Image Credit: DC Comics (2)Will Superman and Batman ever appear in the same movie? It almost happened twice in the last decade. In 2002, Warner Bros. greenlit Batman vs. Superman, a crossover film to be directed by Wolfgang Petersen (Troy). That project was canceled when the studio opted to reboot both characters separately, a plan which worked incredibly for Batman and less incredibly for Superman. Five years later, the studio was thisclose to making a Justice League movie, to be directed by George Miller, that would’ve thrown Bats and Supes into the ring with other big DC superheroes. That project never came to fruition, but since Batman auteur Christopher Nolan is a producer/godfather on the new Superman reboot, you might think there’s some franchise crossover potential.
Not so, Dark Knight and Superman producer Charles Roven tells Shock Till You Drop. When asked if the two bigscreen superheroes might inhabit a “shared universe,” Avengers style, Roven says directly, “Right now the Batman lives in his world and the Superman lives in his world. Those stories are those stories and we haven’t thought beyond each individual picture.” First, I love the fact that Roven adds “the” before both of their names. Second, this is great news. It’s a known fact that adding multiple superheroes into a single movie can be ruinous — call it the Batman & Robin rule. (Yes, okay, X2 was great, but there’s an easy counterargument, and it’s called X3.)
In more good news for superhero film lovers, Roven says (semi-definitively) that Rises will be the concluding film for Nolan’s Batman: “As far as we all know, this is it. This is the trilogy. The Dark Knight Rises is the third part of what Chris created with Batman Begins and we’re not looking past that.” An actual ending: what an exciting prospect! One of the main reasons why this past summer’s Toy Story 3 managed to break the Threequel Curse was that it set a clear goal for itself as the definitive final act of the Toy Story saga — a sense that was missing from, say, Spider-Man 3.
PopWatchers, are you excited by the prospect of a 2012 with a new Batman AND a new Superman movie? And am I being too dismissive of the characters’ big-screen crossover potential? (Maybe if Grant Morrison wrote the screenplay…)
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The fact that Warner/DC can’t get their $hit together and figure out a way to make a Justice League movie a la Avengers will keep them second to Marvel by a wide margin. They’ve got the most famous super-hero characters and bungle it nearly every time.
Yeah right! Before 2003 half the world had no idea who Daredevil was; pre-2008 half the world had no idea who Iron Man was; and most definitely pre-2011 half the world still has no idea who Thor is. But even before the comic book film craze, people knew who Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were. And that’s saying something.
And before 2005 New Orleans was a great place to live. Times change chief. Marvel >>>> DC on capitalizing on the film front.
No one had any idea who Iron Man or Daredevil was pre-2003? Maybe, but they sure knew who Hulk, Captain America and Spider-Man are. The same could be said about Green Lantern pre-2011… and The Flash, Blue Beetle, Dr Fate and tons and tons of other WB characters that the world still doesn’t know about. Dope.
likes this
Um…but that’s my whole point. Marvel has had great success with movies featuring lesser-known the DC characters, but except for the Nolan Batman movies, DC seems to always drop the ball. Wonder Woman is ripe for a movie, but no one seems to be able to make it happen.
This is to Brett. Not everyone is a comic book fan. Some of us just love to watch the films and tv shows. Cap and Hulk: go and ask people off the street to name five of each characters rogues gallery. See how many people can answer. And off the street, not some nerd convention, or comic store. Just regular people… you’ll be lucky to find one. These movies are not aimed at the comic fans, sure there are little things in there which only comic fans know, but for the uninitiated, the general public. Why do you think they keep making origin stories and basic plot points instead of the crazy story lines found in comics. Why do you think Marvel hasn’t done any alien story line?
I totally agree DC has the better heroes but clearly Marvel has harder workers who actually want to give their fans what they want, the Avengers. If DC did what Marvel did I think it would be more successful because of the reason you already said how almost every older person grew up on Batman, Superman, or Wonder-Woman so It would be like a dream come true to see your favorite heroes team up for the first team in live action on the big screen. Plus people just like to see the Justice League “Trinity” get together.
crossovers never work, i am dreading the upcoming iCarly-Victorious crossover LOL!!
Or maybe WB/DC realized that you can actually pay attention to your characters by giving each one their own spotlight. Take X3 and Wolverine, for example. Far too many characters (and ridiculous cameos) in each. Marvel might be doing it better by establishing their characters before the ensemble film, but in large part, Iron Man 2 — which I enjoyed — felt like an advertisement for the Avengers. TDKR’s is sure to be another hit for WB, Superman has the Nolan seal on it, and so far Green Lantern looks promising.
