10 Superhero Movies with Troubled Productions (& How They Turned Out)

As a long-time fan of the DC Universe, I’ve seen my fair share of ups and downs, but the string of disappointments that began with “Suicide Squad” has left me feeling rather disheartened. Each new film seems to be plagued by reshoots, negative press, poor test screenings, and a general lack of focus on the characters themselves.

In the intricate world of filmmaking, countless professionals from various fields collaborate their skills to produce a work that might elicit responses ranging from “Meh,” “Excellent,” or “Awful” from viewers. To tip the balance towards “That was great,” every aspect must run smoothly as a well-oiled machine, but is this always necessary? Or could there be exceptions?

Generally speaking, you’re correct. However, let me clarify that occasionally, a movie can persevere through difficult or even catastrophic production phases. In this discussion, we’ll focus on superhero films specifically, but for those who question whether a challenging production process can result in something extraordinary, consider the example of Jaws.

Superman II (1980)

Seven years after “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace,” I found myself revisiting Richard Donner’s original vision of “Superman II.” However, this sequel faced a barrage of challenges off-screen. It’s almost misleading to credit it as Donner’s film, given that the theatrical release was wrestled away from him. Much like the critically acclaimed “Justice League” (which we’ll delve into later), it was ultimately rescued by none other than “The Richard Donner Cut.

The production of “The Quest for Peace” failed miserably due to its budget being slashed in the middle of filming and a multitude of poor initial concepts. On the contrary, “Superman II” is nearly flawless when it comes to Superman films, boasting another exceptional portrayal by Christopher Reeve, more captivating work from Gene Hackman, and a strong link to the first movie, making it an ideal sequel for a double bill viewing experience. This is how the four “Superman” movies featuring Christopher Reeve should be enjoyed – as a pair in a double feature.

Blade: Trinity (2004)

By the point David S. Goyer took over as writer-director for “Blade: Trinity”, he had already penned two Blade movies and directed one low-budget drama titled “Zig Zag”. Interestingly, Wesley Snipes, who starred in Blade, was part of that previous film, leading one to believe they had a strong working relationship by the time they started on “Trinity”. However, contrary to expectation, their collaboration on “Trinity” turned out to be quite challenging due to Snipes’ difficult behavior during production.

Firstly, he wasn’t keen on Goyer being the director, and 2. he wasn’t satisfied with the script. Primarily, however, his issue was that the prosperous series he had previously led on two occasions was now transformed into a trio featuring Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds. This change was a source of discomfort for him, as evidenced in the final product and the methods Goyer had to adopt to film Snipes’ scenes, such as using stand-ins and even CGI eyes on one occasion.

Iron Man (2008)

Among all the success stories on this list, none stands out quite like Jon Favreau’s Iron Man. Filmed without a finished script, one might expect the end result to be chaotic and disorganized. Remarkably, though, the lack of structure turned out to be beneficial. In fact, despite its challenging production, the film managed to excel, reaching such heights that it not only initiated an entire franchise but also paved the way for the idea of cinematic universes in movies.

There were numerous possibilities for the character of Iron Man to veer off course. It’s important to remember that at that time, casting Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t viewed as a step towards success, but rather as a risk. Fortunately, Favreau held firm in his decision, and the outcome was nothing short of legendary.

Green Lantern (2011)

Director Martin Campbell demonstrated his knack for crafting exceptional blockbusters not just once, but twice with the James Bond films “GoldenEye” and “Casino Royale,” as well as providing some enjoyable entertainment in “The Mask of Zorro.” However, when it comes to superhero movies, Campbell himself has conceded that they don’t quite appeal to him, and he admits that his involvement in making one was a misstep.

The film, titled Green Lantern, is more like a studio’s Frankenstein creation rather than an original artist’s vision. Ryan Reynolds delivers his usual charm but is hampered by excessive special effects that are less than appealing and a flimsy script. Consequently, it became one of the most ridiculed movies of 2011, and undeniably one of its costliest disappointments.

Fantastic Four (2015)

It seems that every aspect of Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four (Fant4stic?) deviated from its intended course, as seen from the opening scene to the very end. Instead of being an entertaining superhero film, it turned out to be a dull, sluggish endeavor that feels more like a chore than joy. In terms of the superhero movie subgenre, it ranks quite low.

Shared responsibility lies between director Josh Trank and studio Fox for the movie’s poor outcome. Reportedly, Trank was unpredictable on set, while Fox requested extensive reshoots that essentially rebuilt the film from scratch. It seems that the executives at Fox may not have been satisfied with Trank’s initial edit of the film, but it’s challenging to envision a more disappointing result than the tedious mess that (only a few) viewers reluctantly watched for their money.

