Wowsers – it’s all change on DC comic book movies today. First, we get the news that Joss Whedon has relinquished writing and directing duties on Wonder Woman, the superheroine movie that was moving – to quote one E. Blackadder – with all the speed of an asthmatic ant with some heavy shopping.
And now, on the same day, another long-in-development DC hero flick has had a change of director, with the news that Shawn Levy has replaced David Goyer as the director of The Flash, about a superhero so fast he makes Carl Lewis look like, well, an asthmatic ant with some heavy shopping. (What? It’s a good line!)
Goyer, who has forgotten more about comic books than Empire will ever know, announced his departure from the project on Friday on his MySpace page (how modern!), but it’s believed that he left The Flash some time ago, after having been attached for a couple of years - a situation with similarities, then, to Whedon on Wonder Woman.
Levy will oversee the writing of a new draft, and will apparently change the tone of Goyer’s dark script. But, you should be relieved to know, that Levy won’t be turning The Flash into a comedy. Of course, cynics might suggest that the director of Cheaper By The Dozen, The Pink Panther and Night At The Museum hasn’t turned anything into a comedy so far, but tsk, shame on you, sir! Levy may not be the finest director in Tinseltown, but he’s certainly shown a propensity for pushing the button marked ‘blockbuster’, and bosses at Warner Bros. – who own the rights to all DC projects – must be salivating at the prospect of a big, broad comic book flick.
Meanwhile, what does this mean for Ryan Reynolds, who was Goyer’s first choice to play The Flash (without actually signing a deal, that is)? We don’t know, but as far as we’re concerned, he’s still a fine choice. As for Goyer, we’re disappointed to see him move on from the project. Yes, he may have directed the godawful Blade: Trinity, but there’s a feeling that he would have stepped up to the plate with The Flash, which now joins Ghost Rider and The Mighty Thor on a list of superhero projects that he started, but won't finish.
Clearly, however, with movement on this and Wonder Woman, Warner Bros. are getting serious about developing the rest of their back catalogue of DC heroes (Batman and Superman are, of course, already out there), so expect to hear some news on the likes of The Green Lantern pretty soon.