Ever since the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, DC Films has been putting the entire DCEU slate through a tonal shift. The uber-serious and dark tone for characters that are, at their core, about hope didn't sit well with too many people, causing BvS to falter with most critics. For better or worse this switch affected Suicide Squad, and now all eyes are on Justice League. We know that the film will be lighter in tone, and Ben Affleck claims that the team dynamic of the film makes that a whole lot easier.
Before his Batman once again hits the screens, Ben Affleck has a new movie coming out in the form of Live by Night, a gangster thriller with a classic feel. Affleck chatted with Cineplex about the gangster flick (which he wrote, directed and starred in), but Affleck is going to have to talk about Batman for the rest of his life, so the conversation eventually switched gears. BvS certainly didn't get the critical acclaim it wanted, and Affleck spoke about how Justice League's central team-up will make the film more popular with fans.
Justice League, you probably saw the teaser that came out of Comic-Con; I thought it is nicely emblematic of the kind of minor tone shift and segue in storytelling. It's a little bit lighter, the characters are a little bit more comfortable in themselves, so they can express a wider array of emotions. And there are just more people in it, so it's more fun. It's all of these different characters bumping up against each other and the team dynamic offers a lot of dramatic possibility.
The first teaser for Justice League was definitely a step away from the somberness of BvS, and for a lot of fans it was the first step in the right direction. It's good to hear that this well-liked teaser is indicative of what will be shown on screen -- something trailers don't always do. We're probably due for new footage soon, so we'll see if Justice League can keep these good vibes going until its release date.
Seeing Batman, Flash, and Wonder Woman onscreen together is hugely appealing, but so was the idea of seeing Batman and Superman, so I remain cautiously optimistic for Justice League. It's a film that has a lot more pressure on it than even Wonder Woman to prove that the DCEU can produce a truly good film. If there's any movie that can turn this cinematic universe around, it's Justice League, so let's all hope for the best.
We'll finally be able to see Justice League and judge it for ourselves when it hits theaters on November 17, 2017.
