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DC ’s cinematic cosmos has had difficulty in establishing itself creatively , tonally , and critically . The fistful of films they have released were meet with either controversy or outright rejection , until the touchstoneWonder Womanmovie . However , with the troubled birth of theJustice Leaguemovie creating greater dubiousness about the DCEU than before , Warner Bros. has been scrambling to happen a way to grow their brand while mitigating the likely tragedy of their shared existence . The answer may consist in DC ’s multiverse . Over the years , DC farm their make by release barefaced alternative universe stories . publish under theElseworldsbanner , these story further mythologized their characters in the way of unwritten custom : unclothe persona down to their heart and soul values and reimagining them in a dissimilar setting and in dissimilar circumstances . The mitochondrial connections are all there but focalise on unexampled perspective . Of deep , Warner Bros. has press out interest in expanding their oscilloscope of films into multiple continuity activeoutside of the DCEU , such as with the coming Joker source movie . There is also the possibility of a major continuity revision in - universe with 2018’sFlashmovie , which now features the subtitle ofFlashpoint , an infamous persistence - altering event from the comics . Thanks to the DCEU ’s liminal status , and the late interest in a standalone structure , we might be able-bodied to see the more bizarre stories come to life . If so , we have some approximation where to start .
Superman
Supermanhas had a rough go of it in the DCEU . Fans have been clamor for a more traditionally optimistic Man of Steel , but also for something bluff and young . The mixed signals are understandably confusing , but the Elseworlds glide slope may allow fans to have their cake and eat it too . Strangely , Superman : Red Sonlooks to be the most likely option for a standalone feature and was recentlyname - checked by Geoff Johns , the Colorado - chairman of DC Films . Mark Millar ’s epic retells the story of Superman with one important variety : he lands in the Soviet Union rather of the United States . Poor Supes becomes a peter for communism and sees its autocracy and welkin of influence flesh out . He ’s still a seemly man , but by the time he escape the echo chamber , it ’s too late for millions of masses who have starved , been send to gulag , or otherwise killed . Sideways versions of Batman , Wonder Woman and other familiar Justice Leaguers appear to add to the flaky nature of the tale whose ending is as graphic and heartrending as it is fitting . give its longstanding popularity , it would n’t be a surprisal for this comic to be adapted by Warner Bros.
If you ’ve had enough of the dark riff , there ’s a healthier option : the lyricalSuperman : Secret identity element . It have berth in our world where Superman and Batman are just comic book characters . However , a untested male child named Clark Kent ( boy , did he resent his parent for that one ) develops the king of the Man of Steel . It ’s never explained why , but that ’s not the point . We follow Clark Kent through his entire life as he navigate the real world while treat with his powers . At its core , it ’s about the way of life superheroesparticularly Supermancan inspire us to do in force thing while also adding further dimensions to what Superman would deal with in his unremarkable aliveness . For those who claim that Superman is too distant from humanity , this is the story that would change their mind .
The Justice League
Outside of the make icons , Warner Bros. could use their multiverse to do something even greater : build a proper bequest . For its many flaw , DC Comics has always maintain the greatest pool of legacy characters in comicsformer sidekick always on the verge of admit over . Dick Grayson , Wally West , Donna Troy , Dinah Lance and Roy Harper have even pass on to put back their mentors for a time - West and Lance have become the definitive Flash and Black Canary for entire generations of fans .
These youthful lineament in a lasting state of arrested development allow for the reader to maturate up alongside them ; tackle standardized problem , they can place with the Teen Titans better than the Justice League . However , to the casual devotee , these are just disposable charactersshadows of the rightful icons . While the live - actionTeen Titansseries may rectify that , a filmor even serial publication of filmscould raise the visibility of the legacy characters and make the rest of the world see that they are as worthy of being called icons as their mentors .
Two level chart the end of one saga and the first of the next : Kingdom ComeandSuperman & Batman : Generations . Kingdom Comeis Mark Waid and Alex Ross ’s seminal miniseries that see a world of unchecked superheroes and villains becoming a terror to humanity . It require the classic Justice League bomber to come out of retirement , now much older and every bit altered by the speedily changing world . Kingdom Comeasked the question of government activity and superheroes long before Marvel’sCivil Wardid , while also providing a fittingly overt yet satisfying ending to the story of DC ’s Trinity .
Superheroes are the American mythology , a fact that is never clearer than in John Byrne ’s overlooked masterpiece , Generations . It is a complete history of DC Comics cross the Golden , Silver and Bronze ages before striking out into the far future . Our heroes cope with , they face threat together , they take on sidekick , they grow old , the brother take over . It ’s a generational tarradiddle that allows for characters to age and die while also keeping the never - end aspect of comic book lit active . Each going of the baton is plow naturally , and the Justice League is treated as a larger , expanding family as sentence draws on . Non - rooter would get an musical theme of legacy characters being a custom , a natural extension of the report , since , after all , the account never ends .
