Warner Bros. is hoping that their next big superhero movie, Man of Steel, a big success this summer. Not just because they want their movie to do well — the future of their superhero franchise depends on Man of Steel succeeding. If Superman bombs then all Justice League plans will probably be put on hold. However, early signs suggest that Warner Bros. has a hit on their hands with Man of Steel. It’s being directed by Zack Snyder who was hired by the producer, Christopher Nolan. Nolan also contributed to the story with his Dark Knight trilogy writer David Goyer.
It’s already been reported that Snyder has references of the DC Universe in Man of Steel for fans to pick up on, and it looks like Warner Bros. is hoping he’ll direct the upcoming Justice League movie too. The latest issue of Empire magazine features Superman on the cover and there’s a big article dedicated to Man of Steel. The magazine confirms that Snyder is likely to direct Warner Bros.’ superhero team up movie:
“Warner Bros.’ long-term view has been revised to embrace this new vision, just as the Dark Knight films resisted the commodification of Marvel. Whether we get a Justice League, they say, depends on Man of Steel. If we do, they say, Zack Snyder will be asked to direct.”
This lines up with rumors from early March, which said that Warner Bros. wanted Christopher Nolan to produce Justice League, Zack Snyder to direct, and Christian Bale to come back as Batman. We later learned that Bale’s return was unlikely, and the president of Warner Bros. has said that Nolan will not produce. However if Zack Snyder really is chosen to direct Justice League, perhaps he’ll be able to talk his Man of Steel producer into joining him. And if Nolan is on board, maybe he’ll be able to get Bale into it too.
There’s a lot riding on Man of Steel right now, and the future of the Justice League movie should be a lot clearer later this year. Will director Zack Snyder be looking to jump right back into the DC Universe? From the looks of things, Warner Bros. has a hit on their hands. Check out the latest trailer for Man of Steel below.
