How a JUSTICE LEAGUE Sequel Can Be Better Than the First Movie

It’s been a few months, and DC Films’ Justice League has come and gone. The film received lukewarm reviews and underperformed at the box office; in fact, Warner Bros. lost money on it. Thus, it’d be surprising if the studio spent another dime on the movie, even for the mysterious “Snyder Cut.”

But what about a sequel? WB originally announced a second Justice League movie in 2014, back when the plan was to tell the story over two parts. However, the studio abbreviated it to the one movie. And now that the movie didn’t make money, that decreases the chances of any sort of follow-up.

I’m probably the only person on the planet who actually loved Justice League. However, even I can admit that the first film had some pretty significant issues. And I would love to see a sequel. So, if Warner Bros. decided to move forward with it, then here are some ideas on how to improve it…

Trust the Director’s Vision

Following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s polarizing reception, Warner Bros. was reluctant to give Zack Snyder complete creative control again with Justice League. There were the pre-production mandates on runtime, the constant tinkering with the script during filming, and, eventually, Snyder’s exit during post-production and Joss Whedon’s arrival. Point being, the studio really screwed Snyder over.

If they ever make a Justice League, then the director should be given free reign by the studio. Show confidence in him/her, back his/her creative decisions, and don’t edit the film to smithereens in post. WB has shown inconsistency in this regard – Zack Snyder and Patty Jenkins had complete freedom on Man of Steel and Wonder Woman, respectively, but the other films suffered from studio interference. With filmmakers like Matt Reeves and James Wan joining, however, perhaps things will change for the better.

Allow Time for Good CGI

One of the biggest issues with Justice League was its rushed CGI. Steppenwolf looked terrible, a lot of scenes had obvious green screen, and Henry Cavill’s face speaks for itself. The movie had a $300 million production budget, so money wasn’t the issue. Rather, it didn’t have enough time to fully realize the visual effects. You can blame that on the extensive reshoots and WB’s refusal to delay the release date.

So, for Justice League 2, don’t rush it out just to hit the release date. Rather, give the director and team enough time to perfect the CGI. Even if the movie needs a full year or more of post-production, like Batman v Superman, give it time. And if a movie has a budget anywhere north of $200 million, then there should really be no excuse for any issues with CGI. Got the resources? Then go all out.

A More Unique Storyline

After Batman v Superman received criticism for its complex storyline, WB sought to simplify things with Justice League. And boy, was its storyline simple. Justice League follows a group of heroes who join together to fight an alien army and save Earth. The end. I’m not saying that the film needed to be another 3-hour deconstruction of superheroes, but it could’ve been at least a little more creative.

So, if Justice League 2 happens, go further. The team is now established, so it’s easier to be more experimental with the plot. With every other superhero movie nowadays offering something unique, it’s important for this franchise to evolve as well. If every movie just has the same formula, then people will stop caring sooner than later. Period.

Villains That Are Actually Good

Arguably the worst part of Justice League was its villain, Steppenwolf. The New God was a one-dimensional, overly obnoxious CGI villain that threatens to derail the whole movie. When you’re more interested in the mindless Parademons than this guy, then you know something’s wrong. I get that the studio wanted to build up to Darkseid and the rest of the New Gods, but this was a terrible introduction.

Fortunately, the film have already laid the seeds for a potential major improvement. The post-credits scene shows Lex Luthor meeting with Deathstroke, suggesting the idea of forming their own League. This clearly sets up the Legion of Doom for the future. That concept alone is infinitely more exciting than an obscure D-list villain with a CGI army. If they play that right, Justice League 2 could be something very special.

Give Superman More to Do

Superman was inarguably one of the highlights of Justice League (despite some CGI face). He stole every scene he was in, his chemistry with the team was spot on, and Henry Cavill perfectly embodies the character. Problem is, he has a lot less screentime than the rest of the League. The film’s marketing ignored Superman almost completely, due to his “death” in Batman v Superman. That sort of made sense in terms of storytelling, but from a financial point of view, it didn’t.

Superman is one of DC’s biggest guns, alongside Wonder Woman and Batman. You have him in a movie, you promote him. Now that his resurrection is out of the way, go ahead and put Superman everywhere in Justice League 2. Have him fully embrace his leadership role, have him inspire the team, and for goodness’ sake, don’t hide him in the marketing.

Have ideas on how to make Justice League 2 better than the first movie? Let us know on Twitter at @WOBAMEnt.