Although this year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a box office hit, it proved unpopular with both critics and many comic book fans. It has now been reported that the negative reaction has influenced the story and tone of the follow-up film, Justice League, which is currently in production.
In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, DC Films head Geoff Johns explained that the main issue was the basic approach that Warner had previously taken to its superhero movies.
“Mistakenly in the past I think the studio has said, ‘Oh, DC films are gritty and dark and that’s what makes them different.’ That couldn’t be more wrong,” he said. “It’s a hopeful and optimistic view of life. Even Batman has a glimmer of that in him. If he didn’t think he’d make tomorrow better, he’d stop.”
Fellow Warner executive Jon Berg went onto explain the reason why the original plan to split Justice League into two movie has been abandoned, with a single film due out next year. “We accelerated the story to get to the hope and optimism a little faster,” he said.
This isn’t the first time that those involved with Justice League have stressed that it will be a lot lighter in tone than the dark and moody Dawn of Justice.
“There’s definitely room for more humor,” Batman star Ben Affleck told Slashfilm in June. “DC movies I think, by their nature are a little more gothic, or mythic rather, than some comic book movies are. But [Dawn of Justice] was very dark and heavy because it was really rooted in Dark Knight Returns which is a heavy, dark book. And this is not that.
“[It] brings together all of these characters who have had their origins. It’s about multilateralism, and it’s about hope and about working together and the kind of conflicts of trying to work together with others.”
Justice League hits theaters on November 17, 2017. It is directed by Zack Snyder and also stars Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Willem Dafoe, and Amber Heard.
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