5 reasons why Justice League could disappoint
After years of anticipation, Justice League will finally hit theaters one month from today. Although we’ve had reason to be skeptical of this superhero crossover, things are starting to look up for the film. The latest trailer was a blast and film’s posters suggest a bright, colorful blockbuster. With that said, there are still a few reasons why we should be wary of Justice League. While it has the potential to be amazing, it could also be the biggest disappointment since… well, Batman v Superman.
- There Are Still More Bad DCEU Movies Than Good
Earlier this year, Patty Jenkins proved just how great the DC Extended Universe could be with Wonder Woman. That doesn’t mean she officially broke the DCEU curse, though. Between Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad, we’ve still gotten more bad movies than good. The fact that Warner Bros. and DC are producing a Joker movie separate from this cinematic universe just goes to show that they’re not especially confident in the franchise’s legs.
- DC Doesn’t Know How to Juggle Multiple Heroes
One of the reasons Wonder Woman worked so well was because it remained focused on the titular heroine. The film had several fun supporting players, but it gave them all a proper amount of screen time and didn’t set them up for any spinoffs. With Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, the filmmakers packed in so many characters with complicated backstories that it was hard to care about any of them. It’d be one thing if we had already gotten standalone movies with Aquaman, Cyborg, and the Flash, but they’re all being shoehorned into Justice League without proper introductions. Zack Snyder and company failed to juggle multiple heroes before. Is there really any indication that they can pull it off now?
- The Tone Could Be All Over the Place
Speaking of Zach Snyder, it’s worth noting that he left production in May 2017 after the tragic death of his daughter. Joss Whedon was subsequently hired to direct the film’s post-production, reshoots, and additional scenes. Between Snyder and Whedon, audiences just might get the Justice League movie they’ve always wanted to see. Of course we could also get a tonal mess. Snyder’s movies are known for being dark and brooding while Whdeon’s work is more self-aware and vibrant. On top of that, WB and DC are bound to have their fair of pesky notes. It’s safe to say that the final result won’t be a single person’s vision, which could work in the film’s favor or get us another Suicide Squad.
- It Was Supposed to Be a Two-Part Movie
After Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split into two movies, other franchises started to repeat the same formula. By the time we got to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, though, audiences were really starting to get tired of this trend. Justice League was originally set to be another two-part movie, but the studio rethought their strategy after The Divergent Series: Allegiant bombed and Ascendant was deprived of a theatrical release. Although Justice League isn’t being marketed as a two-part movie, it could still play out like one. There’s a strong possibility that this first film will be primarily dedicated to exposition with all the good stuff being saved for a sequel. Don’t be surprised if it ends on a cliffhanger either.
- That Release Date
This final reason has less to do with the film’s quality and more to do with its financial success. Whether it’s good or bad, there’s little doubt that Justice League will be a huge hit, but maybe not as huge as people anticipate. The film will face stiff competition, coming out just two weeks after Thor: Ragnarok. Then in the weeks to come, it’ll have to face off with Pixar’s Coco and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Batman v Superman saw a significant drop at the box office even though there weren’t many other high-profile movies in release at the time. So unless Justice League really wows audiences, it could struggle to even outgross Wonder Woman domestically.