Feeling optimistic about a renewed direction for DCEU films with Aquaman release - Aquaman (2018) Discussion

[–] AP (5258) 6 years ago

That chase sequence looked pretty sweet in the trailer.

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I don't know I feel pretty confused with the current direction of the DCEU. With Cavill and Affleck being thrown aside and the focus becoming on Supergirl did BvS and JL ever happen? Are we suppose to ignore those characters and films like they don't exist yet as well as SS so maybe WW was the real starting point of the EU?

I thought the Shazam trailer was great, but Aquaman was too much CGI. However, I like Wan so I am hoping it is good.

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[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

Not a fan of Supergirl on CW. Actually, I'm kind of turned off by all their shows. Way too much SJW and political commentary in those and I'm sick of actors playing the roles of men, when said actors don't even look old enough to shave. I'm talking about the Barry Allen on CW. That version of FLASH sucks. Give me the 1990's show any day. The bit of Legends I saw was really dumb too.

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[–] howgamer (3644) 6 years ago

I think I watched the pilot episode of Supergirl and that was about it. I didn't really like it so haven't watched it since. Same thing with Legends.

I have enjoyed the Flash for the most part and seasons 1 and 2 of Arrow, but I can understand if people don't like them. They are very cheesy and predictable so I get it.

I am just confused with what is going with DC's direction in cinema. Maybe the solution is to use Flashpoint to reboot the entire series through an alternate timeline so they can recast Superman and Batman and, therefore, none of the previous films, except WW's actually happened.

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[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

What I think they're attempting to do, is just pretend the newer movies coming out (Aquaman, Shazam, WW2) are the DCEU, along with the first WW.

Much like Star Trek: Wrath of Khan ignored Star Trek: The Motion Picture and went forward like that first movie didn't exist, I believe they're going to ignore Man Of Steel, BVS, the first Suicide Squad and Justice League. It's a shame too, since Man of Steel is actually a decent movie. The rest I listed are garbage though.

My point is that the Star Trek franchise rebooted without having to reboot. They pushed on and made much better movies that fans love and remember fondly, almost forgetting that first entry. I get the sense that WB is trying to do the same, going forward with the newer DCEU movies. I think it could work (like it worked for Star Trek), as long as the execution is right. My fingers are crossed!

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[–] NorrinRad (5019) 6 years ago

I do believe that Warner/DC feels less constrained by a DC Shared universe and are approaching very differently than Marvel/Disney. DC's TV properties and Print properties don't reflect this driving continuity currently and for Warner/DC it is all about creating an event film.

The MCU is a huge burden for some fans that is off putting to others from this point forward. Thus a reset is in order even for Marvel with new characters that are easier to attach to.

Warner/DC is moving forward probably the same way without trying to rely on the Trinity for setting the pace for their DCEU and the New Gods. Just don't refer to it as a "Shared Universe" just an extended universe.

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[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

I concur and since DC has the "Infinite Earths" going for them, they can have a universe where things are similar but not the same. They could theoretically do more with their characters because of it.

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[–] howgamer (3644) 6 years ago

I could see them "rebooting" that way, but it will be more difficult than it was with Star Trek. Fans have to forget four movies which is quite a bit, but it could happen over time. Additionally, it's more difficult to forget with the internet and social media in today's age. Even WW has a small tie to BvS with the photo too.

I hope it works and it is exciting to see some of the lesser revered heroes get some screen time. I think there is a ton of potential for what they can do with just Flash, WW, and Aquaman without any crossover needed.

As for the TV series, even though I don't really care for most of them, they seem to be popular so I don't really see those going anywhere. I wish we could get a Netflix dark and gritty Batman series though. Instead we get Titans which looks terrible lol.

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[–] NorrinRad (5019) 6 years ago

I wish we could get a Netflix dark and gritty Batman series though. Instead we get Titans which looks terrible lol.

There are three characters that are forever stalling the fortunes of three franchises to varying degrees.

Batman Over Exposure is KILLING the DCEU the DCU and DC Comics and that isn't a joke.

Iron Man Over Saturation has stunted and is stunting the growth of so many other characters in the MCU. Ask Ant Man and Henry Pym about that whole Ultron story arc.

Fox Studios Over Reliance on Wolverine as the goto character was just too much. Just like Wolverine did in on the printed page and the Animated series.

Deadpool has JUST about Over played his hand. Magneto ditto. Joker, don't get me started.

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[–] howgamer (3644) 6 years ago

I don't disagree with any of that, but I would still be excited for and watch an adult Netflix Batman series.

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[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

Is there over-saturation of Batman, Iron Man and Wolverine?
Of course.

Do fans still shell out lots of dollars to see these characters?
Yes and that is the sticking point.

As long as these characters bring in the big box office hauls, they will be around. However I do agree with your point about DC and Marvel needing to "step up" lesser known characters to the big screen. We are likely seeing that in the introduction of Batwoman and Captain Marvel. But we need to see more.

I myself would love to see a Martian Manhunter movie or show. That idea has such potential, if it's done right. C'mon DCEU, give us MM!!!

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[–] NorrinRad (5019) 6 years ago

Saturated to the point of diminishing returns and an observed ceiling for those characters and their respective audiences. Yes they HAD been profitable and each studio is different in how they got there and what they can do about the saturation.

