Okay, I’ve got to go on a rant, so ignore me or bear with me please. And I know some folks who have attacked me in the past will love this, since they’ll see this as an opening, but it needs to be said regardless.

I’ve given this production as much time as they deserve -indeed more than enough. Yes, we’ve only heard rumors, and normally I’d say until we get some cast/script confirmations we shouldn’t let the rumor mill get us excited or depressed, but the fact that over two months have gone by with the studio bringing NO facts whatsoever to light tells me they haven’t made ANY solid decisions. For a tentpole movie of this scope/scale with so much riding on it (oh, and lest we forget, a strike looming by the time they’re set to finish principal photography!) they should at least have gotten something concrete by now to give us. So far George Miller is all they’ve got. That’s pretty damned thin.
The fact it’s taking them so long to even get a cast assembled speaks volumes about what’s going on behind the scenes with this flick. This is a movie in trouble. There’s no clear vision, and no direction.
The casting is skewing young -WAY too young! Making a movie for the PG-13 demographic is one thing, but casting teenagers for THE iconic movie adult roles is just stupid!
They’re floundering about, hoping that things will fall into place. Usually all they do is just fall apart instead.

My restraint has even caused me to become a target, with some reactionary types on these boards, for not having jumped on the HATE-JLA bandwagon from the get-go, on the basis that even the idea of a JLA movie was bad. Let’s get one thing straight –the IDEA of doing this movie was and still is a damned great idea! I loved when it was proposed, am still enthused about the IDEA itself, but am supremely pissed at how it’s being screwed up. But the idea itself is fantastic and long overdue.
And here’s another reason I didn’t like the folks who made a cottage industry out of attacking this flick on general principle –whatever that “principle” may have been:
Downing a movie can have serious repercussions in ways we never thought –like how the failures of both Aeon Flux and Ultraviolet (not to mention Catwoman) killed the David Hayter screenplay project for Black Widow and helped put Wonder Woman on the back burner indefinitely. Now Black Widow will most likly never get made and Wonder Woman is a long shot, largely dependent on how JLA does, I’ll bet. It’s also why idiots like Rominov/Rabinov/whatever over at Warner Brothers get inspired to say, “No more movies with women as the leads.”
I had high hopes for the JLA film because of how badly Superman Returns turned out, and because I felt that like X-Men it had the potential to raise the bar for superhero flicks and give a launch pad for Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Flash. Never has any one project had this much potential. And never before has it been so recklessly pissed away.

I became furious and depressed when I saw the list of JLA try-outs in this post. The producers are casting a wide net for the lead roles and it’s excrutiatingly obvious they’re just throwing stuff against the wall to see if anything sticks. It shows that not only do the producers not get the concept, they’re not even sure what it is they should even want.
Look at the B and C stringers who auditioned. Can you see the folks in this lot having chemistry as a group? Do they have charisma as individuals? Or did someone at the studio’s Casting Department just really, really like their headshots?

Hell, we’ve brainstormed better casts on our lonesome here at OWF: Matthew Fox as Superman, Ryan Reynolds as Flash, Thomas Jane as Batman (though if Thomas is too old –he’s 38– then Jake Gyllenhall or Scott Caan could do it) Kate Beckinsale as Wonder Woman, D.B. Woodside as Green Lantern and Clancy Brown as the Martian Manhunter.
With the exception of Matthew Fox the others are a shoe-in, especially Ryan. And if perchance Kate doesn’t want the part then go with Rhona Mitra –hell,I’d even go with Jennifer Connelly or Lena Heady– though I still believe Sandra Bullock is best for the part.
There, now was THAT so freaking hard? A strong cast of people who look like their characters and –GASP!– can act the part. These are solid actors who are already used to being part of ensemble productions and all of them are strong enough to carry spin-off movies — Clancy Brown would have the greatest “sleeper” potential IMO, if the Martian Manhunter role was written with enough meat to get people interested in the character.
Plus, none of these folks costs more than eight mil a picture (and only Kate could possibly commmand that kind of salary) and considering the budget this film will no-doubt get (80 mil at LEAST!) there shouldn’t be a problem spending fifteen or twenty mil on the cast, especially when you consider that Ryan and Kate would be spun-off into their own highly-lucrative franchises almost immeidately.

