10 Lessons Warner Bros. Can Learn From Justice League

With Justice League now playing in theaters, audiences have finally had the chance to see DC's premiere superhero team on the big screen. However, due to the film's (mostly) negative critical reception and disappointing opening box office totals, Warner Brothers still has some tough decisions to make.

Kevin McCasland

Published: Nov 25, 2017 01:40 pm

This article is over 6 years old and may contain outdated information

2) Don’t Be Afraid Of A Dark Tone

Recommended Videos

Ever since MoS, the DCEU has faced critical and audience backlash for its dark and gritty tone. WB was clearly taking inspiration from The Dark Knight trilogy and were attempting to encapsulate that same feel. Since it hasn’t received the same acclaim as TDK, though, they’re moving far away from the grim-dark tone. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s vital that they don’t elect to avoid dark tones altogether simply because they’ve been criticized for it before.

The last thing these movies need is to avoid seriousness in favor of constant quips or humor. There’s plenty of dark subject matter and backstory for each character and they must be handled properly. Now, it’s highly unlikely that DC will ever return to the BvS/MoS days, but it’s essential that they achieve a strong balance. Serious moments, when done well, serve as some of our favorite scenes in these films. Everyone loves the funny in-between moments and the banter-filled conversations, but it’s when the characters dig deep and find something truly interesting that audiences begin to connect.

A dark tone shouldn’t be seen as a negative, especially when the TDK trilogy proved it worked so well. It just has to be utilized properly so that the seriousness feels earned, but not overwhelming.