Don´t Listen: Breaking Into The Justice League
5 - Reasons Why:
5) We are not [frick]ing morons
Lets just start with this, there are those of us who wish to see solo movies before The Justice League film. Many say they want a Worlds Finest. Not my preference. Others are trying to compromise, saying Flash and Wonder Woman are essential. Not my preference either. Still more think Green Lantern 2 should happen.
All of these ideas have there own merit; my preference if you must know, is to try and create, a collection of films that fit the personalities of each character, but in a real, grounded, dare I say it Nolanesque style. I think this because by setting these characters in a modern world, as they are with Man Of Steel, and updating them for a real world, we will get much more psychologically satisfying characters, interesting stories and breath taking visual spectacles. A friend of mine on the site put it very eloquently when he said; DC could make a massive else world comic in a shared screen universe. I would want this kind of treatment for Flash, Manhunter, and Wonder Woman. Hell, I´d even throw in Aquaman if it made people happy.
Now having said that, I really don´t mind if they do a Justice League film first, as long as it rocks. My fear, and a lot of other sensible people´s fear is that it won´t. Rather what it will end up being is The Superman and Batman show. For those who´ve been waiting a long, long time to see their favorite members on screen, whether it be the wise cracking Flash, or kick ass warrior Wonder Woman, the suave Hal Jordan, or the sagely Manhunter, the last thing we want is for the movie to do one of the following things.
1) Tank at the box office, meaning their cinema careers are over before they´ve even began.
2) Become sideshows for Superman and Batman, which in the public imagination they already are, further ruining their future solo career. Much like the X-Men (a trilogy I loath) sent all the other cool X-men characters into movie hell because the focus was: Wolverine is the star. Rogue, Gambit, Storm got short changed, and it also cheapened the material of the comic.
Why did this happen? Because unless we awaken `people to the richness of the individual mythologies of these heroes, they won´t ever be taken seriously, and subsequently future projects will be dealt with on the level of Green Lantern, rather than attracting talents like Burton, Nolan, Donner, Raimi or Snyder.
What therefore frustrates some is that we see the key for WB to achieve this, and, it seems - from news and rumors I admit – that they are passing up the opportunity.
So that is what the Hoopla is about.
4) Studios More Often Than Not Make The Wrong Decision.
You´ve said that everyone complained about Robert Downey Jr taking on Iron Man. Now personally, I think anyone who complained simply isn´t a very astute observer of talent, or just like crappy pop corn movies.
The guy was notoriously talented, he´d done Chaplin, Natural Born Killers, Threesome, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang by then. If you hadn´t heard of him, you probably don´t have a great deal of interest in any film, where the main character doesn´t wear Spandex, thats all I can say.
So have I ever gor it wrong? To be honest yes. Heath Ledger as the Joker; I didn´t complain, but it did seem a bit of an anticlimax, after the names we heard coming up. Sean Penn, was particularly exciting. Now, were fans wrong to be so up in arms about that choice? It was certainly out of left field. I think a tiny bit of concern wasn´t unwarranted. Heath Ledger´s portfolio up till then, was interesting, and he´d been Oscar nominated for Broke Back Mountain. I saw that film, I wasn´t that impressed by his performance. I thought personally, the Oscars were nominating him out of political correctness. Oh he kissed a man, that´s so hard for a straight guy to do, he must get an Oscar nom, brilliant. Bravo. Bravo. The truth is, as much as we don´t want to admit it to ourselves, if most of us were given 4 million for a movie, we wouldn´t just be willing to kiss Gylenhall, we´d probably toss his salad, as well ;) That does not make for a great performance. Then aside from that, we´d had some mediocre teen films he was known for. That´s all we´d heard from Heath in the mainstream. He was more heart throb than actor, and the thought was, he´s getting this role cause he looks good and not because of the quality of his acting.
So I think a certain amount of resignation, was understandable in that scenario. Yes ok, it´s true he blew it out the park, but does that mean, Sean Penn wouldn´t have? Or any number of great actors who were attached to the project.
My point is audiences aren´t as niave as your making out. The reason for our suspicions is for every 1 time studios get it right, they screw it up about 50. Or to put it simply, there are more George Clooney´s as Batman´s and Green Lantern style movies in WB´than good ones.
