Over the years,DC Comicshas put out hundreds of stories that have stood the test of time and are regarded as classics. And every once in a while, some beloved storylines make the leap from the printed page and are adapted into feature films.
With the DCEU doneand James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU on the way, fans are debating what stories are ripe for an adaptation.Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, based on the amazing story by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, is set for a live-action movie next year. But what other stories produced by DC Comics would make for a gripping full-length film?
10Green Arrow: The Longbow HuntersCan Reintroduce Fans to the Emerald Archer
Created By: Mike Grell
A wider audience discovered Green Arrow thanks to his CW show that launched the fan-favorite Arrowverse. ButArrowhas been off the air for a while and its about time fans get some new live-action media featuring the iconic archer. Mike Grell’sGreen Arrow: The Longbow Hunterswas whatThe Dark Knight Returnswas for Oliver Queenand saw the hero replace his classic arsenal of trick arrows with more traditional archery.
The Longbow Huntersis a darker story thanmost Green Arrow runs, but Grell’s tale remains a hit, who have praised its grounded tone and complex morality. A story like that could certainly pull inArrowfans who preferred the CW’s interpretation of Oliver. But with a few adjustments,it could also incorporate some of Green Arrow’s more ‘out-there’ elements(because who can say no to a boxing glove arrow?).
9Zatanna: Bring Down the HouseCould Be the Showy Debut for DC’s Best Magician
Created By: Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez
For a universe filled with dozens of amazing magic characters, DC’s film adaptations have sorely lacked the presence of any magic. But that could be corrected by bringing the coolest and one of the most beloved magic users to life by adapting her recent DC Black Label miniseries.Zatanna: Bring Down the Housefollows the titular entertainer, who has given up on real magicand spends her days performing simple tricks.
Magic, admittedly, is a hard thing to showcase properly in a world as complex as the DC Universe. But an adaptation of Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez’s book could introduce magic to a grander world and how audiences how it works. Not to mention a film that captures the glitz and glamour of Rodriguez’s art would be the best possible way of introducing an all-star like Zatanna.
8Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earthis Perfect for the Halloween Season
Created By: Grant Morrison and Dave McKean
Batman’s had a lot of feature films, which have brought more than a handful of his greatest villains to life. But Grant Morrison and Dave McKean’sArkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earthtakes the Dark Knight into the belly of the beast and sees Bruce encountering several villains that have never appeared in a live-action movie, such as Maxie Zeus and Mad Hatter. But beyond featuring a lot of bad guys, this story is remarkably creepy and could stand out from previous Batman films.
Fans everywhere loved Matt Reeves’The Batmanfor its atmosphere which, thanks to the Riddler, only grew heavier and more sinister as the film went on.An adaptation of Morrison and McKean’s graphic novel could capture the same energyand make for a chilling release during the Halloween season.
7Secret SixCould be the DCU’s Tragic Underdogs
Created By: Gail Simone, Nicola Scott, and Jim Calafiore
James Gunn helped turn the Suicide Squad franchise around, and he has the chance to improve onThe Suicide Squadbringing an adaptation ofSecret Sixto the DCU.Unlike the Suicide Squad, the Secret Six are a group of supervillains who decide to eschew the villain lifeand make their way through life as mercenaries. The book wasn’t just about action, it was a poignant, character-driven saga and every single member of the DC team felt like real people with real struggles.
WB has taken chances on more villain-focused movies and TV shows likeJokerandThe Penguinand they’ve paid off with varying degrees of success. With the right direction,aSecret Sixadaptation could be the nextThe Suicide Squador possibly even the nextGuardians of the Galaxywith the right script.
6Wonder Woman HistoriaCan Teach Fans Everything They Need to Know About Amazons
Created By: Kelly Sue DeConnick and Phil Jimenez
The 2017 Wonder Woman film finally gave Diana something she was long overdue. And while it helped re-introduce the iconic hero to the world, there’s still so much that fans don’t know about her sisters, the Amazons. But that can all be rectified with an adaptation ofthe hit DC Black Label seriesWonder Woman Historia: The Amazons. This three-issue miniseries took readers on a beautiful journey that showcased the powerful history of the Amazons and Themyscira.
