This is not how Warner Bros. wanted to wrap up what had been a stellar year for their DC cinematic universe after the critical and blockbuster success of “Wonder Woman.” After the Patty Jenkins directed drama became a pop culture and social change phenomenon, the studio hoped the superhero team up movie that shall go unnamed would, at the worst, be an end-of-year box office hit. Instead, when all is said and done the Zack Snyder/Joss Whedon mashup will likely make less globally than the much derided “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” There has been no official word, but outside of “Wonder Woman 2,” “Shazam,” and James Wan‘s in-production “Aquaman” everything else has seemingly been placed on hold. Or, at least that’s the word around Hollywood.
Does that mean Gavin O’Connor’s “Suicide Squad 2” is still happening? We guess so? Is Gareth Evans “Deathstroke” film still on track? It…better be? Is Joss Whedon’s “Batgirl” still a given? (Apparently, yes). Maybe someone should reconsider Whedon at the helm? Are Glenn Ficarra & John Requa’s “Untitled Harley Quinn and the Joker” film still a thing? We’re not jumping over the moon, but…O.K.? Will the tantalizing potential of “Justice League Dark” ever see the light of day? Does the DCEU need both “Gotham City Sirens” and “Birds of Prey” movies? Will Will Smith get his “Deadshot” standalone? Because he might really need it after “Bright.” Does anyone believe this Chris McKay “Nightwing” movie was actually happening in the first place? Will the “Green Lantern Corps” ever get their due? Will the myriad of compelling DC comics characters ever be explored beyond the CW? So many questions and so few answers.
What we do know is that it’s highly likely that Matt Reeves “The Batman” will continue in development as production wasn’t scheduled to start until 2018 (and place your bets if Ben Affleck is involved in some capacity or not). In that context, WB seems inclined to return its heroes to more visionary perspectives like the ones fostered by Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan and Jenkins. If the studio truly believes that, they should reconsider the filmmakers they have in the fold outside of Reeves and Edwards. And, hello, limiting your filmmakers to straight white men and one woman seems like a mistake in 2017.
With all that in mind, we’re proposing the following nine filmmakers for WB to go after to restore creative energy around their superhero franchise. Yes, some of them are more straight white men, but there are three women and two men of color in the mix as well. These are some unconventional choices that Warner Bros. will need to convince to join their cinematic universe (and they are the few intriguing candidates who would eventually be available). They may not all be household names, but the studio needs their talents more than these filmmakers need to make a huge studio superhero tentpole. That might not jive with how most studio executives think, but if Sofia Coppola and Gus Van Sant were once finalists to direct the final “Twilight” movies, than anything is possible.
The Duffer Brothers
Best known for: “Stranger Things”
Suggested properties: “Justice League 2,” “Man of Steel 2,” “Green Lantern Corps”
Making the case: Here’s what we know, and some of this is from personally interviewing the Duffer Brothers for an extended amount of time. Currently they are living the dream with “Stranger Things,” but they really want to get back to movies. The question is when, but before we get to that let’s consider what they might even be interested in. If you want someone to bring a fresh perspective to the World’s Greatest Superhero Team that balances comedy, heart and genuine tension, the Duffers have proven it over 17 episodes of their blockbuster series. Not only would their involvement wipe the Zack Snyder slate clean it might convince those disappointed by the last two Snyder films that the DCU is something to get excited about outside of Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman. Is this even appealing to the Duffers after the pressure of “Stranger Things” season 2? That’s a different question entirely.
Availability: Netflix and the Duffer Bros. are racing against time. The kids in “Stranger Things” are growing up fast and it makes it difficult to truncate time if one of your main characters is growing three inches in-between seasons. A third season is likely a given and the Duffers have stated they’d potentially like to wrap it all up in four. Nothing has been officially announced, but it should be soon. Could WB wait two years while the Duffers finish “Stranger Things” in 2019? Considering “Wonder Woman 2” doesn’t even hit theaters till Nov. 2019 you can’t imagine it would be that much of an issue.
Elizabeth Banks
Best known for: “Pitch Perfect 2”
Suggested properties: “Gotham City Sirens,” “Flashpoint,” “Green Lantern Corps”
Making the case: Banks took over the “Pitch Perfect” franchise and delivered a sequel almost as good as the original (no easy task). As a director she’s proven she has fantastic comedic timing and an excellent sense of pace. She’s also an incredibly experienced producer whose worked on not only comedies, but sci-fi, drama and documentary films. Frankly, her wealth of knowledge as an actress, producer and director should make her more in demand than she already is.
Availability: She’s currently attached to a reboot of “Charlie’s Angels” with Kristen Stewart and Lupita Nyong’o that has a release date set for June 7, 2019. That’s only a year and a half away, however. With that under her belt, a step up to superhero films shouldn’t be a problem.