check it out before Suicide Squad.

Although I'm at least as intrigued by the prospect of seeing Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. This is a case, like Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier, where the moviemakers cast the exact person I had already envisaged in the role even before the movie was announced.

CCH Pounder would have been great too.

 

[Tosk]

I hope they don't take the backlash from BvS the wrong way and just turn it into some light fluff devoid of any risk.

Considering the execution of BvS after the reactions to MoS, I wouldn't worry.

 

[Commander Richard]

It's been stated that Justice League will be lighter.

 

[Commander Richard]

I am also slightly worried about Wonder Woman releasing on the same day as Transformers 5

I hope they move it.

 

[JD]

It's an ensemble cast rather than a Will Smith vehicle. By the way, I saw Smith and Robbie in Focus a few months ago and really liked it. Check it out before Suicide Squad.

Sure, but a lot of movies that are ensembles will still pick one actor or character to promote heavier than the rest, SS has pretty much done that with Margot Robbie/Harley Quinn.

 

[Noname Given]

I find it as a whole - just mediocre. However, I have to admit that I do enjoy the current Live-Action TV DC Universe (Well, Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and I never got into 'Green Arrow' but I hear that show is liked by many too) a lot.

I'm at a loss to understand how the group behind those TV shows can do a very good job with a variety of characters; while the WB/DC movie arm turns out mediocre film after mediocre film (well, 'Green Lantern' and going forward. I say that because while I also found 'Superman Returns' and the second Batman film with Christian Bale mediocre at best too - they weren't trying to expand into the whole 'DC Universe' of characters as they are now - after seeing the success Marvel Studios has had bringing the characters they still have rights to - to the big screen with both financial and a lot of critic success overall.)

If BvS does break the billion dollar Box Office barrier, I'll be surprised. It IS a financial success to be sure; but I'm sure WB was hoping it would be as/more successful than Marvel's two Avengers feature films (Superman and Batman are still DC's most recognized characters) but I don't think it'll get there. But, we'll see.