The DC Comics Thread

Ben Affleck steps down as the director of Batman. This looks like the coffin of the DCCU has been made. This has been transformed into a death watch.

Cameron Monaghan says his take on The Joker was inspired by the animated version in the 1990's cartoon that was voiced by Mark Hamill.

Hes still writing the movie and he's still playing Batman. Until he steps away from the role, then the movie will be on deathwatch.

I was talking about the entire DCCU in general. At this point, he's probably so frustrated with how it's all gone, that he's only doing it for the sake of making a good Batman movie. If he was angry enough to step down as director, then it's only a matter of time before another big shoe drops.

"Deathwatch" is probably the word for me; this is definitely a troubling sign but for me the coffin and funeral march won't commence until he up and leaves the part. That will be it for me.

Wonder Woman absolutely must deliver on every level if the DCEU is to have a chance of survival through this sure-to-be tumultuous year, and if Justice League being averagely or well received then they may yet survive.

Nicole Kidman will play Aquaman's mother, Queen Atlanna.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will probably play Black Manta.

This article says that Affleck stepping down was a good choice since it would have overwhelmed him. I don't totally disagree with that, but even so, if they screw up on the new director...Game Over.

I wonder if Affleck stepping down has anything to do with that recent movie of his flopping.

TheDreamMaster wrote:

I wonder if Affleck stepping down has anything to do with that recent movie of his flopping.

Even that was WB's fault for cutting it shorter.

Chris Terro has turned in a rewrite of the Batman script. He did write Argo so he has that for him.

DC and WB should just focus on turning their properties into amazing Lego movies. That Batman seems keen to be the best superhero film they've had in almost a decade.

Ben Affleck is a decent director but he was doing too much for the film as is and I don't think he is a GREAT director per se. That is I don't think he can make nearly everything he touches turn to gold. His best films had a ton of aid from others. Good Will Hunting was written by Matt Damon as well and Argo had Terro. The Academy awarding him for Argo over Lincoln really inflated his rep a bit much.

But I am also a little biased as I thought he was not only the wrong choice for the Caped Crusader but I thought the choice to make Batman older was.....unwise. I am also a proponent of a Batman without any Robin (although Dick after he has become Nightwing isn't bad) though.

Here's Andre Meadows, AKA, Black Nerd's take on it.

Concept art of Bat-Monster, either Man-Bat or Bruce Wayne's dark side-The Bat-is released.

It could be both. That Man-Bat is really Bruce Wayne's dark side instead of a flesh and blood villain.

Some fans are starting a petition for Zach Snyder to direct the Batman movie.

This makes no sense. Synder was heavily criticized for Batman vs. Superman and was basically a figurehead/puppet after Ben Affleck was made the executive producer for Justice League. Why would he want to be a figurehead/puppet for Affleck again?

Rhedosaurus wrote:

Some fans are starting a petition for Zach Snyder to direct the Batman movie.

This makes no sense. Synder was heavily criticized for Batman vs. Superman and was basically a figurehead/puppet after Ben Affleck was made the executive producer for Justice League. Why would he want to be a figurehead/puppet for Affleck again?

Just when I think the world can't get anymore insane...

I propose to just sit back and watch the petition shrivel up and die. I have no idea who WB will hire to replace Ben Affleck with the directing duties, but I really hope it's not Snyder. Not because I don't like the guy or think he's untalented, but it's clear that he's a visual director first and foremost, not a storyteller kind of director. Affleck is a storyteller, and that'w why it was so important to have him on board and on good terms with the suits.

Now, a most likely case scenario would be a talented but inexperienced director without any influence; someone like Gareth Edwards or Colin Trevorrow before they landed their respective giant monster/dinosaur projects. They'll never get a David Fincher or Denis Villeneuve now; the highest bid would probably be a Gavin O'Connor, who has worked with Affleck on the sleeper hit The Accountant, a film that defied the critical snubbing it got.

I have to remind people that Synder himself said that he'd like to see Batman raped in prison. Granted, that won't happen with Affleck as executive producer if Synder does take the job. But even so, their is now way how Synder can be director now. Even if he didn't say this, then as long as the DCU/DCCU is concerned, he is damaged beyond repair.

Temuera Morrison will play Aquaman's dad.

The Lego Batman Movie has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Movie Coming In Spring 2017

While a new director for the Batman movie has been found via Matt Reeves, the script is being rewritten...again, with a new creative team.

The Lego Batman Movie is set to destroy both Fifty Shades Darker and John Wick 2.

According to this, not only is the new script ready, but both WB and Affleck are happy with it.

As of now, The Lego Batman Movie is ahead of both 50 Shades Darker and John Wick 2.

