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Warner bros announce superhero films through 2020

Christopher said:
Well, if they are doing the Flashpoint story, it follows that other DC heroes would appear in it, particularly Wonder Woman and Aquaman, whose nations were at war with each other in the original story's altered timeline.

Although I really wish they wouldn't do that plot for the Flash movie, because it's really, really dark and dystopian (judging from the animated version, anyway, but I gather it was pretty faithful), and I thought the Flash movie was supposed to be one of the lighter entries in the DCEU.
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Johns' fingers outstretching into the DCEU already. No wonder so much talent walked away from the Flash movie. Like you said, Flashpoint is a dark story. Like, disturbingly dark. The animated movie was a pretty faithful adaptation. The main comic has a few more characters play roles, like Element Woman and Enchantress.

A story where Barry Allen uses time travel to undo the murder of his mother by Reverse Flash and causes the world to be thrown topsy turvy. Atlanteans vs Amazons in a world war, Bruce murdered as a child: with Thomas and Martha becoming Batman and the Joker, Clark never becoming Superman and instead ending up a shrimpy test subject, Hal never becoming GL and the climax involving everyone but Barry dying. The lessons of it is "some things you just can't change". It doesn't really mesh with Johns "hope and optimism" stance for the DCEU either.

I suspect Johns wanted this story for movie adaptation for two reasons. It's a good way to retell the origin (his origin where Nora is murdered by Thawne from 2009) of Barry Allen, include Reverse Flash (who along with Captain Cold are Johns' favorite characters) and touch on a lot of the lessons/cause and consequences CW Barry has been going through in the 3 seasons of the show.
 
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Just because they're calling the Flash's solo film "Flashpoint" doesn't necessarily mean that the film is going to adapt that story arc.
 
Yeah, showing an alternate universe in a character's first solo movie almost defeats the purpose of seeing how things contrast with the familiar before it's even familiar. So hopefully it's mostly just Flashpoint in name.

But then, this is from the studio that basically lead with Superman and Batman's last confrontation (at the time) and threw in the death of Superman right after.

There's no proper build-up with these movies. I'm a little surprised they didn't introduce it all with Kingdom Come, quite honestly
 
M'rk son of Mogh said:
But then, this is from the studio that basically lead with Superman and Batman's last confrontation (at the time) and threw in the death of Superman right after.

There's no proper build-up with these movies.
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Neither of these things are even remotely true.

Batman v Superman is very much an extension of - and a direct sequel to - Man of Steel, building on things that are actually established in that film (including Batman's existence). The only things that are truly introduced wholesale in BvS are the existence of Lex Luthor, Wonder Woman and the denizens of Apokalips.
 
^ No. I disagree with the notion that, narratively, they, in your words, "basically lead with Superman and Batman's last confrontation (at the time) and threw in the death of Superman right after", because it implies that the studio "shoehorned" in a story that was inspired by The Dark Knight Returns and the Death of Superman without laying any sort of contextual foundation for the story they were telling and the elements of said story that were derived from those two specific sources.

Regardless of the specific comics from which it draws inspiration, BvS builds, as noted, directly off of Man of Steel, and firmly establishes that fact from the very first frame of the film.
 
They might even do that story, but not as a very close adaptation. The TV-Flash version of Flashpoint also had little in common with the source material, but still had the same premise.
 
Kai "the spy" said:
They might even do that story, but not as a very close adaptation. The TV-Flash version of Flashpoint also had little in common with the source material, but still had the same premise.
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Yeah, but that's why it would make sense, in a way, to do something closer to the original. One, they've already done a screen version that's limited to the Flash and his immediate circle. Of course, movie makers rarely take TV into account, but Johns is pretty hands-on with both, so he might. Two, the movie continuity has access to all the characters the TV version didn't -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman -- so it makes sense to use them. So if they do a version that shows how the entire DCEU is altered, that would not only make it distinct from the TV version, but it would be a bigger story more suited to the epic scope of a feature film.

Still, doing a story on that scope doesn't have to mean doing the same ultra-dark and violent story that the comics did. They could come up with a different way that history was changed.

On the other hand, it's a pretty odd idea to have the Flash's first solo movie be about the rest of the DCEU. So there is something to be said for focusing mainly on Barry's own story and keeping the rest of the superheroes secondary. But then, there's the risk of it not being distinct enough from the TV version. Again, not a huge consideration from the moviemakers' POV, but it would be disappointing for me and other viewers.
 
DigificWriter said:
^ No. I disagree with the notion that, narratively, they, in your words, "basically lead with Superman and Batman's last confrontation (at the time) and threw in the death of Superman right after", because it implies that the studio "shoehorned" in a story that was inspired by The Dark Knight Returns and the Death of Superman without laying any sort of contextual foundation for the story they were telling and the elements of said story that were derived from those two specific sources.

Regardless of the specific comics from which it draws inspiration, BvS builds, as noted, directly off of Man of Steel, and firmly establishes that fact from the very first frame of the film.
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I would say Batman's reaction in B v. s certainly DOES make sense narratively, and a logical connection from Man of Steel.

But emotionally, Superman's death isn't very impactful. certainly not for the audience (i.e. the opposite of the reaction to the death of Spock in TWOK or Han Solo in TFA).

From the MCU, if Steve Rogers died, now at this stage, it would be meaningful because he might not actually return in the next movie.