3) Too Many Characters To Introduce
I´m going to keep this brief. I´m a screen writer, and I can tell you introducing 5 characters from separate worlds, with their own important origin - an origin, that is necessary for an audience to truly emerse themselves in a story - is not impossible, but incredibly difficult to portray in one movie. Especially if each character is supposed to have relatively, equal weight.
Ensemble cast movies like God Father, Goodfella´s, Traffic, or, Ghost Busters, work because they are premised on the notion that the characters exist in the same world. As such, we are asked by those film makers to be voyeurs, spectators, peering into a world, rather than being part of it.
The world The Ghostbusters inhabit is more important than each characters history. They studied together at University, the same thing, they came out, and started a business, albeit in a very odd industry. The same can be said of Goodfellas exploring the world of Gangsters, and Traffic exploring Drug Trafficking. These explore strange exotic worlds, the audience can observe, not necessarily the characters, and their individual histories and ultimate motivations.
Sure we may relate to some characters more than others in Ghostbusters, but ultimately the characters serve an overarching plot, which the audience is expected to be more interested in. There is a major difference in what a comic book team up is trying to achieve.
In a comic book movie, as in comic books, more than anything we are interested in the characters, there origins, how they have these fantastic powers, where they come from, how they got here etc etc.
2) We are not saying they should copy marvel. We are saying they should be sensible.
Personally I´d rather see a brilliant Wonder Woman movie, or a brilliant Flash movie or even a brilliant Martian Manhunter movie, than a mediocre Justice League movie. Even if Warner Brothers thought in the end they coudn´t fit these superheroes worlds together, I´d prefer quality solo films than them rushing a JL movie, just out of some silly reaction to Marvel´s Avengers. Which is no way as good as Batman Begins or The Dark Knight. I´ll admit, The Avengers is better than Dark Knight Rises. However in terms of which company has made the most loved movie, clearly The dark Knight Trilogy triumphs. Man Of Steel should follow suit.
The point for me is I´d rather these Superheroes given the respect and dignity they deserve than just put in a team mash up to cash in. Which if bad, will put a death nail, in their movie careers.
1) Some Characters Aren´t Charismatic Enough To Pull Off Their Own Film
When it comes to film, a new age has dawned upon us, in which technology allows us to finally bring more fantastic beings to Cinema. In film history characters like Batman and James Bond have had more screen outings simply because they´re human and rely on technology and their wits to survive. However, when it comes to characters like Superman and Hulk, who can fly or pick up trucks and fling them as if they were tennis balls, that has been much harder to capture. So unless the character was amazingly popular, studios wouldn´t want to go near them, as the CGI technology to adequately represent say, Martian Manhunter was simply not invented yet.
As such superheroes like Batman and Spiderman have ruled the roost until recently.
With the popularity of Batmans films came further interest of great writers, to do comic runs of his story, because they saw that as the big game, where the money was. Because of this in the public imagination he´s become the main man, because really cool writers like Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Geof Johns etc made him so; while other characters like WW or The Flash, slipped into the background.
But now with the technology we have, we finally can breath new life into some of the more obscure characters showing how cool they are. If we now have the chance to afford Wonder Woman or the Flash the same respect - a respect they always deserved - I want that done right, so we will also see a new enthusiasm in great comic writers, wanting to deepen their already compelling stories.
0) To all you guys writing how you think this film should go, good on you for your passion. We may not agree, but you have a right to say it, and if anyone doesn´t like it, then they don´t have to read it. By the way, for any of you like me who wants solo movies first, and is interested in a real quality production, here´s the feed back page of DC comics. http://www.dcentertainment.com/node/130917/done?sid=77286
They probably won´t listen but at least we can say we tried.
To finish this article, I leave you with a fan made script for a Wonder Woman Trailer, that is in the style of Batman Begins and Man of Steel. It is my personal argument as to why a Wonder Woman film would be amazing. The same logic can be applied to any DC character. I hope it demonstrates that when there is passion for a character, anything can be done. It´s short, I hope you enjoy.
Sorry guys, this is the best format I can get it in so far. I will try and embed it when I figure out how to do that. Let me know if you can help.
WONDER WOMAN TEASER TRAILER
Written by JPFOLA26
BASED ON DC COMICS CHARACTERS
EXT. PARADISE ISLAND - BEACH - HOT DAY
MYSTERIOUS FIGURE P.O.V -STEVE TREVOR, 30 ́s, handsome, is lying on a beautiful beach, with sand that sparkles around the frame of his head like crystals. He is wearing a space suit without the helmet. He appears dazed, confused, not sure where he is. We are standing above him, looking at him with curiosity.