Nice to hear that LEGO Batman is way ahead of 50 Shades Darker, but I hope John Wick 2 is able to stay afloat and outpace 50 Shades in the long run.

Also, I am pleased that Matt Reeves got the directing gig for The Batman, now it's up to Warner Bros not to meddle and hijack the production like they did with Suicide Squad, but somehow I doubt it and really hope those fears are proven wrong. Reeves is a seasoned director with his own visual style and a good handle on visual effects as a means to tell the story, and he seems the sort not to let his ego get the better of him.

Ridley Scott And Fede Alvarez are backup plans in case Matt Reeves turns down the directing job for Batman. But Affleck may be done with it altogether.

At this rate I think we might see a complete and total reboot of the DCEU within the next few years of this string of discouraging reports continues to filter out of WB, and that means jettisoning the whole cast to boot. The smart money would be on using Flashpoint to fix the timeline, and write off this phase as the "dark ages" of the DCEU if one preferred. Again, I won't declare the franchise DEAD until Affleck openly announces that he will leave after 'The Batman'. Wonder Woman and Justice League could be good to okay movies, but they probably won't be enough to win people over at this rate.

they did already imply time-traveling Flash in BvS, so it could work if they execute it well--could even be a decent way to brush off the faults of their previous films and move on as well as justifying any recasts (iirc Leto's being replaced as Joker, so that's one example)

Mel Gibson Sought to Direct Suicide Squad Sequel
Read more at http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/814911-mel-gibson-suicide-squad-sequel#7qBm6M5lD7JRLWEs.99

Oshronosaurus wrote:

i think DC/Warner Bros is mainly just trying to do too much too fast with their cinematic universe, just very suddenly rushing into the crossover whereas Marvel took their sweet time doing so. of course, there hadn't really been anything like the MCU in its structure beforehand so they kind of have an unfair advantage. on the other hand, i think most DC characters have more "star power", so to speak, than alot of Marvel characters.

Actually, Leto is staying on as Joker until anything else changes. As for Affleck, the mindset is that it all depends on how Wonder Woman and Justice League does. If they are respectable/good, he stays. If they are average/bad, he's gone. Not only that, but I'm not sure if that can work considering how they have botched so much of everything so far.

Dead2009 wrote:

Mel Gibson Sought to Direct Suicide Squad Sequel
Read more at http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/814911-mel-gibson-suicide-squad-sequel#7qBm6M5lD7JRLWEs.99

I was just about to post this.  Meh, oh well.

So, Batman is imploding and may die completely, or at least have the movie made but with somebody else being recast to play Batman/Bruce Wayne, The Flash is in chaos with 2 directors dropping out and a script re-write, and the whole DC movie universe is resting on 1 huge movie or 1 huge movie and one very big one, depending on your point of view. But don't worry folks, Suicide Squad 2 is coming along perfectly fine.  



Uh..........yea?

In more positive news, The Lego Batman movie has made just under $98 dollars so far.

i think you quoted the wrong post, but interesting news. i'd just remembered reading earlier in the thread that Leto was/might be dropped as the Joker

Mel Gibson himself confirms that talks between WB and himself about being the director of Suicide Squad 2 has and are still happening.

I thought the main reason Mel made Hacksaw Ridge was to make a statement about real life heroism as a contrast to the fantastical heroism of superheroes. At any rate, it would be a waste for WB to have Mel direct the Suicide Squad sequel, I'd rather see his take on Justice League II. But that's even predicated on the notion that he can be persuaded, and my guess is that won't be the case. I even heard that WB want to try and coax Peter Jackson to direct the JL sequel, and probably market it as "From the Director of The Lord of the Rings"

BarrytheOnyx wrote:

I thought the main reason Mel made Hacksaw Ridge was to make a statement about real life heroism as a contrast to the fantastical heroism of superheroes. At any rate, it would be a waste for WB to have Mel direct the Suicide Squad sequel, I'd rather see his take on Justice League II. But that's even predicated on the notion that he can be persuaded, and my guess is that won't be the case. I even heard that WB want to try and coax Peter Jackson to direct the JL sequel, and probably market it as "From the Director of The Lord of the Rings"

He has said that he does like some superhero movies that have been made. And the fact that he and WB are in talks means that he hasn't outright rejected the notion. Not to mention the fact that it shows how desperate WB is for an accomplished director. TBH, at this point, I think that if this pans out, then people will see it only to see how it turns out. Besides, this also throws off much of the bad news that WB has been getting. It's not like what Sony was with GB 2016 where people wanted the movie to fail, and with good reason. People want the DCCU to succeed desperately.