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Kim Hollis: I think it's very interesting that everyone is almost collectively shrugging off the notion of a Justice League movie in the near future. While I agree with every bit of reasoning stated above about why it's a terrible idea, I have absolutely no faith that the studio will be that forward-thinking. We're already at the point where they're ready to make a bad decision and dive right on in based on the fact that they figure people like Batman and Superman. I think the decision is going to be made rashly and that after Man of Steel's final dollars come in, there will be regret.

David Mumpower: Brett has touched on the key aspect of this discussion, at least for me. Ignoring the main question for a moment, do we as consumers even want a Justice League movie? In the past, I have referenced a comment from Guillermo del Toro regarding superhero films. He believes that while Christopher Nolan's work with Batman has been terrific, the trend caused in the wake of The Dark Knight is problematic. Everything has to be gritty now for some reason, and Man of Steel follows that playbook.

The joy of The Avengers, the aspect that is inimitable, is that Joss Whedon does the impossible in that film (which Browncoats realize makes him mighty). He crafts an action film imbibed with the perfect mix of seriousness and humor. Man of Steel is the polar opposite of The Avengers. Cracking a smile in that movie is the quickest way to be killed on camera. So before Warner Bros. gets carried away with fantasies about Daffy Duck-sized piles of gold (that cartoon is their property after all), they should take heed. Their only two attempts at whimsy thus far are Green Lantern and Jonah Hex, both of which fail mightily in their tries at combining laughter with dramatic tension.

People have correctly pointed out that there should be a build-up for a potential tentpole like that but since Warner Bros. struggles to get Superman and Batman movies right, why should we have any faith in them with regards to The Flash or Wonder Woman? And Aquaman is a punchline so it won't be that character. With Green Arrow presumably off the table due to the Arrow television series, I have trouble constructing a believable scenario for a one-off movie. The Martian Manhunter would make the most sense to me but, well, remember John Carter last year?

The more I contemplate the Justice League as a project, the more I believe that a World's Finest movie with Batman and Superman is a better option. They could plug in a couple of other DC characters via Trojan Horses the same way that Hawkeye and Black Widow were dropped into Captain America and Thor. I believe that is the most plausible solution available right now.

With regards to the finances involved, I mentioned yesterday that Man of Steel is being released as a loss leader for Warner Bros. They want to get to Justice League so badly that they can taste it. Watching The Avengers earn $1.5 billion crystallized their desire for such a franchise. Whatever revenue accrued by Man of Steel will be used to justify that decision but the film will still happen at some point either way. After all, it almost did once before recently with The Lone Ranger as Batman. If you want guesstimate numbers, I believe $300 million domestically and $750 million worldwide are the lines of demarcation that establish Man of Steel as a viable global sensation.

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