Suddenly he sees us, he looks up at us as if he's just seen the most sublime sight of his life.
STEVE TREVOR
Angel!
Cut to,
THE FOLLOWING SCENES INTERCUT BETWEEN EACH OTHER IN FAST SUCCESSION.
EXT.DEALEY PLAZA DALLAS 1963 - DAY
Stock Shot: We see President JFK and his wife, riding along his presidential motorcade, waving at the people, a shot goes off, but before we see the impact,
Sharp Cut to,
EXT.CAMBODIAN RAIN FORREST - DAY
American military helicopters fly into the wild Cambodian Jungle preparing to land.
Sharp cut to,
EXT. WASHINGTON DC SIXTIES - DAY
We see a sea of people, with banners, they are singing. You here loud, shouts for peace and unity.
They are escorted along the road by armed police men with barking Shepherd Dogs.
As we scan this image: (OS) Martin Luther Kings “I have a dream speech” is heard. Slowly fading into the Sex Pistols. During the next scene, the speech/music is abruptly cut.
MARTIN LUTHER KING (O.S.) “We refuse to believe that there
are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice ---”
EXT. UNIVERSITY CAMPUS - DAY
A street party. Women on a university campus, with banners up, calling for sexual equality, throw their bras into air. (Note: shot so you don't see any nudity)
SEX PISTOLS SONG (O.S.)
“---When there's no future
How can there be sin
We're the flowers in the dustbin We're the poison in your human machine
We're the future, your future God save the queen. --- “
Sharp cut to
As the following is said off screen, we see static.
AMERICAN NEWS READER(O.S.) Many are calling these the first
images of World War 3.---
BRITISH NEWS READER (O.S.) ---The country mourns in shock
today as former Prime Minister
Tony---
AMERICAN NEWS READER(O.S.) ---It appears the threat of mass
suicide was quite real---
(Listen to the track while reading the rest. This is where the Soundtrack would kick in)
(O.S.)Hans Zimmer ́s score Time plays in the background.
INT.MISTY CAVE - UNKNOWN
We are inside a misty mysterious cave. We See a UNKNOWN FEMALE FIGURE from the back, dressed in ancient greek soldiers garb, also wearing a helmet. She is hesitantly standing on greyish black sand which is the shore for a lake of molten fire, steaming, bubbling, boiling. As the flames rise in a wave, she cautiously steps away from the precipice.
2.
In the sea of lava, thousands of demonic creatures splash in and out of the lake, as if suffering some horrid torture.
Cut to,
INT.MISTY CAVE - UNKNOWN
CLOSE-UP: On the other side of the inferno, a majestic sword is half buried into BURNING sand, with flames rising around it.
Sharp cut to,
EXT. PARADISE ISLAND - RAIN FORREST - SUMMER DAY
We see an UNKNOWN GIRL, no more than age 10, wearing an Ancient Greek Chiton. She's in a tropical rain forest. She begins to run up hill through rugged terrain, at quite remarkable speeds. She runs at least as fast as a fully grown male sprinter, not seeming to tire, while athletically leaping over obstacles obstructing her way.
INTERCUT between the following scenes
EXT.PARADISE ISLAND - BEACH - LATE EVENING
Stormy evening. We watch a figure running from the distance. As she enters the frame, we realize it is QUEEN HIPPOLYTA - late Twenties, beautiful, regal features - running along the beach distressed. She falls to her knees, a flood of tears emerging from her eyes.
QUEEN HIPPOLYTA
HERA--- HERA --- HERA!! Do you HEAR
MY CRIES HERA? --- You promised us eternal paradise; BUT ALL You've DONE IS CURSE THE AMAZONS.
EXT.PARADISE ISLAND - RAIN FORREST - SUMMER DAY
We are back to the unknown girl running in the rain forrest. She runs, and then leaps. She leaps high on to the branch of a strong tree. WE, look out at the world from her perspective. The tree hangs over the edge of a cliff, over looking one of Paradise Islands majestic beeches, with the sea just underneath her. In the distance you can make out the outline of a magnificent Kingdom. Close up, of the little girls cute but dirty face.
She stares with wild eyes out into the world. Awe, humility, and, wonder, saturating her expression.
