NEW 'Justice League of America' Script In The Works

eff Robinov is already thinking about DC Comics movies for 2013 and beyond, and he’s got “Justice League” and a reinvented Batman on his mind.

The president of the Warner Bros. motion picture group, who recently sat down for an extensive interview with The Times, discussed his long-term strategy for DC beyond movies already in the works, such as June’s “Green Lantern” and next year’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and Superman movie.

Jeff Robinov (Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times)

The first priority for the man with the ultimate say on what films get made at Warner Bros.: Finally getting the Justice League, DC’s team featuring all its top characters, on the big screen in 2013. The picture had been very close to production in late 2007 and early 2008, but was killed by the Writers Guild of America strike, tax credit issues in Australia, and concerns by some at Warner about presenting a competing (and conflicting) version of Batman while director Christopher Nolan’s films were breaking box office records.

But Robinov said a new Justice League script is in the works. Also being written for Warner are scripts featuring the Flash and Wonder Woman, who could be spun off into their own movies after Justice League. Though Wonder Woman is also in the works as a television pilot for NBC produced by Warner, Robinov dismissed that as a sticking point. “Wonder Woman could be a film as well, the same way that ‘Superman Returns’ came out while ‘Smallville’ was on,” he said, referring to the 2006 film that put Brandon Routh in the cape and the television show starring Tom Welling that is now in its 10th and final season.

Robinov knows that the most bankable part of his superhero empire has been Nolan and his Gotham City films – the studio has yet to deliver a 21st century superhero blockbuster hit without Nolan in the director’s seat. Batman will continue to be a centerpiece property beyond next year’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and Nolan’s departure from the franchise. “We have the third Batman, but then we’ll have to reinvent Batman…Chris Nolan and [producing partner and wife] Emma Thomas will be producing it, so it will be a conversation with them about what the next phase is.”

Justice League, the movie? Warner chief sets sights on team-up film and ‘reinventing’ Batman
March 29, 2011 | 8:10 a.m.

Ben Fritz sat down with top Warner Bros. executive Jeff Robinov for a profile piece that ran Tuesday in the Los Angeles Times business section. Fritz also brought back this Hero Complex report on the future of key DC Comics properties at the studio.

Justice League by Alex Ross (DC Comics)

Jeff Robinov is already thinking about DC Comics movies for 2013 and beyond, and he’s got “Justice League” and a reinvented Batman on his mind.

The president of the Warner Bros. motion picture group, who recently sat down for an extensive interview with The Times, discussed his long-term strategy for DC beyond movies already in the works, such as June’s “Green Lantern” and next year’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and Superman movie.


Jeff Robinov (Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times)

The first priority for the man with the ultimate say on what films get made at Warner Bros.: Finally getting the Justice League, DC’s team featuring all its top characters, on the big screen in 2013. The picture had been very close to production in late 2007 and early 2008, but was killed by the Writers Guild of America strike, tax credit issues in Australia, and concerns by some at Warner about presenting a competing (and conflicting) version of Batman while director Christopher Nolan’s films were breaking box office records.

But Robinov said a new Justice League script is in the works. Also being written for Warner are scripts featuring the Flash and Wonder Woman, who could be spun off into their own movies after Justice League. Though Wonder Woman is also in the works as a television pilot for NBC produced by Warner, Robinov dismissed that as a sticking point. “Wonder Woman could be a film as well, the same way that ‘Superman Returns’ came out while ‘Smallville’ was on,” he said, referring to the 2006 film that put Brandon Routh in the cape and the television show starring Tom Welling that is now in its 10th and final season.

Robinov knows that the most bankable part of his superhero empire has been Nolan and his Gotham City films – the studio has yet to deliver a 21st century superhero blockbuster hit without Nolan in the director’s seat. Batman will continue to be a centerpiece property beyond next year’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and Nolan’s departure from the franchise. “We have the third Batman, but then we’ll have to reinvent Batman…Chris Nolan and [producing partner and wife] Emma Thomas will be producing it, so it will be a conversation with them about what the next phase is.”

#12 | Steve Younis on March 29, 2011 6:45pm EST
WARNING: Sadly it's a fact of life that people resent change. While I also get frustrated at seeing people calling for Tom Welling or Brandon Routh to be cast in anything Superman related they see mentioned, attacking them for their stance is neither polite nor in line with the Member Rules of this website. Just let them have their say and move on. The majority of fans know it will never happen.

