'Justice League' to the Big Screen

[senatorlamb]

From MSN Movies (http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/02-27-07_4?GT1=7701):

Last week's announcement that Warner Bros. was developing a movie version of the classic superhero group the Justice League of America, entitled "Justice League," was a dream many geeks never thought would happen. Even more exciting was that Variety reported the movie wouldn't just include Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman but also possibly longtime JLA members The Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. How the screenwriters, Kieran and Michele Mulroney, will make it all work is anyone's guess. More importantly, can the studio convince the current movie versions of Superman and Batman, Brandon Routh and Christian Bale, respectively, to come on board another franchise?


As it currently stands, Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" sequel, "The Dark Knight," will begin shooting this spring for a 2008 release. Warner Bros. expects a new "Superman" movie from Bryan Singer in 2009. They also recently announced that "Night at the Museum" director Shawn Levy would take the reigns of "The Flash." New screenwriters were also brought on board for the long-delayed "Wonder Woman" feature. Would that push "Justice League" to 2010 or beyond? Or, could it become the cinematic launching pad for both characters? The studio has experienced this scenario before. It developed a Batman and Superman project, "World's Finest," that Wolfgang Petersen spearheaded, while at the same time investing in the individual features that became "Batman Begins" and "Superman Returns." Ultimately, the solo projects got the go ahead and "Finest" was put on the shelf. It's possible the studio may go with either a "League" movie or solo pictures for the scarlet speedster and the amazing Amazon -- after scripts for all three are worked on. This won't thrill the individual producers working on all these projects, but it might up the ante to churn out something worth spending the big bucks on.


In the meantime, word was circulating that one of the ideas the Mulroneys had was to structure "League" with an older Batman who was guiding a younger Superman and Wonder Woman. The rumor ends with the studio wanting Tom Welling (Smallville) portraying the younger Man of Steel, but that's hard to believe considering Routh is more than two years younger than his TV counterpart. Because both Routh and Bale have multiyear deals to play their respective characters, it wouldn't be surprising to see a "League" movie negotiated as one of their current commitments.


Would you rather see a "Justice League" movie or individual flicks for "The Flash" and "Wonder Woman"? Send your thoughts and comments to buzz@microsoft.com.


I have mixed opinions about this development. Some of the ideas the article mentioned are terrible. However, A Justice League movie which properly incorporates the universes of the respective D.C. franchises, along with the keeping the same actors would be amazing, and epic.

[FondestMemory]

i'm just pissed that goyer is off of the flash and whedon is off of wonder woman.

i could give a shit less about wonder woman, but whedon doing it had me interested. and i really wanted goyer to do the flash. i knew he'd do a great job with it.

[gilatron5000]

I'm not so sure this would be a good idea. As much as I love The Justice League, and would adore a moie incorporating the Big Guns of the DCU, I think egos would get in the way. For example, Halle Berry was always complaining about screentime that she received as Storm. I think it would be hard to convince a lead to be relegated to a ensemble character.

[Nortimus]

This would be incredibly difficult to get on the screen, partly because of the deals mentioned in the story and along with the fact that, as with many tales, with too many characters things can easily get convoluted. Not to mention that an adaptation of a 'League' of super heroes done wrong on the big screen can be anywhere from mediocre to downright bad (Hello, Extraordinary Gentlemen).

Then again, it could be amazing if done right.

That being said, I hold out judgement on the situation until more details get finalized.

[AshesAshes]

I cant see this working at all

[JIMMYateEARTH]

This would be great but they would hve to wait to deveolp more individual character movies.

[Jack123]

This would be a dream come true

[fluke182]

I'm not so sure this would be a good idea. As much as I love The Justice League, and would adore a moie incorporating the Big Guns of the DCU, I think egos would get in the way. For example, Halle Berry was always complaining about screentime that she received as Storm. I think it would be hard to convince a lead to be relegated to a ensemble character.
Here's your answer - pull a Singer and only hire no namers and Routh, Bale. Bale doesn't seem very egotistical and would go along with it as long as it is well made and Routh should just be thankful he's acting again. I kid, he was fine in Returns.

[JIMMYateEARTH]

Here's your answer - pull a Singer and only hire no namers and Routh, Bale. Bale doesn't seem very egotistical and would go along with it as long as it is well made and Routh should just be thankful he's acting again. I kid, he was fine in Returns.

