Gee, pie in the sky much, super hero movies? DC Comics and Warner Brothers are way, way behind Marvel, but the former’s massive announcement – 10 films revealed between now and 2020 is fascinating. For one, they’ll be the first modern-day studio to green light super hero films with a woman and an African-American in lead roles; movies based on “Wonder Woman” and “Cyborg” are in the works (I say “modern-day” because of “Elektra,” “Supergirl” and “Blade” in the ’80s, ’90s and ’00s). And the first super hero team movie that DC/WB will release? WB’s first team movie will not be be a “Justice League” picture, but “Suicide Squad," which involves super villains forced to do black ops work for the U.S. government.
So who is fielding offers for these characters? Well for one, Ryan Gosling, as well as Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Tom Hardy. Gosling, who has been rather anti-franchise over the years, has also apparently met with Marvel to discuss “Dr. Strange.” Based on THR’s report, it would probably be premature to say Gosling was in the mix for “Dr. Strange,” but the fact that the actor is even meeting with Marvel is notable.
David Ayer was confirmed to direct “Suicide Squad” today, which will open in 2016. Scott Derrickson is helming “Dr. Strange,” also for a 2016 release, so Gosling would have to choose. But that’s even if he’s ultimately interested in this kind of part— which is much more than "a role" when you think of contracts that keep actors tied up for several years. Keep in mind the wish-list nature of this report: Smith or Hardy as part of an ensemble of mostly unknown super villains when they could easily top their own super hero movie solo? Super doubtful (Robbie? Sure). Gosling is also apparently fielding an offer to lead Summit’s adaptation of “The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero.” Get excited when there’s something to get excited about.
Update: Huh, Deadline says both Smith and Hardy are close to signing on which would run counter to the conventional wisdom out there, including ours. Stranger things have happened? Stay tuned. [THR]