Last I heard they were doing exactly that. “copying” the Marvel Movieverse Blueprint. (Dc copying Marvel, Hmmmmmm)
They scrapped the JL movie first idea and made Green Lanternt their “IronMan”. Sure they haven’t been as bold, Marvel were commited to their Movieverse before Iron Man came out, hence their restart of the Incredible Hulk, but DC are waiting to see if anyone cares about Green Lantern before going all out with an 11 movie plan, like Marvel’s.
i THINK WHAT cHRISTOPHER nOLAN HAS DONE WITH THE BATMAN FRANCHISE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. HE IS obviously the kind of director the trully understands yhe idea behind a comic book to movie transgretion. it would seem to me that tackling both a superman and batman movie would be awsome, it fears me to think that a world where batman is the only hero supes would take away that mantle by being another hero that you would look up to in the movie sense…
And that’s why Marvel manages to botch most of their movies — look at the original Hulk in 2003 (with Eric Bana)…Daredevil with Ben Affleck (are you kidding me) … don’t even get me started with Spiderman films — Tobey Maguire was so puny and oh gosh — Fantastic Four movies….
Marvel seems to edge more on quantity versus quality
You realise Madvel didn’t make any of the movies you just mentioned? Not one.
As for Spider-Man, you’ve never heard the phrase “Puny Parker”? In fact despite the fact that Spider-Man is a small / thin hero they padded his suit to make him seem bulkier.
Also the Spidey films were a massive success. The 3 film Marvel have actually made and released so far, Iron Man 1 & 2 and Incredible Hulk have all been successful. ( incredible Hulk didn’t make the kind of money the Iron Man films did, but it did restore confidence in the character, sold well on DVD & Blu-ray and made the character something that will help sell The Avengers rather than put people off the movie. Expect a sequel in 2013/4
Marvel or Madvel
I liked the reference to Metropolis in Batman Forever, and there had been talk of having Clark Kent appear in Green Lantern… but for some reason the prospect of DC characters teaming up isn’t as exciting as seeing the Marvel characters (and I like the DC characters a lot more).
It may be because DC has put so much emphasis on the costumes and super powers that the characters overshadow each other, while Marvel has put more emphasis on the people that wear the costumes that the movies feel more real and less comic booky.
This is why Nolan’s films work, because not everything revolves around the costume and comic booky gadgest. Take the scene in DK where Bruce has to rescue the accountant. In another director’s hands, the scene would have involved Batman and some special vehicle, while with Nolan it involved Bruce and his car.
I actually don’t mind that they’re won’t be a crossover. At least not yet. I’d love to see a Superman/Batman film someday followed by a Trinity film then, finally, a Justice League film. But baby steps isn’t bad. For now let them be set in their own universe. Let them perfect their titular characters before getting into ensemble territory. Eventually though, I want to see a crossover done ( brilliantly). It’s good to see that DC is taking precautions to better their properties, unlike Marvel who keeps recasting a character after every movie. (Still haven’t gotten over Edward Norton’s recasting!!!!!)
You do realise that if there hadn’t been a writers’ strike we would have had a Justice League movie a col of years ago, with the John Stewart (sp) Green Lantern AND a non Bale / non Nolan “real world” Batman AND a different Superman? These “other” Batman & Superman characters were meant to exist at the same time as Nolan and Singer’s so we’d have been watching Nolan’s Batman one summer and the other Batman the next. they weren’t taking more care they were risking losing Bale and Nolan. But the strike happened Iron-Man was huge, Hulk was rehabilitated and people liked the little crossovers between those films and the Marvel template has been adopted by Warners.
Norton isn’t blameless, but a little more experience from Marvel and they may have kept him. He’ll be missed.
Batman is better left alone, even without Robin.
Your comment made me totally smile. I feel the same way, especially if we are talking about the Dark Knight version of Batman; he can get along just fine all by himself.
I would’ve preferred if they crossed over. Its kind of patronizing know that these characters exist in the same universe on paper but on screen the WB doesnt want them to interact?? They think it’ll confused people. Props to Marvel for giving the people what they want and taking the risk. They will either massively fail or massively succeed and im betting they’ll succeed then Warner will have no choice BUT to follow suit…
i love when a person says “give the people what they want” when it’s something that person individually wants, yet ignores the fact that a huge group of people find that same idea repulsive. Btw, the end of the statement if marvel succeeds then warner has no choice but to do the same is a logical fail. The two have no relation, sorry.
I agree with most of what you say, with the exception being that Warners are already “copying” Marvel. Green Lantern is their Iron Man.
