If “Man of Steel,” starring Henry Cavill, becomes a blockbuster, it would move the Burbank studio one giant leap closer to preparing the ground for its longplanned all-star superhero pic “Justice League,” which could match the box office prowess of “Marvel’s The Avengers.” That 2012 Disney release, featuring Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk and Thor, amassed $1.5 billion worldwide.
Warner could finally fully exploit its DC Comics library beyond Batman and Superman, and bring to the screen such characters as Aquaman, the Flash, Wonder Woman and another Green Lantern — whose costly 2011 predecessor flopped.
Expectations are that Warner will release a “Justice League” film within the next four years, with the timing dependent on whether a second “Man of Steel” would go first.
Robinov acknowledges the pic will establish the tone and feel for the upcoming DC movies. “The plan is for a universe that will allow for other DC characters,” he explains. “Chris Nolan’s Batman trilogy was set very much in an isolated universe and done as a stand-alone without other superheroes.”