I loved him in Returns. He did a great job of being Reeves. I'd like to see him play a different role just so I could see how well he could act when he is not just filling in for an older (dead) actor.

[AEast317]

this movie will never come out.

but anyways, i hope it doesnt focus just on bats,supes, and ww

actually, i'd love it if the team in the movie was j'onn, flash, green lantern (hal or kyle, but for movies sake i'd say it would HAVE to be hal), green arrow, zatanna, and idk who the last person would be. hawkman maybe?

[Nortimus]

this movie will never come out.

but anyways, i hope it doesnt focus just on bats,supes, and ww

actually, i'd love it if the team in the movie was j'onn, flash, green lantern (hal or kyle, but for movies sake i'd say it would HAVE to be hal), green arrow, zatanna, and idk who the last person would be. hawkman maybe?


Even more exciting was that Variety reported the movie wouldn't just include Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman but also possibly longtime JLA members The Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. How the screenwriters, Kieran and Michele Mulroney, will make it all work is anyone's guess.


And it would HAVE to be Hal Jordan. No question.

[AEast317]

Even more exciting was that Variety reported the movie wouldn't just include Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman but also possibly longtime JLA members The Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. How the screenwriters, Kieran and Michele Mulroney, will make it all work is anyone's guess.


And it would HAVE to be Hal Jordan. No question.

what i meant was it would be cool if the team didnt even HAVE the big 3 in it. thats not realistic at all though, and they would have to bash the origins, and ppl would get mad hahaha. so what i really mean is it'd be cool if their roles were just minor
like not "here is the big three; here are the benchwarmers" but "here is the TEAM:they are equal"

[Jack123]

Vin Diesel = Martian Manhunter
Will Smith = Green Lantern (John Stewart)
David Spade = The Flash
Rachel Bilson = Wonder Woman
Ashton Kutcher = Superman
George Clooney = Batman

Directed by the director of Fantastic 4


I would still be (semi) excited - just how much I loved the JLA growing up.

[Nortimus]

David Spade? Ashton Kutcher?


You're kidding, right?

[senatorlamb]

David Spade? Ashton Kutcher?


You're kidding, right?

Yeah, I think he is.

[fluke182]

David Spade? Ashton Kutcher?


You're kidding, right?
He's joking, note the "From the Director of Fantastic Four" part.

We should do a casting call, let's call it this lineup...Martian Manhunter, Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, and Aquaman, the primary lineup from the beginning of the Morrison run on JLA, plus Oracle, Steel, and Plastic Man. Of course the villain will be Starro, so feel free to cast him/her/it too. I'll do that tomorrow at work, but there is only one person who can play Starro - Brad Pitt.

[Nortimus]

Yeah, I think he is.


I really need to stop posting on here late at night when I can barely see straight....

[gilatron5000]

He's joking, note the "From the Director of Fantastic Four" part.

We should do a casting call, let's call it this lineup...Martian Manhunter, Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, and Aquaman, the primary lineup from the beginning of the Morrison run on JLA, plus Oracle, Steel, and Plastic Man. Of course the villain will be Starro, so feel free to cast him/her/it too. I'll do that tomorrow at work, but there is only one person who can play Starro - Brad Pitt.

For starters, if Kyle Rayner is Green Lantern, the only actor I ever thought could fill the role was David Boreanaz(Angel, Bones). Or possibly Eric Dane(McSteamy on Grey's Anatomy, or Multiple Man in X-Men 3)

And how about Ryan Reynolds as Wally West? For some reason, I think combining his sense of humor(Waiting, Van Wilder) would his action roles(uh, Blade 3, Smokin' Aces) would good for the part.

Joss Whedon stated that he would want Cobie Smuthers(Robin from How I Met Your Mother) to play Diana, but I think she's too...Donna Troy-ish. How about Catherine Zeta-Jones?

I thought Darkseid would make a better Justice League villain, how about him?

that's all I got for now.

[AEast317]

Vin Diesel = Martian Manhunter
Will Smith = Green Lantern (John Stewart)
David Spade = The Flash
Rachel Bilson = Wonder Woman
Ashton Kutcher = Superman
George Clooney = Batman

Directed by the director of Fantastic 4


I would still be (semi) excited - just how much I loved the JLA growing up.

i would NOT see this.

probably the worst casting EVER.
hopefully this is a joke...i could maybe see bilson as wonder woman, but thats it.

