Rumor: Warner Bros. Imposes "No Jokes" Rule On DC Comics Movies

[MovieBob]

Rumor: Warner Bros. Imposes "No Jokes" Rule On DC Comics Movies

Has laughter been officially banned from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice?

Zack Snyder is deep into production on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/conferences/sdcc2014/11996-Warner-Brothers-Shows-First-Batman-v-Superman-Teaser] a film that's not merely the second outing for Henry Cavill's Superman, the introduction of Ben Affleck as the new Batman and Gal Gadot as the first ever big-screen Wonder Woman; but also Warner Bros. big all-or-nothing gambit to launch a proper DC Comics movie brand to rival Disney/Marvel's industry-redefining Cinematic Universe.

Now, journalist and film-critic Drew McWeeny has reported [http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/why-dcs-serious-superman-may-give-marvel-the-big-screen-edge] that he (and other industry-watchers) are hearing a consistent two-word answer to the question of how Warner Bros. plans to set the world of The Justice League apart from that of The Avengers: "No jokes."

The full implication of the "no jokes" mandate (which was also mentioned by Badass Digest writer Devin Faraci on in the near future. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fqIi3o5S2k]

There has been no confirmation or denial from anyone involved in the production of the DC Comics movies regarding any "no jokes" policy, nor any clarification as to whether it will extend to proposed films based on traditionally lighter/kid-friendly characters like Shazam. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136800-Aquaman-Film-Two-Screenwriters-Hired]


Source: HitFix [http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/why-dcs-serious-superman-may-give-marvel-the-big-screen-edge]

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[Nowhere Man]

I don't mind this, to an extent. It will help set them apart from Marvel's movies but if true, WB is kidding themselves if they are not going to allow any kinds of moments of levity in their films. They would just get too exhausting to watch.

 

[Fappy]

Sounds great in theory but I some part of me doubts that they will pull it off properly. Expect a lot of grey and a lot of brooding from DC in the near future, kids.

 

[JarinArenos]

I don't mind this, to an extent. It will help set them apart from Marvel's movies but if true, WB is kidding themselves if they are not going to allow any kinds of moments of levity in their films. They would just get too exhausting to watch.

Seems like they've been trying pretty hard so far.

 

[nima55]

Sounds great

We are very different people, my friend

 

[Scorpid]

Lol. Why? Why would you take that out of the writers tool box? I'm not saying it need to be goofy Jar Jar binks shit but even the wire which is IMO the best drama ever had some truly hilarious moments. Even Romeo and Juliet had funny moments. Laughter is just part of the human experience. Anywhere people are you can find some sort of humor somewhere. I dunno this seems like proof of a film taking itself in a direction it shouldn't by someone who has a childish understanding of what drama is.

PS: EVEN WH40k which is ALL about the grimdark has moments of humor and the community of Warhammer love to point it out. Just google Dreadknight WH40k and see what comes back at you. The world is richer with some comedy, even the drama.

 

[Fappy]

Sounds great

We are very different people, my friend

I don't have a problem with it in theory. Hell, it's actually a good decision to contrast with Marvel's films. It's just that, considering their track record so far, I really don't trust they have the talent to pull it off.

 

[TheIceQueen]

If true, it's just another reason to not watch their lame movies. Not that I needed any more as it already was. I was already lost at "Zack Snyder."

 

[LazyAza]

Levity and maturity go hand in hand. The harder you try to force maturity and "seriousness" the more immature and juvenile your work appears. Human beings use humor even in the most dire of situations to deal with bad things, when a person is at their lowest they want nothing more than to laugh again.

This movie is going to be a summary, a poster child for everything wrong with how hollywood often tackles certain subjects or ideas. Comics are suppose to be all about contrasting tones, about understanding the need for light hearted goofiness and grim dark horribleness. That's what makes the Joker one of the all time great villains, he mixes comedy and horrible awfulness in ways that are terrifying yet very entertaining.

Even depressing war movies have their moments of light comedy. DC seems dead set on completely misunderstanding everything their is to understand about good stories and good comic movies.

 

[RJ 17]

Sounds great in theory but I some part of me doubts that they will pull it off properly. Expect a lot of grey and a lot of brooding from DC in the near future, kids.

Sooooo pretty much what we've seen from them thus far? Sounds about right.

 

[frizzlebyte]

Sounds great in theory but I some part of me doubts that they will pull it off properly. Expect a lot of grey and a lot of brooding from DC in the near future, kids.

I wouldn't even say it sounds fine in theory. While they don't need to be full of the glib snark that the MCU seems dead set on overusing (Tony Stark's been Flanderized in that respect, I think), to just completely remove levity from the films will just kill it. There's just no way you can pull off a realistic, mature script without some gallows humor.

The suits at Warner must've skipped their Shakespeare classes if they think this can work.

 

[Olas]

Even Nolan's Batman movies have jokes, or at least moments that have an element of humor or levity. Movies completely devoid of humor have to be really REALLY solid thematically, or else they come off as pretentious.

I'm trying to think of a movie without any humor at all, and the only thing I can come up with is 2001 A Space Odyssey, but that movie barely has any human emotion at all so it's almost not applicable.

 

[Quorothorn]

The obvious comment is that this will quite probably turn any upcoming DC movies in to one big series of jokes.

And bad movies.

(If it's accurate, that is.)

 

[Fox12]

Jesus, DC.

You want to make serious, mature films? That's fine.

You want to fill a separate niche in order to contrast competition? Great.

You want to make a film that's more artistic or complex? Have at it.

But removing humor does none of those things. Even the grittiest writers know that humor has its place. Even in dark stories. ESPECIALLY in dark stories. Nobody cares about bad things happening to miserable, unlikable people. I can't believe you looked at Nolan's films and Watchmen, and the only lesson you somehow learned is that humor is bad. Your dark n' gritty garbage is best suited for emo 14 year olds.

 

[zinho73]

This can be just a guideline that is not meant to be taken literally, or this can be exactly like it sounds, which, ironically, would be quite funny. And terrible. But mostly funny.

 

[St. Aidan]

Who's ready for more dark, brooding, grumbling, psycho-thug Batman.... Because it so freaken' refreshing to see Batman portrayed that...

 

[sorsa]

A healthy ammount of MODERATION would have been in order but nooooooooooooo.... let's take all the things. Unless all the movies characters suffer from manic depression it will feel extremely unnatural if they can't ever try to distract themselves from their bleak existence as villains/heroes and at the very least just crack a fcking joke.

Reminds me of the Walking Dead TV series, which is god awful because the only emotional states the characters have are bitchy, whiny, cryi, paranoidy and angry. Is that what they want to live up to?

 

[DrunkenElfMage]

The full implication of the "no jokes" mandate (which was also mentioned by Badass Digest writer Devin Faraci on in the near future. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fqIi3o5S2k]

whoa, wait a second, using Devin Faraci as a source?

http://www.edrants.com/why-devin-faraci-is-unfit-to-practice-journalism/

Spoiler: twitter screenshot

http://badassdigest.com/2014/08/26/video-games-misogyny-and-terrorism-a-guide-to-assholes/

This Devin Faraci? that says he has more respect for journalist murdering terrorists than gamers?

Dude, don't Lump every single gamer with Anti Zoe Quinn people just to make it seem like Faraci has a beef with everyone.

He obviously was talking about the jackasses slut shaming Zoe over what barely counts as something interesting. The comment was tasteless, but the endless spewing of bile of the depths of the internet can evoke an irrational response sometimes. I'll forgive him for that sooner than I will forgive what some Anti Quinn people post on a regular basis.