I know that certain quarters will come out of the woodwork at my perceived “blasting” of the flick but they would be wrong. I am still in love with the idea of a JLA movie, but not the way it’s being done. Those aforementioned critics hated even the idea of a JLA flick, though today they’re trying to re-write their eariler stance as not so much hating the idea, as much as being prescient in foretelling how badly it would be handled –what bullshit!
There’s no genius in hating a concept from the moment it’s announced and then praying fervently that it’s bad, then jupming with joy when poor decisions are made by the filmmakers. I hated what Michael Bay was planning to do with Transformers but I never HOPED it would suck, because that doesn’t help anyone.

JLA was a GREAT idea, and still is (no matter that some folks have tried to say!) but it’s being screwed up royally by hacks who don’t know what they’re doing and apprarently can’t be bothered to find out. And it’s a shame because it will make the road of good filmmakers like Nolan harder and give the appearance of credibility –though nothing like substance– to people to attack movies on “principle” alone. What they need is bring in a brand new creative team, –David Goyer could lead it, even write a new script, though I’d be damned if I’d let him direct the film– or shelve this idea until after the strike. But it’s obvious now that barring some unforseen miracle this movie a fiasco in the making.

End of sermon.

Matt, c’mon … this movie is too much of a fucking joke for serious or A-list actors. Jake Gyllenhaal is definitely not going to follow up several acclaimed performances by starring in this ridiculous project.

http://www.therecshow.com

These are serious B and C listers but for me the probelm is A list talent is not intrested in playing Batman while Bale is playing the part because he was excellent. They need to drop Batman from the film and replace him with Green Arrow, if the movie is successful then bring Batman after the third Nolan Film.

Christ! Jaysmack, we really dont want Goyer doing a film like this,we definately would end up with Jessica Beil as Wonder Woman.
Dont know what to say about this film any more.

When did you post about Common and Brody?

No, Jay, I think anyone who goes back and looks at the way you behaved in the earlier posts on this movie will see how you acted. You jumped all over everyone who saw what a mess this was before you did. You engaged in name calling and threw tantrums– generally acting like a child. And now, you can’t even admit that, you know, you were just wrong.

And if you go back, I (and others) said back then that a JLA Movie is a great IDEA– but that this project was a disaster.

“I am still in love with the idea of a JLA movie, but not the way it’s being done.”

LOL… I like when you quote me, Jay.

It’s hilarious that you consider yourself a target when YOU attacked people first. What a skewed reality you live in.

Some people (not just me) were right, and you were wrong. Just be a man and admit it.

Matt, no A-lister is going to step on Bale’s toes like that.

There are some talented actors on this list. I could maybe see Scott Porter playing a Wally West Flash, but Superman? I like the guy a lot, and he’s got skill, but he’s 5-10 years away from being old enough (though he WILL get there)… just like everyone else on this list. Minka Kelly is RIDICULOUSLY hot, but Wonder Woman? She looks it, but her presence is always so timid and sweet– not exactly Amazonian warrior.

Bottom line, this is a great audition list for a Teen Titans film. But this is JLA, which makes it downright laughable. This is shaping up to be a disaster of monumental scope, the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long time. I’m not happy about that since I’m a huge comics fan and love superhero movies, and I’m worried that this will hurt other projects. The way I see it, the best thing we can do is bitch as loudly as possible, and hope that negative buzz drives to WB to make changes before it’s too late.

And Jay, if it makes you feel better, your cast is a solid one (though I still think the best options are either get Bale and Routh or wait until it’s time to replace them anyway). But WB wants bargain basement actors they can sign to 5 picture deals.

Just scrolling back through… Jesus that’s a young looking bunch. No college for our heroes?

Pre-strike rush job cash grab. That’s all this movie will ever be.

maybe they are auditioning for that Teen Titans film and just covering up saying that it;s the JLA film,who knows?…The Shadow knows!
I reckon this film is going to suck the Hugest masive saggy pair of BALLS ever.

Scrambles–
I’m not going to get into another pissing contest with you, unless of course you’d like to start by explaining your math again on how old Siegel and (how did you MIS-spell the name? Oh yeah!) “Schuster” were when they created Superman. Their “late twenties,” I believe you said.
And as for “childish behavior,” your whining and crying about what I may (though in most cases did not) say to/about you is the epitome of infantile. Let it go or at the least shut up about it, but this carping you keep doing about me got old two months ago.