[fluke182]

For starters, if Kyle Rayner is Green Lantern, the only actor I ever thought could fill the role was David Boreanaz(Angel, Bones). Or possibly Eric Dane(McSteamy on Grey's Anatomy, or Multiple Man in X-Men 3)

And how about Ryan Reynolds as Wally West? For some reason, I think combining his sense of humor(Waiting, Van Wilder) would his action roles(uh, Blade 3, Smokin' Aces) would good for the part.

Joss Whedon stated that he would want Cobie Smuthers(Robin from How I Met Your Mother) to play Diana, but I think she's too...Donna Troy-ish. How about Catherine Zeta-Jones?

I thought Darkseid would make a better Justice League villain, how about him?

that's all I got for now.
Haha, I was kidding about Starro. Darkseid is a good idea, I just went with the villain that was the most ridiculous thing I could think of and that hadn't actually been done in a DC movie.

Ryan Reynolds was actually the lead to play Wally West, back when Goyer was doing it. I think he would be great, so long as he was comical...but restrained. Wally West can't be a mockery of himself, he has to be joking but serious, like Spider-Man.

[gilatron5000]

how about Darkseid using Starro to enslave mankind? :-0

Two villains are a must for this kind of movie anyway. It's formula.

And I agree about Wally West. Thats what I was going for anyway.

[simon1987]

i think the large casting required and the epic of a script that would be needed to justify it to be made is too much of a hurdle.

[Jack123]

For everyone who thought I was serious...I was kidding.

Ryan Reynoals is ideal for the Flash. Michael Rosenbaum could play the part 2. Brandon Routh/Christian Bale for Supes/Batman.

For whatever reason, I can really imagine Daniel Craig as a certain JLA villian but I can't put my finger on who.

[senatorlamb]

From IESB.net (http://iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2119&Itemid=99)

Batman WILL be in the Justice League of America Movie!
Written by Robert Sanchez Wednesday, 21 March 2007

There has been a ton of speculation in regards to the recently announced Justice League of America movie including rumors that Batman would be a no show, let’s clear this up fast, he will be in JLA... guaranteed!

http://iesb.net/images/stories/popoculture/justice_league.jpg

Online reports early this month caused headaches for Warner Bros. when it was assumed that the Superman sequel would be put on hold in favor of a Justice League movie. That was quickly proven to be total bullshit by a variety of sources including members of the Singer camp.

The other rumor that surfaced said Batman would not be in the JLA film and quote "he’s too big to waste on a film like this, apparently."

Rumors are funny. Sometimes they get completely out of control. Clint over at Moviehole was very clear that these were rumors but, of course, forums and fanboys everywhere started taking this one sentence as fact and the truth is, it’s total BS.

One of my studio insiders and close pal sent me this email after the story started making the rounds: Sup brother! I ain’t a fan of SUPERMAN RETURNS and hope we don’t see Routh in the role again unless it is in a JLA movie, but I can tell you one thing: BATMAN is 100 percent going to be in the JLA movie they're developing at Warner Brothers. So I wonder/question how reliable that other web-site's sources are... Naturally, you and I never had this conversation!
How much do I believe my source? 110%, you can take this to the bank. The big question is will the movie ever get made? That is the 100 million dollar question and most of our insiders are split down the middle with some believing that this movie is D.C.'s time to prove that they can have an ensemble pic just like Marvel has their X-Men but the other half believe that the price tag would be astronomical.

It’s important to remember that during the Batman Begins roundtables at WonderCon in 2005, Christian Bale told us that he had a clause in his contract that one of the three films he was signed on to do could in fact be an ensemble picture. Now, at the time, everyone was thinking Batman vs. Superman (please excuse the old school iesb) but it could just as easily be something like Justice League.

I, for one, believe that if given to the right director, cough, cough, Zack Snyder cough, cough, this could be greatest movie since Empire Strikes Back. Could it happen? Only time will tell.

[cahrishurr]

i need a neew Batman movie before this movie

[Jack123]

i need a neew Batman movie before this movie

...and you will get one, "The Dark Night" but I think the Superman sequal would be put on hold till after the JLA movie

[avengedtbs]

this movie would kick so much ass but so many things have to go the right way for this to be a great movie