Apologist Puncher wrote:Prediction:

Ryan Reynolds will show-up in the Superman Reboot.

Mark the date and time fella's.

non_amos wrote:What's funny about this is that CLARK KENT was originally supposed to have had a cameo in the upcoming GL film but that was scrapped for some reason. Did that have anything to do with duh lawsuit, or was that 'more Nolan'? If Nolan was the reason, then why would he allow Green Lantern to cameo in the Superman reboot? But yeah, if they're gonna do a JLA film, it'd be welcome. If we were talking about MARVEL, it'd be a given! With WB/DC? Who knows?!

#3 | Steve Younis on March 30, 2011 7:11pm EST
On my mark, let the Brandon Routh/Tom Welling comments begin! Ready, set... GO!

non_amos wrote:http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/03/30/zack-snyder-justice-league-movie-has-nothing-to-do-with-his-superman-or-christopher-nolans-batman/

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=9494#comments

And comments from Eunuch himself:

#3 | Steve Younis on March 30, 2011 7:11pm EST
On my mark, let the Brandon Routh/Tom Welling comments begin! Ready, set... GO!

Deja vu', again?! Didn't we go through this about 3 years ago?! Nolan didn't want a 6'5" Batman played by Armie Hammer while he was still doing his own thing. However, now Nolan is willing to 're-invent' Batman & allow this to happen?! And the rebooted Superman will just be finding its' way, so to speak, so do we really want 2 Supermen at the same time?! Sure, Welling might would do it & it might be like killing 2 birds with 1 stone but it could also prove confusing to the uninformed. I just don't know if that's a good idea, especially in Superman's case. Thoughts?

Comicbookfan-V2 wrote:A "Justice League" movie, definitly up for it as long they put out DC films for each character first but re-inventing Batman for this, two words... BULL SHIT!!! Why re-invent something if it's already been establish and done so well no less?

thecolorsblend wrote:The funny thing is that back in the old days of the Marvel vs. DC pissing match, the argument was always that Marvel has a genuine SHARED universe while DC had zillions of alternate realities.

It seems funny that the movie adaptations struggle from the same problems.

Father Finian wrote:And just when you think we're all past the Welling vs Routh wars, here they go again! And now you can throw Cavill into the mix.

I've already noticed a few sheep around the place STILL hoping Ruth would make a reappearance. I'd imagine Welling would've moved on, but "Ruth gotta eat". I bet his "people" are on the phone already.

Comicbookfan-V2 wrote:And to think the executives from Warner Bros. studios might of aleast take a page from the Marvel studios playbook but nooo!!! I guess the powers that be from Warner Bros. just never learn to think right out of the box! Infact this is why DC Entertainment should take full control of this kind of stuff!

Apologist Puncher wrote:You know, I was thinking about this "separate universe" JLA thing, and came to a conclusion as to WHY they might do it:

The Bros. Warner can say "See, we AREN'T copying Marvel Studios! We are doing something DIFFERENT!!!!"

And that is a fucking stupid reason to do this.

Father Finian wrote:And just when you think we're all past the Welling vs Routh wars, here they go again! And now you can throw Cavill into the mix.

I've already noticed a few sheep around the place STILL hoping Ruth would make a reappearance. I'd imagine Welling would've moved on, but "Ruth gotta eat". I bet his "people" are on the phone already.

Apologist Puncher wrote:Wow, someone can't read.....

Apologist Puncher wrote:You know, I was thinking about this "separate universe" JLA thing, and came to a conclusion as to WHY they might do it:

The Bros. Warner can say "See, we AREN'T copying Marvel Studios! We are doing something DIFFERENT!!!!"

And that is a fucking stupid reason to do this.

Comicbookfan-V2 wrote:I'D PACIFICLY STATED THAT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW MARVEL'S EXAMPLE OTHER THAN DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT THEIR NOT DOING!!! DOES THAT QUALIFY AS NOT READING TO YOU?

thecolorsblend wrote:I don't care what anybody says, for consistency's sake, if nothing else, Cavill should star as Superman in the Justice League of America movie. Let's embrace reality, people. Denial is for the Apologists.