Now, if I may continue.

When Matt first announced on this site back in February the proposed JLA movie he wrote: “IMO, the only way this could work is if you cast the League as young actors and do a little more lighthearted than the typical Batman or Superman movie”
Well, that’s what they’re doing; casting young actors, VERY young, though I imagine this probably isn’t what Matt had in mind. I disagreed with such a move then as now because it would put the DC-comics movie franchises into retrograde and there is NO example in all of moviedom of this EVER being a good move.

Nobody wants to see the JLA go through adult superhero growing pains as if they were still brand new to superhero work. It doesn’t help us identify with them, instead it destroys their credibility, and makes buffoons of them. Given the choice, any audience will gladly choose to skip the obligatory “awkward hero” phase so many sci-fi/adventure filmmakers are addicted to making audiences suffer through.
And let’s be honest, if these kids they want to cast aren’t good enough to clearly carry the roles today, how are they going to match up against seasoned veterans like Bale, Reynolds, etc in a few years? There’s no such thing as “growing into the roles,” either you’re already there or you aren’t. Audiences go to movies to be entertained, not to make an investment in the hopes that later installments in a particular franchise will be any good.
This movie could have been the definitive tale of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, instead it looks more like it will be Hollywood’s Mightiest Fiasco. Regardless of whether you liked or hated the idea of doing this flick, JLA’s pending failure is not a good thing. Avengers has yet to be made, same for Teen Titans. X-Men 4 is looking more iffy with every passing month. Hell, even Halle Berry was appealing to fans to petition FOX to continue the franchise. So even if your superhero team does gangbusters at the box-office you may still get benched anyway.
And before anyone says, “Well the failure of JLA won’t hurt Avengers etc.,” remember, Catwoman flopped and that helped kill Black Widow. Studios watch how other movies similar to their planned projects perform at the box office. If they do well, that builds confidence. If they don’t it destroys it. So no one has any reason to gloat about how badly this thing’s looking to be. It will ultimately hurt superhero team movies as a genre because those are the most complicated and costly types of films to produce.

And Scrambles, I never gave my unconditional love and support to this flick. Go back thru the archives and you’ll find I said, “Are we scared the studio will screw it up? Of course we are -I sure as hell am! But should we be groaning because they’re doing it at all? No. Let’s see the script first. Who knows, they may surprise us.”
All I EVER called for was to give it a chance. A free ride? Of course not! But a chance. Okay, they’ve been given that chance and it’s confirmed our worst fears.
I had my reservations from the start, just like you did. The difference was I had a vested interest in this movie being done right, not in being able to say, “Well, I didn’t like the idea, and it failed, so I rock!”

There is one good bit of news to report. If nothing else at least we don’t have to worry about T.I. EVER being Green Lantern. He got arrested (again!) over the weekend for weapons possession –a felony, considering that he’s still on parole for felony possession of marijuana.
Now if only the cops could get something on Common, we’d have a shot at…hell, probably seeing 50 Cent get cast judging by how badly they’re screwing up this flick.
Why do I even bother?

The 1932 version of Superman was a bald, goateed sci-fi serial villain. If you think that’s the same character, or that any judge is going to consider that the same character, well, good luck with that. The version we all know and love was purchased and published in 1938– so we’re both wrong. They were in their mid (but not late as I said) twenties, but also definitely not teenagers as you claimed.

Look, you acted in a rude and berating manner, now you have egg on your face. Sorry, but maybe next time you won’t accuse people of “pre-judging” when some folks might just have a little bit more foresight than you.

Foresight Scrambles? Is that what you call your typical fanboy revulsion to even the IDEA of a JLA movie –”foresight?”

If that’s “foresight” I’d rather have Stevie Wonder drive me home.

Now, Jay… you know as well as I do that I said BACK THEN that I love the idea of a JLA film, but this ain’t it. Really want me to dig it up and prove you wrong?

All you fucking Ballickers will pay!..Now kneel before the Glove…Kneel!

theriot I love Max theriot he is sooooo cute. I like his acting in Nancy Drew!!!!!!!!

I love Max theriot he is sooooo cute. I like his acting in Nancy Drew!!!!!!!!