With Marvel Studios’ first two releases – Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk – notching up some impressive box office receipts, Warner Bros. has taken note, particularly of its competitor’s strategy to integrate its comic book properties.
With Sam Jackson’s Nick Fury popping up in Iron Man and with Tony Stark himself making an appearance in Hulk – offering support and advice to General Ross – Marvel has spearheaded a new direction in comic book movies, cross-pollinating its theatrical releases with characters from across the Marvel universe. This new tactic has caught the eye of Warner’s head honchos, who have met in recent weeks with the top brass at DC, it is reported, to discuss adopting a similar approach with its DC characters.
Warner Brothers Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov and Warner president Kevin McCormick have sat down at the table, says The Hollywood Reporter, with DC Comics executives and comic book talents such as Jim Lee to take at look at how to shake up their approach to translating DC titles to the big screen. Future titles are expected to benefit from greater emphasis from the studio and to be crafted with a clearly defined long-term goal in place.
George Miller has been trying to get his Justice League flick off the ground for quite a while now. Perhaps with this ‘all-inclusive’ approach, his film, or a version of it, may begin inching closer to that light at the end of the tunnel.
