Justice League Dark movie?

Interesting DC movie news: Guillermo del Toro might Direct a Supernatural ‘Justice League Dark’ movie called "Heaven Sent" with Swamp Thing, Deadman, The Spectre & More.

Here is a link to the article: http://screenrant.com/guillermo-del-toro-heaven-sent-swamp-thing/

I think it is kind of an odd that they seem to want to do lesser known characters in movies (Lobo, Medal Men, and now this), though kudos to them for trying a different approach than Marvel. Guillermo del Toro is a great choice for director in my opinion. Once agian though, I'm unsure how much character development the caracters will have if there us no solo movies, unless there is going to be a main character and everyone else are side characters (a la the X-Men series.)

Oh Crap. (sigh) Yeah, I agree that Del Toro is a fantastic choice for this kind of movie. But my issue is with The Spectre.

I LOVE the character a great deal, as interpreted in the successful series by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake. But he needs his own movie. The scope of his powers, the moral wrestling matches of his stories... I can't see how both won't be lost when standing next to these other characters in a single story.

Justice League has long worked as a team, but I don't know of a book that showcases all of these characters successfully. (And doesn't the current "Justice League Dark" feature a totally different line-up?)

I'd LOVE to see The Spectre on the silver screen...but I'm not confident this is the way to do it best.

I have a couple thoughts:

1. It's not going to happen. This is just like the Green Arrow Supermax movie. Or any number of projects that studios have had pitched to them or even scripts that have been written. Add to that, I read an interview with Del Toro saying he loved the idea but hadn't heard of it yet. I don't know if studios leak it intentionally, to gauge reaction, or if it is people working there who leak it or what.

2. If, and the odds are seriously against it, it DID happen it would not have a Justice League title. THe brand is beingbuilt for Justice League proper, and another Justicee League title -- especially a "dark" title with C-listers, and "horror" C-listers at that -- would dilute the brand FAR more than the Hulk movies ever did.

3. From a purely logistical standpoint, this movie would be far too difficult to mount and to write. Justice League proper can work as a movie without much lead up because the characters are in the public conscious. If you ask teh average person who Aquaman is, they can at least say "water superhero", probably will say "talks to fish", and might even say "wears orange." Superman? "Rocketed to earth as a child, now can fly." People know that. Batman . . . "parents murdered, now he fights crime." Flash: "runs fast."

Spectre? Deadman? The only character there with any public knowledge is Swamp Thing, known for two camp movies and a TV series and cartoon. But he's not going to carry his own movie these days. The movie would have to introduce SEVEN (or however many) characters to people who have never heard of all but one of them. Even Avengers had to make enough movies to count as a television season to introduce the characters.

4. On a similar note, all of these characters are rich enough to deserve their own movie. But the ONLY way I could see this happening would be if it was a John Constantine movie, where he was on a mission that used these characters as incidental characters. Maybe he's building an army or something. John Constantine would make for a good movie too. Oh, wait . . .

So, as much as I love Del Toro, and as much as I love Swamp Thing, and as interesting as those other characters are, I think we're safe. This movie will not happen, and therefore will not bomb.

BenAvery wrote:
3. From a purely logistical standpoint, this movie would be far too difficult to mount and to write. Justice League proper can work as a movie without much lead up because the characters are in the public conscious. If you ask teh average person who Aquaman is, they can at least say "water superhero", probably will say "talks to fish", and might even say "wears orange." Superman? "Rocketed to earth as a child, now can fly." People know that. Batman . . . "parents murdered, now he fights crime." Flash: "runs fast."

I disagree that the JL is in the public conciseness. Batman and Superman is granted, and Wonder Woman to some people, but Aquaman? The only reason I think they would guess water hero is because they know what aqua is. (or maybe they've heard a joke about how lame he is, because there is a ton of those out there.) GL known but not very popular due to the movie. Cyborg or Martian Manhunter are completely unknown. Heck, a lot of my friends didn't know who Captian America was before the movie! I think general geekdom (which includes pretty much anyone on here and most people on ScreenRant) knows JL, but the general public, I don't know...

DNArington wrote:I think general geekdom (which includes pretty much anyone on here and most people on ScreenRant) knows JL, but the general public, I don't know...

I think you'd be surprised.

Anyone who watched Satruday morning cartoons from the late '60's to the early '80's saw Superfriends (EDIT: By late '60's I meant the Aquaman cartoon -- which is the SINGLE reason he was included in Superfriends. Cartoon watchers knew who he was.). My non-geek friends still watched that show when they were kids. And then there was the Bruce Timm cartoon on Cartoon Network for how many years? If people watched Cartoon Network during that time, they saw commercials featuring the characters.

DC has been on the fringe of public knowledge in a far more visible way than Marvel. Marvel knew that even their most popular characters had to be introduced to the public (except the Hulk, which has been on TV in a small number of iterations). But DC has icons, mores than characters. A Justice League movie might have a handful of characters that people aren't familiar with (Cyborg and Martian Manhunter, for sure) but Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are some of the most recognizable characters in superheroes in general, and I would wager that before The Avengers Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman were more recognizable to Johny Q. Public than Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. (Hulk would probablt be right there. with Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman. Spider-Man would be up there with Batman and Superman.)

This just comes from my observation of things with people who are not into genre stuff. Friends from church, friends from school, etc. It's not a scientific sampling.

My point is, A Justice League movie does not need the backstory an Avengers movie needed . . . OR, especially, a dark DC universe movie . . .

That may be true, Ive never seen any Superfriends myself, but I know that was pretty popular.

There was an Aquaman TV show?? I had no idea about that! I should look it up!

But that dosn't make up for the lack of character development. I don't think they will be able to have enough development for these characters when there is 5-7 main characters. Unless they go with the X-Men appcoch where they have Wolverine (or Professor X in first class) the main character and every one else side characters, but personally I think that is not a good move. That is not the point of a team movie IMO.

BenAvery wrote:I read an interview with Del Toro saying he loved the idea but hadn't heard of it yet. I don't know if studios leak it intentionally, to gauge reaction, or if it is people working there who leak it or what.

Del Toro himself confirms he's discussing it with WB though.
Not only in articles like this one, but also personally on his own forum, here.

Just discussing though, mind you. Nothing is certain yet.

It looks like the "Justice Leauge Dark" movie is still still alive and well!

http://screenrant.com/justice-league-dark-heaven-sent-update-guillermo-del-toro/

Interesting! Still hoping for the involvement of The Spectre if this thing happens! Or a Spectre spin-off if it's successful!