And even within the DC Film Universe, has the world really had a chance to get to know Superman enough to regard him as a hero?

And regarding Flashpoint...as been mentioned, we barely know the DCFU version of Flash (he's had more screentime/development in the trailers than actual films), so even if Flashpoint were localized to his own cast of characters, it wouldn't mean that much.

So unless the Flashpoint is more of some event that makes Flash go from guy trying to hide his powers into a superhero...the title is misleading.

I think the actor himself seems to be a nice guy, and really trying to have fun with the fans... But between the production mishaps and the competition with the TV show...I wish he had been cast as a different hero...
 
If you didn't feel connected to Superman's death in BvS, you missed the point of his character as presented in both that film and Man of Steel, particularly the very human and relatable motivations behind his confrontation with Bruce as demonstrated by his interactions with Lois just prior to his departure from Metropolis to instigate said confrontation.

Pretty much everything that happens in BvS with the character is setting up the choice he makes to sacrifice himself, and said choice was further set up by the choices he made in Man of Steel.

With regards to "Flashpoint", the title could very easily have to do with a host of things that have nothing to do with the storyline that launched the New 52, and it wouldn't be in any way misleading at all.

If people assume that the title refers to that one specific storyline and it doesn't, it's not a case of the studio being misleading, it's a case of people jumping to conclusions.
 
Christopher said:
Yeah, but that's why it would make sense, in a way, to do something closer to the original. One, they've already done a screen version that's limited to the Flash and his immediate circle. Of course, movie makers rarely take TV into account, but Johns is pretty hands-on with both, so he might. Two, the movie continuity has access to all the characters the TV version didn't -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman -- so it makes sense to use them. So if they do a version that shows how the entire DCEU is altered, that would not only make it distinct from the TV version, but it would be a bigger story more suited to the epic scope of a feature film.

Still, doing a story on that scope doesn't have to mean doing the same ultra-dark and violent story that the comics did. They could come up with a different way that history was changed.

On the other hand, it's a pretty odd idea to have the Flash's first solo movie be about the rest of the DCEU. So there is something to be said for focusing mainly on Barry's own story and keeping the rest of the superheroes secondary. But then, there's the risk of it not being distinct enough from the TV version. Again, not a huge consideration from the moviemakers' POV, but it would be disappointing for me and other viewers.
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This is what I was getting at. In regards to the other characters, it might be that the movie does have them, but in very minor roles, for the basic "yeah, see how different this world is" purpose, but with the focus clearly on Barry and his arc.
 
Speaking of the Death of Superman, you all may be interested in a wee "fan edit short" I've cooked up... :p

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M'rk son of Mogh said:
Yeah, showing an alternate universe in a character's first solo movie almost defeats the purpose of seeing how things contrast with the familiar before it's even familiar. So hopefully it's mostly just Flashpoint in name.
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Yeah, I agree with you and Christopher here. Hopefully this will be a situation like Avengers: Age of Ultron where they just take a title and nothing else from the comics.
 
Morpheus 02 said:
I would say Batman's reaction in B v. s certainly DOES make sense narratively, and a logical connection from Man of Steel.
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True--its a smooth, logical bridge to Batman's purpose in BvS.

But emotionally, Superman's death isn't very impactful. certainly not for the audience (i.e. the opposite of the reaction to the death of Spock in TWOK or Han Solo in TFA).
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Flagship character deaths in fantasy rarely carry weight; while TWOK's death of Spock was effective, Han Solo's was not, as he was just shoehorned into the film's events to support new, weaker characters, and was merely a shell of all of his development from the original trilogy. Everyone knew Solo would die, but he was so thin that his death was emotionally empty. On the other hand, Superman's death was not meant to be permanent (deliberately so)--everyone also knew that--and the fact it was the motivator for Bruce to create the Justice League, and less about some great tragedy. That was no failing to create a dramatic death because he's expected to return.

From the MCU, if Steve Rogers died, now at this stage, it would be meaningful because he might not actually return in the next movie.
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Agreed. He's-by far--the most developed & likable MCU character, along with being its moral compass. If Rogers is killed off, it will leave a massive crater no other character can fill.

And even within the DC Film Universe, has the world really had a chance to get to know Superman enough to regard him as a hero?
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Yes, as it is not uncommon for random individuals to be turned into instant heroes (even if short lived), particularly in this social media age. A super-powered man would be the stuff of worldwide public obsession and celebration for many.


I think the actor himself seems to be a nice guy, and really trying to have fun with the fans... But between the production mishaps and the competition with the TV show...I wish he had been cast as a different hero...
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There's no true competition with that TV series, as the focus is firmly, justifiably on live action DC movies, which are seen as the true, official versions of the various characters. The TV series is not even watched on a comparable level, and does not share the general prestige of the movies, now considered the established "opposite" or competition of the MCU.
 
Karen Gillan wants to play the Joker.

CBR said:
While appearing over the weekend in Ft. Lauderdale at Florida Supercon, Gillan was asked whether there were any roles she’d like to play outside the MCU. To the audience’s surprise she chose Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker.
“Oh, can I say something DC?” Gillan said. “OK, I’m going to say something DC, and I’m going to play the Joker. Maybe a female Joker.” After being made aware that Martha Wayne was the Joker in DC’s Flashpoint event, the actress became excited. “This is my calling!” Gillan exclaimed. “Somebody make a call for me and let them know I’m available.”
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