Say this works. Say, for a moment, that Superman/Batman is a huge hit. From the Comic-Con talk, the next would be Flash or Wonder Woman, then a Justice League movie. If that’s how Hollywood decides to approach it, they’re looking at a Justice League movie that must introduce either Flash, or Wonder Woman, plus Green Lantern, Aquaman, and possibly Martian Manhunter. That’s a lot of heroes crammed into one film, plus a villain (or villains) for them to battle.
A Justice League movie that epic would need a strong foundation to work. Rushing Batman into a Superman sequel, then throwing another random hero at audiences, is not going to do that. The bloated cost, and lengthy run time, would put Justice League into the dark shadow of failure. Not to mention the lack of unity within the characters, who would be difficult to make cohesive in one film.
The Avengers worked because we already cared about the characters. Marvel was smart. They rolled the dice on Iron Man, betting that the post-credits bit between Robert Downey Jr. and Sam Jackson would whet appetites for more. Then they hit us with Incredible Hulk, and another post-credits link. Then Thor, Captain America, etc. When Avengers hit, the heroes were established, the link between the audience and the Avengers was built in when the movie came out. Outside of Joss Whedon’s excellent work, this link is why Avengers made nearly a billion dollars.
DC is staring at a working blueprint and dismissing it. A connection has been set, sort of, with Superman via Man of Steel. Now go back and create a link between audiences and Batman. Bring Green Lantern and Wonder Woman films online, and generate interest in the individual Justice League members. Then, when you unveil a Justice League movie, you have some wiggle room to bring in Flash and Martian Manhunter without their own films. DC could even introduce Flash the way Iron Man 2 did Black Widow. Have him in one or more of the DC films. Marvel has figured out how to conquer the franchise idea. Why is DC trying to forge another path?
The huge pink elephant in the room, in regards to a Superman/Batman film, is Nolan’s run with the Dark Knight. DC has their work set out for them trying to get people to forget Nolan’s Batman, both for the genius of The Dark Knight, and the less than spectacular The Dark Knight Rises. Anybody going to see these films will hold up the new actor’s portrayal of Batman against Christian Bale. DC needs to reboot this Dark Knight in a way that stands against what Nolan did. That won’t happen if he’s sharing screen time with Superman.
Second, is the universal disappointment with The Dark Knight Rises. People still have that taste in their mouth. To rinse it clean, Batman needs two full hours to become something else. Not having a solo Batman film will leave the Nolan elephant firmly in every scene of Superman/Batman. It also feels like a slight against Batman, as if the Dark Knight isn’t worth his own film. That not only looks like a cheap rush to get right to a Justice League film, but also suspiciously like DC feels nobody can top Chris Nolan’s work. It belittles Batman’s importance.
Man of Steel reinterpreted Superman, and it took the full film to accomplish that. In order to set Batman aside from Nolan’s series and to make him work in the world Zack Snyder has created, he needs to be reinvented, too. How? Well, there are lots of ways, but it will take a full movie to explore them. Cramming a reinvented Batman into a film with another hero will make him less interesting. Can DC really afford to make Batman less interesting? Keep in mind that Hollywood can’t stop making origin stories, so Batman’s reinvented origin will have to happen within a Superman/Batman film, as well as the redefining of another iconic character. To accomplish this, Superman/Batman will either have to rush through it, or make the film Batman heavy, which defeats the purpose.
One of the biggest issues with Man of Steel, no matter how good or bad you found the film to be, was the lack of Superman. Sure, the guy with the suit and crazy powers was there, but he wasn’t Superman. Not yet. The amount of destruction he wrought on Smallville and Metropolis, destruction brought without a single consideration of the loss of life, proves that. This caped hero is dark, brooding, and he has no center or real idea of who he is or that he’s as much a protector as he is a warrior.
The next movie needs to deal with the hero we met in Man of Steel actually becoming Superman. Zack Snyder has a huge emotional chasm to fill, and the core of a hero to establish. You can’t do that during the insanity of a double hero film. Let this reinvented Man of Steel become Superman. Allow Batman to be his own hero. This leads to strong building blocks for an epic Justice League movie.
Essentially, a Superman/Batman film is nothing more than DC trying to play catch up. Instead of the tortoise, they want to be the hare. That may play out on paper, but it will ultimately lead to a Justice League movie nobody cares about. Remember, just being a superhero movie doesn’t guarantee attendance. Green Lantern, Punisher: War Zone, Superman Returns, the first Wolverine film – these are all victims of a rush to the cash register. DC needs to slow it down, adapt the Marvel blueprint, and give the heroes and the audience the respect they deserve.