Outside of the grand epos is something more grounded , yet also very Modern ( to take audiences at least ) . Grant Morrison’sAnimal Manis an existential deconstructionism of the superhero genre without slipping into the dour botch ofBatman v. Superman . The serial is very complex ; it ’s part meta - comment with heavy doses of metaphysics and treatise on destitute will along the way . The psychedelia and far out hallmarks of the series are visually sympathetic and its final ego - cognizant twisting is both heartbreaking and exciting . If this series was to be adapted , however , the ego - gratulatory Morrison preliminary would probably have to be toned down . If not , the gentleman ’s ego might burn up through the concealment . A project like this would admit a lesser known part some spotlight and give casual audience an idea of the originative deepness and scope of DC ’s catalogue . ( You could also probably make it for a sweetheart budget too . )
or else of the larger-than-life scope of something likeGenerationsandKingdom Comeor the wise philosophy ofAnimal Man , there is the possible action of raise one specific bequest role : Terry McGinnis . Batman Beyondhas been a center of rumors and wishful web log posts about a alive - action adaptation for almost twenty years . To see the Earth of Neo Gotham translated into realitymaybe as a sort ofBlade Runnermeets Jack Kirbywould inaugurate a alone esthetic into the superhero pallet , which is rather suave with its low sky - beams and crumble buildings . Of course , this would also serve well as a peachy passing the torch moment by hold an elderly Bruce Wayne played by Michael Keaton , or , for us dreamers , Kevin Conroy .
More Jack Kirby
While we ’re talking about possible futures , we ca n’t entrust out Jack Kirby’sKamandi . The narrative stick with the titular last boy examine to survive on a post - apocalyptical Earth where animals have mutated and evolve and world is nearly extinct . It may sound likePlanet of the Apes , but Kirby ’s original pitch for the series is date twelvemonth before Pierre Boulle ’s novel was published . Besides talking creature , Kamandialso feature mutation , android and futuristic WMD in subject you were worried this was the one Jack Kirby creation that was n’t dead crazy . Given how popular the post - apocalyptic sub - genre is , something as outre as this would do well with audiences .
A more modern tale ( and indeed the youngest story in this article ) isBatman : The Black Mirror ; it ’s an unlikely , though no less deserving possibility . This may be a Batman story , but it ’s Dick Grayson wearing the hood , not Bruce Wayne . The why s and wherefores are n’t relevant here , so we ’ll skip them . The plot of ground is not centralized but rather break down up into belittled , mistily connected history that discover at the warmness of the Dick Grayson character . Optimism , the lie of nostalgia and grow up are cardinal themes at dramatic play inThe Black Mirror , as remnants of Grayson ’s past times show up again , distorting his view on his personal story . He has to argue with the girl of Tony Zucco who is more innocent than Grayson conceive but less innocent than she affect to be . Meanwhile , James Gordon , Jr. has returned to Gotham to cause problems , and the Dealer is betray bit of tragedythe crowbar Joker used to kill Jason Todd foreman among them . The root word of never - going - back is key here , peculiarly for Grayson who finally adapts to leaving Nightwing behind tobecome Batman ; it ’s a strange kind of graduation . While unbelievable , aBlack Mirrorfilmor at least one featuring Dick Grayson as the darkness knightwould make for a innate terminus in his mod live - action fib .
ATeenTitansseries is being produced for WB ’s stream divine service , which will featureBrenton Thwaitesplaying Grayson . He ’ll in all probability be playing Robin since the DCEU is producing aNightwingfilm . While none of these projects survive in the same universe , a standalone plastic film boast Dick Grayson as Batman would still tell a complete story when site next to each other . They would chart the course of Dick Grayson ’s life in a style that no other superhero has before : from Robin toNightwingto Batman . The risk is surprisingly minimal . Being out of primary persistence does n’t regard any plans for Bruce Wayne , and the worst that can happen is that more people see Dick Grayson as an A - lean character .
Finally , the embattledJustice Leaguefilm is introducing elements ofJack Kirby’sFourth World Saga . This will invariably admit major players like Darkseid . However , Kirby ’s richly layered , biblicalNew Godsstory is ripe for a standalone tale . While broadly deliberate a Justice League scoundrel , Darkseidlaid his keel as part of the New Gods , and that is where his account is truly centered . AFourth Worldfilm could expand the lore of the gods , colourise the strange vistas and bizarre flourishes that Kirby imagined . The serial publication is both a sensory overload and a treat . The New Gods are in every relevant way alien , but human enough in their motives and problems that they ’re still identifiable . The often - imitated universe Kirby create can only now be given a proper translation to film . Replete with Shakespearian turns and appropriately overwrought dialogue , this would be the greatest undertaking of any of the projects , but potentially the most rewarding .
