Last year we reported on a rumor that Warner execs were telling the makers of their DC Comic adaptations that there would be “no jokes” in the movies, perhaps because Green Lantern was supposedly too tongue-in-cheek and that’s why it failed. (Yeah, pretty sure jokes weren’t the problem there.)
Now, in a very long interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Warner film chief Greg Silverman made a point to shoehorn in a reference to the importance of humor in their DC films. Silverman was a creative executive on Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and he also pushed for The LEGO Movie to be made. Two years ago he was made film chief, tasked with upholding CEO Kevin Tsujhara’s goal of building three pillars at Warner: superhero movies (Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad, etc.), Harry Potter spin-offs (Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them), and at least four more LEGO movies.
With that in mind, here’s what Silverman said about their DC Comics strategy:
“We have a great strategy for the DC films, which is to take these beloved characters and put them in the hands of master filmmakers and make sure they all coordinate with each other. You’ll see the difference [compared to Marvel] when you see Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad, Justice League and all the things that we are working on.”
He also confirmed the rumor about Warner hiring multiple writers to pen competing Wonder Woman scripts.
When asked about fan complaints regarding the Batman V Superman trailer being “too dark” (a complaint also made about Man Of Steel), he said something sure to not rankle those same fans at all.
There is intensity and a seriousness of purpose to some of these characters. The filmmakers who are tackling these properties are making great movies about superheroes; they aren’t making superhero movies. And when you are trying to make a good movie, you tackle interesting philosophies and character development. There’s also humor, which is an important part.
“They aren’t making superhero movies.”
That quote definitely won’t be taken out of context and used against them. Nope. Not on the Internet. Perish the thought.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