EXT. PARADISE ISLAND - BEACH - LATE EVENING
Back to the scene with QUEEN HIPPOLYTA on the beach: As she kneels, a woman ́s silhouette emerges in the distance, as if out of nothing. She ́s walking toward her, but the image is almost unreal or an apperition.
Closer now: the woman stands before Hippolyta, her gown glows, an aura seems to cover her whole body. The himation gown she wears flows along the currents of the wind, like an angel. She kneels before Hippolyta, lifting her head, and from Hippolyta ́s look of astonishment, we know that it is the Goddess HERA. HERA wipes the tears from her eyes, embracing her, and then kissing Hippolyta softly upon the lips. She then seems to be fading away, but as she does, Hera looks down at Hippolyta ́s stomach, pressing her hand against it. Hippolyta looks down holding Hera ́s hand upon her stomach. Hera smiles as she ́s disappears into the night like a Mirage. Hippolyta, just about holds back tears of joy.
EXT.PARADISE ISLAND - RAIN FORREST - SUMMER DAY
Closeup: THE LITTLE GIRL, still perching upon the branch.
Her P.O.V: She looks into the distance and sees a whale leap up from the sea. She looks down to the sea, which is several feet beneath her.
Closeup: She smiles naughtily, before doing a tremendous acrobatic somersault, leaping from the branch, into the sea.
INT.HIPPOLYTA ́S PALACE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
We are in the large bedroom of Queen Hippolyta. Hippolyta sits on a cushioned, ornamented davenport, which is just in front of her large equally lavish bed. The unknown little girl sits on top of her, hugging her, but now cleaned up, dressed in imperial garments fitting of a princess. Palace aids, walk around the room doing bits and pieces. The little girl who is hugging Hippolyta looks up at her.
LITTLE GIRL
What ́s out there mother? what is
outside Themyscira --- in Mans World?
4.
Her mother looks down on her, deeply concerned about her question.
ARTIMIS(O.S.)
Princess Diana, you must not labor
your mind with such trifles. (Said in a dismissive
tone, as if the question were the mere result, of the foolish curiosity of a Childs undisciplined mind)
We now know the little girl is Diana. The scene ends with Close-Up of Hippolyta with an expression of motherly concern, kissing Diana upon her brow.
Sharp Cut To,
EXT.PARADISE ISLAND - NIGHT
Establishing shot. Caves at night, lightning and storm.
INT.UNKNOWN DUNGEON - STORMY NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
A dark, filthy, dungeon. We stand before a prison door peering into the silent room. A prisoner sits in the shadows. He gets up, turning his attention to us, as he approaches, we see his eyes are glowing a wild, exuberant, blood red.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.)
We mustn't try to stop her. For her
will ---
EXT.EASTERN EUROPE - WAR ZONE - DAY
NOTE: We finally see Diana Princess of Themyscira in full battle gear. She is in an Armor plated, version of The New 52 costume.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.)
Was forged from iron and gold by
the Gods themselves.
We are in a war zone some where in Eastern Europe. Wonder Woman is being attacked by two armed soldiers, on either side of her carrying Riffles. They have by now closed in on her. Soldier 1, takes a shot.
5.
Wonder Woman dodges the shot, with amazing speed, in the mean time grabbing the gun from the soldier, swiftly round house kicking him in the solar plexus, sending him hurtling into a nearby tank, denting it on impact. Meanwhile, she again turns throwing the rifle she just grabbed at soldier 2, rocketing at such velocity and accuracy, it knocks him clear off his feet.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.)
She cannot resist. For in her noble
spirit, her strength --- Sharp cut to,
INT.EASTERN EUROPE - UNKNOWN HOUSE - WAR ZONE - DAY
Wonder Woman is in a room of house that is clearly being shot at. She is behind a table. Bullets flying over her head. In her arms is a woman, who in turn holds her young fearful child.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.) And in her hearts capacity for
good, she will try to save them.
Close up - We see in Wonder Woman ́s eyes a damining rage. Sharp cut to,
INT.SUBTERRANIAN MILITARY BASE - UNKNOWN
In an expansive IMAX shot, The Camera pans across the following scene from left to right.
We are in a a huge underground US Military Installation. Massive machinery, and high tech computers, serve as work stations for scientific personnel busying themselves with various activities. As we scan the scene we stop as we see 3 stationary shuttle like vehicles laying dormant, in front of what appears to be an opening portal or eye of a wormhole. A path way leads from the shuttles to the portal, which pulsates, opening like a flower in spring. It is like nothing, we've ever seen, simply unimaginable.
