James Gunn’s new and improved DCU has been eyeing potential creators who could helm many of its upcoming films and IPs. The latest buzz in the DC universe is that director Darren Aronofsky has been approached to direct a film based on the popular character Plastic Man. The hero is known for his brand of humor and his association with the Justice League.
Aronofsky’s involvement might be putting off fans since his style of films is not superhero-friendly, to say the least. The filmmaker is known for the films Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream, Mother, and The Fountainhead. He last directed the Brandon Fraser starrer The Whale and is also reportedly making a biopic on Elon Musk.
Is Darren Aronofsky Making A Plastic Man Film For James Gunn’s DCU?
When he took over as co-CEO of DC Studios along with Peter Safran, James Gunn announced that the DCU would be undergoing a soft reboot and would begin again with Superman: Legacy. Gunn would be directing the film with David Corenswet starring as a young Clark Kent. The film would be the first in a new chapter for the DC Universe in films.
Apart from Superman: Legacy, James Gunn also announced that other films in the first ‘chapter’ of the DCU would be an adaptation of The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Swamp Thing. The GOTG director has also been rumored to have approached multiple directors for other films in the franchise.
Recently, the X (formerly Twitter) account DCU Leaks revealed that Gunn was in talks with director Darren Aronofsky to helm a film based on Plastic Man. Aronofsky had previously helmed films such as Black Swan, The Wrestler, Pi, and Mother. He has been nominated for an Academy Award for Black Swan and recently helmed the film The Whale.
While there have been no confirmations regarding the project, DC fans were not happy with the rumor. Aronofsky’s style of filmmaking is not generally associated with the superhero genre. His brand of films is darker and is an exploration of morality, human psychology, and religion. Many fans were surprised by the odd choice to helm a Plastic Man film as he is known for his humor, something which is not associated with Aronofsky.
Bros gonna make a body horror Plastic Man movie
— Eraser (@Awakened_OG) February 10, 2024
Credibility on the line fr
— 🎥 (@pageformemes_) February 10, 2024
Yes. Darren Aronofsky….
— Stylus Surgeon #FlashPack ⚡️ (@nwartstudios) February 10, 2024
The Guy, who's never done a comedy.
For Plastic Man.
is this what people who heard that the evil dead guy was making a spider-man movie felt like?
— One-One with human limbs (@scorpian7103) February 10, 2024
Random director that doesn’t match the project “in talks” just translates to “studio wants to gauge public interest in a potential project by kicking the beehive of cognitive dissonance”
— Peter Menocal (@paffleblap) February 10, 2024
Why does everyone fall for this every time?
While the DC franchise has tapped into auteurs before, with Christopher Nolan being the most celebrated one among the lot, Aronofsky’s style might not be the best possible option for a blockbuster franchise.
Darren Aronofsky Was Supposed To Direct A Batman Film
While it may be odd to see Darren Aronofsky, who according to Variety is, helming an Elon Musk biopic produced by A24, directing a superhero film, this was not the first time the auteur has been tapped for a DC project. Before Christopher Nolan changed the superhero genre with The Dark Knight Trilogy, Aronofsky was reportedly hired by WB to direct a fifth Batman film.
In an interview with Empire (via IGN), the Black Swan director described his vision for the intended film. He was all set to adapt noted comic book writer Frank Miller’s popular Batman: Year One comic into a film. He said,
“Batman 5 won’t be Batman 5. Batman 5 is Batman: Year One. It’s somewhat based on Frank Miller’s novel. Frank Miller is writing the screenplay with me, but it’s going to be very different than anything in Year One [the graphic novel], and anything you’ve seen. Toss out everything you can imagine about Batman! Everything! We’re starting completely anew.”
At the time of the interview, Darren Aronofsky had not begun to write the screenplay yet. It was also reportedly that the director had cast Christian Bale in the film, but it was eventually canceled in favor of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins.
