Jusitce League came out of SDCC looking pretty rosy all things considered. There was a great new poster and a new trailer, and everyone cheered really loudly. But let’s all please remember who we’re talking about here. This is DC. This is WB. These are the people who have been stinking up the DCEU for multiple films, and just because they made Wonder Woman not suck doesn’t mean they’re in the clear.
That’s why this Variety report of the massive costs of reshoots for the film isn’t too surprising. After the runaway success of Wonder Woman the studio is trying to cram her into every last part of Justice League… because knee-jerk reactions aren’t what got us here in the first place. The cast and crew are evidently in the process of major reshoots under the guidance of new director Joss Whedon, and it seems to be causing some friction with schedules and costs.
Reshoots are a pretty standard practice, and they’ll cost around $8 million or so for a film like this. It’s just a way to get things finalized, grab shots that didn’t work the first time, and make any last minute changes. However, Variety’s sources say that the cost for Justice League‘s reshoots has ballooned to $25 million (that’s basically the budget of a mid-tier action movie). This has also led to actors returning for up to four weeks of shooting. That, once again, is enough time to film another whole action film, which some actors are actually in the process of doing. Henry Cavill (SPOILER: Superman isn’t dead!) is currently filming Mission: Impossible 6 and has a full Cavillstache going on, and it is now going to be digitally removed in post because Paramount, the studio behind M:I 6 won’t let him shave it. Cesar Romero is spinning in his grave, I tell you.
You can’t make this stuff up, and it unfortunately makes me think of Kate Mara’s wig fiasco in Fantastic Four. Comparing anything to the abortion of a film that was Fantastic Four probably isn’t fair, but all these reshoots and the fact that Whedon is finishing the film is evidently also raising questions over who is going to get director credit for the movie. Sources say that Whedon doesn’t want his name on it, but he’s already “punched up” the script, and worked to smooth the characters out a bit all while directing the film for the last couple of months. Snyder’s set pieces are said to be usable (such a flattering term), but Whedon has been working heavily on “connective tissue” to tie them together.
Anyway, just in case you were feeling kind of comfortable that this whole thing wasn’t a big giant mess I figured I’d come and crush all your hopes and dreams. Thank me later.
