If there’s anything that’s getting more skeptical side eye than the idea, four years ago, that Marvel Entertainment could pull off a three movie, two year leadup to bringing us not just the world’s first superhero team movie from the Big Two’s character stables, but the first successful one… it’s Warner Bros.’ current “me too!” effort to do make lightning strike twice.
Now, Kevin Feige, working as he does for Marvel, might not have the most insider view of the Justice League movie’s progress, but it’s nice of him to be giving advice from his position of having helmed a successful superhero franchise that’s made seven total movies and counting in about half a decade.
Feige was recently asked what advice he’d give to the Justice League team by Collider:
I don’t know. I’m sure they have smart people over there who have a plan and know what they’re doing.  Man of Steel looks like it’s going to be awesome and obviously Dark Knight is awesome. I don’t know. It’s what I say all the time and have said over the years, which is, have confidence in the characters, believe in the source material, don’t be afraid to stay true to all of the elements of the characters no matter how seemingly silly or crazy they are. I don’t know, I think the Marvel characters have a bit of a leg up for all the reasons that Marvel fans are aware of in terms of the emotional complexity of the characters and the flawed nature of the characters. Those are obviously the elements we want to accentuate amongst all the action.
Embracing and incorporating the “silly” elements of superheroes does not appear to be something that Warner Bros. is interested in, for better or for worse, what with the Nolan Batman movies without a trace of the supernatural, and a Green Lantern movie so terrified that audiences wouldn’t grasp its core concept that it explains it twice: once through narration five seconds into the opening scene, and again a half hour later when Hal Jordan actually meets the Lantern Corp. Feige also talked about how Marvel was lucky to be able to roll out their characters in individual movies before The Avengers, something that Warner Bros. has indicated they will not be doing. That way, Feige says, The Avengers was able to spend its time on its own story, rather than introducing its cast. Ultimately it seems like he hopes Justice League will be a success, as they’ve been a superhero team far longer than The Avengers.
I’d also love to see a good Justice League film that manages to bridge the major tonal shifts between the core Justice League characters and produce an excellent film, or at least a fun time. I’m just not holding my breath. On the other hand, if Marvel managed to beat the skeptics, Warner Bros. might be able to as well. Just… ask me again after Man of Steel comes out.
(top pic via rda-Highlander.)
