So a new article over at Entertainment Weekly features Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, talking about Man of Steel and the new world of DC Comics coming to the big screen with the June 14 release of the new Superman film. The topic of conversation is future films in the DC Universe and how any of DC’s superheroes can exist in the world producer Christopher Nolan and director Zack Snyder created with Man of Steel.
“I think you’ll see that, going forward, anything can live in this world,” Robinov said. “[Nolan’s] Batman was deliberately and smartly positioned as a stand-alone. The world they lived in was very isolated without any knowledge of any other superheroes. What Zack and Chris have done with this film is allow you to really introduce other characters into the same world.”
Robinov then added, “We’ll announce something in the next several weeks that will hopefully position the DC characters and the movies we’re going to be making.”
Who knows what that could be, maybe it has something to do with today’s rumor that has Pacific Rim star Charlie Hunnam being used as the model for new concept art surrounding The Flash. Or maybe they won’t go the obvious route as Guillermo del Toro is planning his own DC film with the DC character John Constantine, last played by Keanu Reeves, as his lead character.
One thing is for certain, Robinov clears up that any previous rumors having to do with Christopher Nolan producing or involved with a Justice League film are false and Christian Bale will not be returning to the role as Batman.
Getting back to Man of Steel, Robinov said the movie sets “the tone for what the [DC] movies are going to be like going forward.” This is a comment I’m interested to learn more about. For the most part, Marvel’s Avengers franchise is rather even in terms of tone across the board — light hearted, comic action, sarcastic and very little at stake — just how will DC approach their universe?
If they want to be something more there will need to be an edge. While I find the Marvel movies perfectly entertaining, I never really get the sense the stakes are all that high and my concern or connection with the characters is considerably limited. Nolan achieved a connection with the audience with his Dark Knight franchise and I must admit, Snyder admitting “there’s no Kryptonite” in Man of Steel is a massive accomplishment as far as I’m concerned.
One of my biggest issues with Superman is the fact he’s Superman and Kryptonite always seemed like a made up thing so the character simply had something that could stop him. To evoke a more human response out of Superman/Clark Kent is a task that will be tough to accomplish, but if they can pull it off then perhaps Man of Steel will lay the groundwork for something special.
