A few suggestions to Warner Bros regarding DC movies, going foward.
So here's the thing. Right now, JL is getting drubbed by the critics and a lot of fans online. They are disappointed. They are angry. They are deflated and rightfully so.
Given the track record of recent DC films, perhaps these suggestions on upcoming projects will enlighten them to vigorously change course. Of course, these are just mine and I'm ready to read more, so pile on!
SAVING THE DCEU:
1. Stories come first - this means good writing and good story telling. This comes FIRST, before all else, including which characters you put in a movie.
2. Quit horning in big name characters to shore up weak projects - I'm sorry but whoever is thinking that Black Adams in a Suicide Squad 2 is a good idea, that person needs to be assigned a different project. Put Adam in a SHAZAM movie. Now that makes sense.
3. Get competent directors - Where there's a Nolan, there's other exceptional directors with a similar pedigree. You have to find them, not just go with the flavor of the moment (see Zack Snyder).
4. Look to the actual comic book people for ideas - Don't just throw a myriad of ideas at a dry erase board and build a script that way. Use the resource of all the talented people who already know these characters and write stories for them.
5. LISTEN TO THE FANS - this should be the first thing WB does when it floats a movie idea. I'm sorry but a Joker origin movie? Who's clamoring for that one? Most fans love the mystery of who the Joker is and from whence he came. Leave us our mystery before another iconic character is ruined the way the Star Wars prequels ruined Darth Vader.
6. Quit doing things reflexively because of the competition - Just because Marvel movies are "light and fun" doesn't mean you have to go the opposite direction and do "dark and bleak." You talk about not copying Marvel, yet by that very attitude you've boxed yourself into a corner where dourness and darkness are now the hallmarks of your movies. And you're actually letting Marvel control what you do by reacting to what they are doing. That's dumb!! Why not take what they do good and (brainstorm here) DO IT BETTER?
7. Have an overarching plan - stop it with cobbling together movies that have some different stylistic elements and don't seem to belong in the same universe (example - BVS and Suicide Squad). Appoint your own version of Kevin Feige to oversee these movies and make sure they are headed in a specific directions. Enough with the "hit and miss" approach.
Those are my 7 suggestions to Warner Bros to save the future of DC movies. What are yours?