Suicide Squad (2016)

Initially, it seemed like the DCEU had the potential to challenge the MCU financially, despite some financial struggles towards the end. For instance, “Man of Steel” made close to $300 million in the U.S., and “Suicide Squad,” directed by David Ayer, helped revive the franchise’s prospects after the disappointing performance of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” However, negative word-of-mouth may have prematurely hindered the franchise’s growth before it fully took off.

Due to effective marketing efforts, the movie almost matched the earnings of Batman v Superman, which is quite an accomplishment given that it featured DC’s most recognizable characters and the cast of Suicide Squad consisted mainly of actors not well-known outside of Harley Quinn and the Joker. The film, however, was critically panned for its disjointed tone and poor execution, often cited as one of the worst DC movies and among the worst comic book films overall. It’s intriguing to speculate about an “Ayer Cut” of the movie, as it seems that too many creators were involved, each seemingly inexperienced with their respective roles.

Justice League (2017)

There’s one movie on this list that has been saved by a director’s cut, and that’s Justice League. One of the most notoriously disastrous blockbuster film productions of all time, the Joss Whedon/Zack Snyder theatrical edition of Justice League is a true Frankenstein’s monster of a hollow experience. All of the admittedly grim life and personality that is present in Zack Snyder’s Justice League is removed in the theatrical cut, replaced instead with a few lame jokes, zero character development for Cyborg, and an overly-glossy visual tone that feels out of place.

The chaotic backstage drama of the movie and its underperformance at the box office marked the start of the downfall for the DCEU, and it significantly damaged the positive image Joss Whedon had built from the success of The Avengers. This is often the result when you risk the careers of several actors, such as Gal Gadot. Although Gadot and Ray Fisher didn’t speak out about Whedon’s on-set conduct until much later, the film’s image had already been severely tarnished before it was even screened.

Dark Phoenix (2019)

Simon Kinberg penned 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand,” marking the initial effort to portray the Dark Phoenix storyline on the big screen. However, its reception was at best mediocre. When it was disclosed that he would direct a follow-up attempt, viewers anticipated nothing but improvement. Regrettably, this didn’t happen.

By the time “Dark Phoenix” was released, the X-Men film series seemed to be winding down, as even the cast appeared disinterested in mutant stories. The franchise had been revitalized with 2011’s “X-Men: First Class,” and 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past” was a significant commercial success. However, when “X-Men: Apocalypse” debuted in 2016 to negative reviews, it became clear that the series was struggling. This trend continued with “Dark Phoenix,” which had a massive $200 million budget and faced numerous challenges such as negative press surrounding former director Bryan Singer, poor test screenings, reshoots (which changed the third act), and a delay due to these reshoots. Unfortunately, these reshoots are evident in the final product, with the film feeling aimless until it reaches an abrupt conclusion with its new train-based third act set piece.

The New Mutants (2020)

The filming for The New Mutants commenced concurrently with Dark Phoenix, and similar to it, the project underwent extensive reshoots. Just as rumors of additional shooting spread rapidly for Dark Phoenix, so did they for this movie. When the film was eventually released, it became clear that audiences had grown tired of X-Men movies outside the MCU. In essence, The New Mutants merely reinforced this sentiment.

It’s clear that people expected a reboot of the X-Men due to Disney’s acquisition of Fox, which was already finalized before the release of Dark Phoenix the previous year. Unfortunately, the film was released during the COVID-19 pandemic when only half of U.S. theaters were open, making it hard for ticket sales. Despite being a better movie than Dark Phoenix, “better” in this context means it’s more likely to be forgotten rather than ridiculed.

The Flash (2023)

For decades, fans have been eagerly anticipating Michael Keaton’s return as Batman. Regrettably, this happened in the movie “The Flash.” While it’s not an utter catastrophe like some other DC films such as “Suicide Squad,” “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” and “Wonder Woman 1984,” it was nonetheless a rather forgettable viewing.

The movie failed spectacularly at the ticket counter, hinting that the DCEU was likely coming to an end. Given Ezra Miller’s many public controversies and uninspiring trailers for the film, this wasn’t entirely surprising but still marked it as one of the biggest flops in cinema history. The film appears to lack confidence, frequently relying on other superheroes instead of standing independently. It’s difficult to attribute its shortcomings solely to director Andy Muschietti, just as it would be unfair to blame Suicide Squad on David Ayer. Both instances seem like too many people trying to control the same project. Fortunately, James Gunn has recruited Muschietti for The Brave and the Bold in the DC Universe franchise, so the director of the IT duology will have the opportunity to demonstrate what a superhero film that belongs entirely to him looks like.

2024-12-01 20:40