If you’re concerned that Warner Bros ’ bold attempt at creating its own interconnected cinematic universe would belabor you with origin stories, fear not: the Aquaman and Flash movies will be free of origin-itis (defined as the endless, plodding, repetitive rehash of shit we already knew six movies ago ).
In an interview with Wall Street Journal , Batman v Superman producer Charles Roven said, “While each movie stands alone, they’re all part of one long arc of storytelling.” Co-writer Chris Terrio explained further: “If you bring in a character in a kinetic way, then you accept the reality more easily,” he said .
What that means: the 10 DC movies Warner Bros has announced over the next decade will not necessarily involve a progression from puppy-eyed newbie to jaded hero. Warner Bros production chief Greg Silverman called their focus “the big emotions of the human experience,” and it doesn’t always need to start with a spider.
August’s Suicide Squad , for example, tells its story with a rogues’ crew of seasoned veteran criminals. Next year’s Wonder Woman will contain some scenes from the titular hero’s younger days, but 2018’s Flash and Aquaman will continue the story from 2017’s Justice League , not rehash the origin story fed to audiences so many times, they’re sick of it.
Really sick of it. Last August’s by-the-book Fantastic Four flopped despite a charismatic young cast, while Deadpool bucked conventional genre wisdom all the way to the bank. Audiences clearly have an interest in a new take on a genre they clearly connect to.
Terrio has mined some of humanity’s greatest myths to keep Batman v Superman compelling. “In superhero stories, Batman is Pluto, god of the underworld, and Superman is Apollo, god of the sky,” said Terrio. “That began to be really interesting to me—that their conflict is not just due to manipulation, but their very existence.”
To complete the script for Justice League , which starts shooting next month, Terrio studied electromagnetic physics, sea biology and ancient Greek history. “If you told me the most rigorous dramaturgical and intellectual product of my life would be superhero movies, I would have said you were crazy,” Terrio said.
Justice League comes out November of next year, while The Flash and Aquaman are scheduled for early and mid 2018. What DC film are you most looking forward to? Feel free to discuss Warner Bros’ answer to the MCU in our comments section below.