Marvel pays a fortune for RDJ (he is in the driver's seat) but he is getting older and they have effectively paired him in crossovers and Marvel is grooming a replacement though some will be highly resistant.

Wolverine is toast and adversely affected the X-Men franchise to the point that some of their stronger print characters can't gain any audience traction. Wolverine's tapping out but has no one to Tap out to. Would love to see Gambit or Rogue or a proper Cyclops coming out of the X-Men.

Batman (or this Batfleck iteration of Batman) isn't putting any eyeballs on paid screens as of yet. And Warner is desperate for a transaction or segue to ???? Was it the character, the director, the story or nothing new coming out of the Bat-Universe with him as the lead. I don't think that Ninja Batman sold that well even though Lego Batman was a winner with another on the way. Warner is stuck on stupid and yes stupid is Green in this case. Like a portfolio it is long since time for all three studios to diversify.

I think Aquaman will do better than people expect because he ISN'T Batman.

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[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

I think everyone realizes that RDJ and Chris Evans are about the hang up their respective roles in the MCU, likely Scarlett Johannsen as well. It's time. They've served their characters well but it's a moment for more MCU characters to step forward.

As for Bats, I would like to see an new iteration of him done in a new way. No "Gotham" type darkness please, just a good story and more of the detective side of Batman. Him tracking a string of crimes while using his smarts to figure out who's responsible and why. That would be cool.

And I still want a Martian Manhunter story to make it to a screen.

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[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

Optimistic guys, did you see the same trailer that I did? With the cheesy effects and the pee jokes and the horrible fake contacts and wigs on the leads?

It looks AWFUL! Okay, it looks like the fun kind of awful, which would at least be an improvement over most of the messes they've put out. But I don't think that's what the DC fans want.

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[–] howgamer (3644) 6 years ago

I'm optimistic more so because of the director.

I thought the effects were over-the-top and I didn't enjoy the trailer that much, but sometimes you get get mediocre trailers which turn out to be good movies and vice versa. Like how I was really excited about Venom after seeing that trailer and well we see how that is turning out :(

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[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

It's true, the worst movies tend to have the best trailers and vice versa. "Suicide Squad" had the best trailer ever!

But I really don't see how "Aquaman" can be more than cheesy fun, given the trailer and the history. Which is fine by me, I love cheesy fun with hot guys and CGI monsters, hence my fondness for Marvel films, but that's exactly the sort of thing the DC fans claim to despise.

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[–] howgamer (3644) 6 years ago

"hot guys and CGI monsters"

That was great lol!!

I don't see why people can't be a fan of both Marvel and DC. This whole thing of taking sides has always boggled my mind, but I don't want to go down that rabbit hole lol

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[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

I'm perfectly serious about my love for movies with hot guys and CGI monsters! "Thor: Ragnarok" is my favorite movie of recent years!

But yeah, the whole fandom war between Marvel and DC fans is silly, and is only taken seriously by the silly. If I side with Marvel it's because they keep making films I really enjoy, while with the exception of Wonder Woman, the thing I enjoy most about the DCEU films is analyzing where they went wrong.

And yeah, analyzing where DCEU went wrong is proving to be really interesting, and I'm going to stay interested for a while longer. Because yeah, the trailer for "Aquaman" makes it look like they're attempting to salvage things by making a Marvel film.

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[–] NorrinRad (5019) 6 years ago

But I don't think that's what the DC fans want.

Warner's original sin was catering to what they THOUGHT a rabid few DC fans wanted and those vaunted, loud, supposedly loyal DC fans didn't show up with money in hand and put their butts into seats.

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[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

That is a really good point! The "loud, loyal" fans who tend to dominate the fandom chatter are usually so small in number that there's no point catering to them, films this expensive actually have to cater to the mainstream rather than the hardcore fans.

But just to play Devil's Advocate, I must point out that Nolan gave the world what the DC fans claim to want, and made money doing so. The mainstream went for it, as well as the fans.

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[–] NorrinRad (5019) 6 years ago

I am not the right individual to respond as a "Test Case" for that type of advocacy. The Nolan films are to me about BINO (Batman In Name Only). Nolan captured the Millar, ahem pseudo-real feel but left Batman out of the picture. Nolan's Batman was A Batman (not a skilled fighter, not a skilled detective, not a resourceful planner) and not THE definitive Batman or Dark Knight movie and has forever soiled any attempts to bring that rendition or type of character into the CBM world for Warner/DC. Saw the trilogy and was disappointed and never have watched the films again. I own the films. I might have even purchased the Dark Knight on Blu-Ray when it became available.

I still think there are more rabid Nolan fans than rabid DC fans and more Batman fans than DC fans but not enough of all three to carry a franchise across character films.

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[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

"I still think there are more rabid Nolan fans than rabid DC fans"

I will take your word on that, since I'm not going to conduct a poll. And I'm also pretty sure that there aren't enough DC Fans and Nolan fans combined to support a huge movie franchise. If a movie studio puts hundreds of millions of dollars into a single movie, they need something like 20% of the world's population* to pay to see it. There's no way the DC fandom or Nolan fandom is large enough to make up those kinds of numbers, not without the mainstream on board.

Which is incredibly frustrating for the fans, they think they "own" some of these properties, but the fact is that the studios have very little financial incentive to please them.

* Figure pulled out of my ass.

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