Not my normal topic but ...Don’t hate me....I Can’t wait for Zack Snyder’s Cut of Justice League.
For Zack Snyder’s DCEU Vision To Be Realized, Henry Cavill Must Return As Superman - By Travis Bean
I have never been more happy to read an article in my life. I felt like crying.
I love superhero films, and considering I was born in 1991 and neither of my parents were comic book fans, my first foray into the DC realm was Christopher Reeves as Superman. I watched every film after that, I bought the Lois and Clark TV series, and own every season of Smallville.
Superman was my first Superhero Crush. Which may or may not have had something to do with the charm of the actor playing him.
So when Marvel launched their Cinematic Universe, and the success those movies gained, I couldn’t wait until someone did the same with DC.
I can’t say why I always preferred DC to Marvel, maybe it was my parents fault for allowing my younger self to watch the Dark Knight Franchise. Thank you Christopher Nolan, but Marvel was doing what needed to be done with DC.
Creating a cinematic universe.
It didn’t matter if each movie stood alone or tied into another, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam are a testament to the former. And I can’t speak for comic book lovers, but as a writer, building a universe is often the greatest part of writing, and seeing the characters from my teen years arrive on the big screen was indescribable.
I should mention that I was self educated on DC. Whenever a new character was introduced in Smallville, I read up everything about them, and wondered what aspect of their story, which issue was going to be incorporated into the show.
I fell in love with Superhero stories because of my own insatiable curiosity for world building, and DC is one of the biggest fictional worlds out there, and wanted nothing more then to see Superman on the big screen in my generation.
But what I didn’t want was DC done Marvel style.
I wanted a DC universe set in the real world, movies where they aren’t just about which famous star is playing the next hero in the next franchise, and how epic can we make this battle, (I’m looking at you END GAME ). I wanted the characters to represent something other than the fact they’re an Alien on Earth.
I wanted a world grounded in reality, heightened by real world issues. I wanted an emotional core that underlined the universe. It didn’t have to be seen in every film, or even spoken of. But it had to be felt. It had to make you feel when you watched it that there was something heavy underneath, a sense of weight to the story. I wanted a story where I was made to see Superman as innately human.
I wanted someone to make a superhero movie that wasn’t about making the big bucks, that they were as invested with the characters and story as the millions of people who gorged every issue of the superman comics, because the story meant more to them then making money.
I wanted to damn cry. Something that if I’m being honest, didn’t occur with Marvel until End Game. You know the scene.
But that took 22 films for an emotional investment.
And comic lovers, please correct me if I’m wrong, but shouldn’t we be emotionally invested with these characters before we reach #22.
So when i heard about Man of Steel, and read everything I could about Zack Snyder’s vision, in truth, I felt like someone was going to screw it up.
And then it came out, and Henry Cavill was brilliant and everything I wanted as a Superman. And the best part was that it was grounded. In our world.
And BvS - the Extended Edition - because there is not other version in my book, is in my opinion, one of the greatest cinematic films of the 21st century.
And my favourite part, the resolution behind Batman and Superman coming together - One Word. A Name. Because it was so simple. And sometimes the best solution is the simple one, the one we don’t see.
When someone asks me which superhero movie is my favourite, hell, ask me my favourite and I’d likely, always say Dawn of Justice.
Imagine Superman existed in our world, right now.
He wouldn’t be seen as a hero, not straight away. Humanity would vilify him, the media would crucify him. Humanity would want to hold him to our standards, force him to be confined by our laws.
And that is exactly what we would do. Deep down, our fear would take over. Because as the article says, Superman is a God, but he is a reflection of the state of the world and the energy you put into it.
Superman was more human then most humans are. He loves, he fears, he mourns as we do, but he also carries the world on his shoulders, a feat only accomplished by someone who is simultaneously, both physically and metaphysically a God and a human.
And one very much needed in the world.
And Zack Synder knew that. BvS is that.The universe he was creating was exactly that. I know not everyone will share my opinion, and I’ve been a Joss Whedon fan since Buffy, current rumours not withstanding, so I mean this with all sincerity.
Justice League was a travesty of a film.
What works with Marvel, does not work with DC.
And with the announcement that the Snyder Cut is being released on HBO Max, it appears, perhaps, at least for Superman, Warner Bros might be contemplating the same thing. Considering the DC films panned by critics, are the same films they interfered with, maybe they’ve learned a lesson.
Sure BvS may not have done as well as they expected - that may have been the result of forcing a theatrical release on movie goers, or it may have been the years of Marvel that have coated our psyches. But I know I’m not the only person who would not have cared if Warner Bros brought back intermissions.
The same can be said for Suicide Squad and what would have been a darker tone Ayer Cut as advertised in the trailer at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con which Inverse described as “promising as hell”, had Warner not given in to the negative reviews of BvS and altered things and forced Ayer to adhere to changes in the editing room.
If the recent HBO Max announcement is anything to go by, it too may see the light of day, or our living rooms.
I’ve always been of the opinion that Zack Snyder started everything. It was his vision that brought the DCEU into existence, his vision and casting of Gal Gadot and Jason Mamoa that made Wonder Woman and Aquaman come to fruition, and I think this is the universe paying him back.
There is a quote by Shruti Gauesh
And even once more then thrice spells destruction.
Perhaps Warner Brothers are sensing such and are attempting to save themselves. Perhaps they saw the simple solution.
And considering Henry Cavill’s elevated fame thanks to The Witcher, they would be suicidal to not utilise him again as the Man of Steel.
Thank You Travis Bean for writing this article.
Here’s the Suicide Squad one for any one interested.