To WB’s credit, an Amazon-focused show calledParadise Lostis being developed, but so far, there have been few updates to what the story will be about.If aWonder Woman Historia: The Amazonsadaptation never happens, the upcoming TV series could learn a lot from this bookand adapt some of its highly-regarded elements.
5StaticWould Bring a Fan-Favorite Hero Back into the Spotlight
Created By: Dwayne McDuffie, Robert L. Washington III, and John Paul Leon
‘90s kids everywhere loved watchingStatic Shockand seeing the young Virgil Hawkins use his amazing electric powers to fight crime. But Static’s days outside of comics have been limited, and he’s been relegated to cameos in other animated series. Thankfully, DCComics has never permanently given up onStaticand brought the series back recently for the revived Milestone imprint.
There have been attempts to bringStaticto another medium in both films and television series, but nothing has panned out so far. But Static remains a fan-favorite character who speaks to a lot of comic readers.The DCU would do well to try and finally get the ball rolling on a Static filmand hopefully draw in fans who have fond memories of the electrifying character.
4Animal ManHas Deserved a Film Adaptation for Years
Created By: Grant Morrison, Chaz Truog, and Tom Grummett
Before Grant Morrison brought him back, Animal Man was a largely forgotten character. But the late 1980s saw him star in his very first ongoing series and, under Morrison’s direction,Animal Manbecame a trailblazing comic on multiple fronts. Not only was Buddy Baker one of the first heroes to openly champion animal rights, but the story served as a giant meta commentary on the relationship between creators and their creations.
Animal Manis a tragic story that really puts its central character through the works, but it’s a beautifully rich story that still stands out as one of Grant Morrison’s best works. A movie adaptation could really stand out from the pack of traditional superhero movies, especially if it decides to adaptthe scene when Animal Man discovers he’s being watched by an audience.
3Justice League InternationalCould Be a Fantastic Comedy if Done Right
Created By: J.M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen, Various
Yes, fans saw the more famous Justice League assemble in 2017’s controversial film outing. But one adaptation that could really put a smile on the faces of audiences is a movie inspired by the ‘80s infamous Justice League series,Justice League International. While undoubtedly still a superhero series, this comic was far more comedic in tone and to this day remainsone of the most fondly-remembered incarnations of the iconic DC team.
While other entries on this list could be a long shot, aJustice League Internationalmovie very well could happen in the upcoming DCU (as JLI characters Metamorpho, Guy Gardner, and Maxwell Lord have already been cast and will appear in Superman). Though it’s probably low on his priority, Gunnalready has several of the ingredients needed for a Justice League International movie(not to mention the comedic chops to pull it off).
2Kingdom Comeis a Modern Epic in the Waiting
Created By: Mark Waid and Alex Ross
As seen inJokerandThe Batman, WB has been willing to have movies set in their own self-contained worlds. And if there’s a standalone Elseworlds that deserves a big-budget treatment, itsKingdom Comeby Mark Waid and Alex Ross. The story is set several decades in the future when many of the classic heroes have retired and a new generation has taken over. But when an accident that results in numerous deaths occurs, it starts an ideological war thatthreatens to engulf the entire DC Universe.
Kingdom Comealready looks damn near cinematic thanks to Ross’ incredible artwork. And things like the differences between generations and the threat of mass destruction aretimeless themes that are just as relevant today as whenKingdom Comewas first published. A big-budget movie could truly do this movie justice and bring its message to a much wider audience.
1Crisis on Infinite EarthsCould Be the Greatest Live-Action Adaptation (If Done Right)
Created By: Marv Wolfman and George Pérez
Admittedly, aCrisis on Infinite Earthsfilm should not be rushed into. The original series was published to commemorate the first 50 years of DC history and condense its history to be more manageable for creators. But it’s still a powerful story that honors so many characters, creators and DC Comics as a whole.The event was loosely adapted for the Arrowverse, but a film (or more likely, films) could honor decades upon decades of DC’s media adaptations.
After the DCU gets its feet wet and is around for, say, 10 years, aCrisis on Infinite Earthsadaptation could reference and bring in elements from numerous live-action properties such as actors from the Arrowverse, previous DC films, or even other media like games or animation. It would take a lot more time and effort than other adaptations,but aCrisisfilm executed perfectly could be a DC dream come true.