Try to imagine Routh’s Superman, for example (the new Supe is in preproduction, so we can’t compare it) with Bale’s Batman. They are so diametrically different in terms of design that they wouldn’t look good together. Adam West’s Batman and Christopher Reeve’s Superman would have at least looked right together on screen. Batman/Superman would have to be its own franchise, designed as one movie, to create a unifying look for the characters. That is why the Avengers SHOULD work: all of the characters were designed with an eye on the bigger picture. Thor, upon his comic rebirth, was given an updated costume with classic black duds. His previous blue chain mail looks were discarded to allow for Cap’s classic blue-dominated suit to stand as unique on the big screen. Time will tell whose stable has the best film franchises, and if the Avengers was a winning gamble. DC may give JLA another go should should Marvel succeed.
By the way EW, your links to the Superman and Batman articles both lead to the Superman review.
I think there would be a problem in matching the tones of each series. Just look at the two pictures in the article. It’s hard to imagine Batman in Metropolis or Superman in Gotham City.
Warner is the most mismanaged company in the world. Just look at the train wreck called Green Lantern. And the fact that the WB cannot have Batman & Superman appear in each others program is just stupid. The CEO of WB, along with the 3 Stooges who run DC Comics should all be wearing dunce caps.
Superman must bring back Brandon Routh or just wait a couple of years and have James Maslow as Superman
No.
I honestly think they’re just saying this to save face, just to see what happens with Marvel and The Avengers. If that’s a huge hit, how long will it be before WB/DC announces the Justice League with Wonder Woman & The Flash (much like Thor and Captain America) coming out a year before it.
Personally, I like when the superheroes exist separately and alone, a la Nolan’s Batman films and Raimi’s Spiderman 1 & 2. It makes them special. If you get too many in one film, it clutters up the story a la Iron Man 2. Also, after a while, just as in True Blood, if there are so many supernatural or superpowered people, pretty soon the “weirdos” are your average, ordinary joes. What’s exceptional about that?
Not seeing how IM2 was cluttered at all.
IM2 wasn’t cluttered to me, though I’m a comic fan. I know who these characters are. As for Spidey and the other comic movies, I just wish for some subtle hint of the characters being in a shared universe.A Spidey cover for the Globe or a random issue of the Daily Bugle in the Daredevil reboot would be a good nod to fans, like the list of mutants on Stryker’s computer in X2. To force in cameos, like the Wolverine insert in the FF extended cut, would feel artificial and diminish the integrity of the brands. The mention of Metropolis in Batman Forever worked to hint at the larger universe and generate interest in the then-planned Superman movie.
What Wolverine insert in FF? what happened?
IM2 wasn’t in the least bit cluttered,I agree and don’t know where that complaint comes from at all. We had The 10 Rings, Air Force People and the reporter in Iron Man and nobodyt thought it was cluttered? People were just able to gloss over the dark side of Iron Man easier somehow (Tony drank too much in that film too, it was just part of his character, not the focus so somehow that was ok.
Thor is apparently very good and I am looking forward to it very much.
It was a deleted scene where Mr. Fantastic says, “I thought that was what you wanted. A stronger man.” His face changed into Hugh Jackman’s. It was used in the extended cut.
Yeah that’s a risk scene. On the one hand I guess you could say it was “hugh Jackman’s” face: but if you were saying it’s Wolverine AND that version of the FF lived in the same Universe as “Singer’s” X-Men that would be pretty bad. They just don’t mix.
I have to wonder if Marvel would allow Fox to mix the characters they currently hold movie rights to (Fantastic Four, X-Men and Daredevil). I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t like it.
Thanks for letting me know.= so quickly Nicky!
Frankly, Warner/DC doesn’t owe us anything. Jonah Hex is a cinematic masterpiece that will never be topped, unless there is a Howard The Duck reboot.
I think you are too dismissive of a Superman/Batman movie. I was never a fan of a vs. style, that’s just stupid but a movie with both of them can be amazing, of course that brings with it the caveat that it must have exceptional talent behind it. Nice nod to Grant Morrison though.
I wonder how Nolan will end his trilogy. It seems like he concentrated on Bats in Begins, but Dark Knight was really more about the Joker. What will Batman’s arc be?
No, the second one was ALL about Batman. The Joker was trying to push Batman too far and become a villian, and Batman had to make a choice how to respond. As for the arc, I have no idea.
Me not like this.
LOL
Perhaps that’s how fans should think of Routh’s Superman- Bizarro. it’s pretty bad when the hero has to say, “I’m Superman! I’m Superman!” to try and convince the audience. Thanks for the upcoming reboot. Hope it doesn’t suck.