EXT.PARADISE ISLAND - TEMPLE OF APHRODITE - EARLY EVENING
In an expansive IMAX shot, The Camera pans across the following scene from right to left.
6.
An Ancient Kingdom. Massive Golden Temples, Statues of Warrior Women, Arcehers, The Gods, reach high into the heavens like skyscrapers. The city is truly breathtaking. The city is a cross between an Ancient Greek city state - Athens in particular - and a highly advanced technological utopia.
Thousands of Amazonian women, stand on either side of a road, that is Roman in scale, leading up to a large alter, with a stairway partitioning its cheering crowds and the Roman Road between them. Queen Hippolyta is standing at the top of the stairway, in a dutiful manner. She her self stands in front of two giant statues of Goddesses, one on either side of her, and they are both holding in their hand, either end of a circular technological apperatus. At it's centre is the same wormhole or doorway, we saw in the previous scene.
On the road itself rides a carriage, pulled by two fine muscular white horses, one with a unicorns horn. In the carriage itself, is a woman in warrior garments and helmet, with Steve Trevor holding on beside her. They ride approaching the alter.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.)
She will venture to their shores ---
Sharp cut to,
EXT. GATEWAY CITY USA (FICTIONAL DC COMICS LOCATION) - LAKE - EARLY EVENING
Wonder Woman is walking on a lake, in full battle gear, with a sword in hand, lightly stepping on the water, with controlled grace.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.) Hoping to be a beacon of light,
only to be shrouded by their darkness.
She waves her sword, with one hand, swinging it quite skillfully. Before seemingly returning it to a sheath. Only her uniform has no such sheath, and the sword simply disappears into thin air.
EXT.GATEWAY CITY USA - DOWN TOWN - LATE AFTERNOON ESTABLISHING SHOT.
7.
We are in downtown, Gateway City. Skyscrapers, stand high above us. But the streets have been decimated by some large scale attack.
Cut To,
A missile flies into a building; creating massive destruction on impact.
Cut to
Bystanders below, run, attempting to find shelter and evade the falling rubble.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.)
And amidst chaos, she will try to
be their calm.
However futile her mission, she will struggle on, in their abyss.
Wonder Woman, is being shot at, she lifts a car that is in front of her - as if it were a paper weight - so as to block the bullets.
HIPPOLYTA (V.O.)
But it will be to no avail, to try
and prevent her journey; for even with the divine wisdom bestowed upon her, still, in her soul stirs the folly of youth.
Wonder Woman hides behind the vehicle, bullets fly all around her. You can see she ́s been injured. Blood on her arm, her body blackened from the soot of an explosion.
WONDER WOMAN Hera give me strength.
(whispers)
She then gets up to confront her attackers, as the bullets cease firing. From her P.O.V: We see an oncoming army, consisting of men with hi-tech weapons, and, what appear to be, an army of the living dead, in warriors garb, equally armed to the teeth.
You only see a flash of this, so you are actually unsure if you even saw what you just did.
(O.S.)The epic sound-track, begins to quiet down.
8.
EXT.WASHINGTON DC - STEPS OF LINCOLN MEMORIAL - EARLY EVENING
The president of the United States, stands behind a podium. He is addressing a large crowd of seeming concerned Americans.
U.S. PRESIDENT
My fellow Americans --- we are
entering a new age; an age we must not fear, but embrace. We have seen things, both menacing and distressing, that seem right now, beyond our reach or comprehension. ---But there is no mystery in the world to big for the human mind to unravel. We will persevere. But we must be steadfast in what seem dark times, steadfast in our resolve, steadfast as an age of Wonders dawns upon us.
Cut to,
Credits,
Sound track stops. Post credit scene
EXT.GATEWAY CITY - SHOPPING DISTRICT - AFTERNOON
Diana Prince (in normal jeans and shirt), Steve Trevor and LAURIE TREVOR (14) punk style clothing, walking down a 5th avenue style, shopping district.
STEVE TREVOR
So, what you gonna call yourself?
(Addressing Diana)
DIANA PRINCE I don't know.
LAURIE TREVOR
How bout ́ like Wonder Chick, or,
something?
DIANA PRINCE Ummmm! I ́m not sure. It needs
something, but I do like it, after all its true. I am wonderful.
(smiles) Sharp Cut,
The End