Rumor: Warner Bros. Enforces 'No Jokes' Policy To it's DC Comics Movies

[steadyrighteous]

There is a huge difference between a mandate of "NO JOKES!!!" and making the creative decision to play in a different lane than the other comic book companies movies travel in.

You're taking the words "No Jokes" too literally.

Like I said, whether those words were really said or in print on some memo is debatable, but it's a very quick and easy way to sum up the idea of "tone of voice".

Anyone who's ever been in any creative industry or seen any kind of creative brief before will know that summing up your ideas and thoughts as quickly as possible is necessary.

So if I'm a writer and I'm sitting opposite an exec and he says something like "No jokes", what he means is "Our world isn't funny, their (Marvel's) world is funny, so in order to differentiate our world from theirs in the eyes of moviegoers and critics, ease up on the jokes, winks and nods and focus on being more real and a little darker"

Hulk picks up Loki and slams him back and forth on the floor, looks at him, and slams him again - JOKE

Superman has Zod in a headlock and snaps his neck so he doesn't kill a family - NO JOKE

It's not that complicated a philosophy to grasp.

 

[ltheghost]

Well I think (if this rumor is true), then it's smart on WB's part. Don't engage in trying to out-Marvel, Marvel. It won't work. So create your own niche of superheroes. I'm expecting this to be like Watchmen to be honest. Wasn't the greatest of movies but it was a great serious superhero movie. Dark as hell. But I don't like Superman going dark like this. There needs to be a "little" brevity to the situation. A serious Superhero movie? With Batman and Superman, they at least crack jokes at each other in the comic books. "Why are you brooding" -Superman to Batman. "Stop floating in the air, it's unnerving" Batman to Superman.

 

[wire28]

If you thought that was long then you must have ADD,

Next time I'll say *reads block of text in response to one sentence*

 

[Ill Lou Malnati]

Not reading all of it because I don't believe it. They're already catching flack for Man of Steel being too somber and serious. I don't think they'd dig their heels in and do that across the board, especially after seeing the success of Marvel's movies basically being superhero comedies. I agree there are some superhero films where you need to be serious but I highly doubt if they did something like a Flash movie that it would be completely serious. A Justice League movie should have a few jokes as well. The JL cartoon did a great job of delivering humor in the right places without going overboard and corny like the Marvel movies sometimes do. That should be the template.

 

[FlyRy]

DC and anybody that love em

Spoiler

 

[hex]

I was going to lock this because it seems like a troll article but:

1. Hitfix is a fairly reputable site.

2. Drew McWeeny is actually pretty well known from his AICN days.

So this seems legit.

Fred.

 

[Cat piss martini]

pretentious fakkits.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

SERIOUS.

 

[Box Cutta]

I don't mind the fact that DC wants its films to be EARNEST...in fact, I find earnest movies preferable to the tongue-in-cheekiness of most of the Marvel joints. Obviously it works for them, but I wouldn't want DC to be so "eye-winky" with their properties. It's good to have the variety.

The problem is that, there is a difference between earnestness and seriousness. You can make an earnest, sincere movie without having to be all grim-dark.

DC better get it's act together. This comes from someone that has SUPPORTED Man of Steel in the past....but that movie obviously wasn't what audiences were looking for, and I'm having a hard time understanding why SUPERMAN, of ALL HERO'S, needs to be moody and distant. They better lighten him up in BvS, because you know that Batman is going to be grim....can't imagine that both heros are going to be walking around all moody.

 

[HipHopStan]

I remember back in 2010/2011 sarcastically saying that hopefully Nolan would make this the ending to TDKR...and lo and behold in the summer of 2012 I was sitting there in the theater like

 

[Dillah810]

Warner Bros should troll the internet by leaking out a fake trailer of Dawn of Justice w/ Superman and Batman engaging in 3 Stooges-esqe slapstick comedy.

 

[GunRanger]

DC's approach > unfunny, quip a minute, no stakes Marvel

 

[Jello Biafra]

You're taking the words "No Jokes" too literally.

Like I said, whether those words were really said or in print on some memo is debatable, but it's a very quick and easy way to sum up the idea of "tone of voice".

Anyone who's ever been in any creative industry or seen any kind of creative brief before will know that summing up your ideas and thoughts as quickly as possible is necessary.

So if I'm a writer and I'm sitting opposite an exec and he says something like "No jokes", what he means is "Our world isn't funny, their (Marvel's) world is funny, so in order to differentiate our world from theirs in the eyes of moviegoers and critics, ease up on the jokes, winks and nods and focus on being more real and a little darker"

Hulk picks up Loki and slams him back and forth on the floor, looks at him, and slams him again - JOKE

Superman has Zod in a headlock and snaps his neck so he doesn't kill a family - NO JOKE

It's not that complicated a philosophy to grasp.

I am not taking "No Jokes" literally...the rest of the Internet that has jumped on this rumor as fact and feel it validates their hate on DC movies because Marvel's way is the only way seem to be taking it literally though.
It is pretty much known that WB/DC are taking a more serious tone with their films that is not even a debate. It is the idea that a memo was sent out telling Zack Snyder that any moments of levity have to be scrubbed from his movie as part of a company wide edict that is just stupid.

 

[Jello Biafra]

Next time I'll say *reads block of text in response to one sentence*

Keep acting like that is uncommon on a message board, homie.

 

[steadyrighteous]

I am not taking "No Jokes" literally...the rest of the Internet that has jumped on this rumor as fact and feel it validates their hate on DC movies because Marvel's way is the only way seem to be taking it literally though.
It is pretty much known that WB/DC are taking a more serious tone with their films that is not even a debate. It is the idea that a memo was sent out telling Zack Snyder that any moments of levity have to be scrubbed from his movie as part of a company wide edict that is just stupid.

If it's true, I don't see the problem.

Sometimes you've gotta remind people what the mission is. Left to their own devices, they may stray.

If the movie came out, and it was light and had levity, people would accuse them of biting Marvel and it wouldn't be a good look. They're just tryna dodge a bullet before the gun is fired.