With the Booster Gold movie currently in its infancy, DC Comics fans are starting to salivate at the possibilities. A movie set around this time-traveling DC hero is a departure for the company, who have so far focused the majority of their attention on bigger name properties. Still, a full-length feature film centered around Booster Gold may be the breath of fresh air that DC fans of been clamoring for.
A fan-favorite among avid comic book readers for his humor and showboating nature, Booster Gold represents a different side of the superhero formula. The decision to focus on this largely unknown hero and keep him separate from the rest of the DCEU allows the studio the ability to experiment and flex their creativity with the film. While a Booster Gold film could be a turning point for DC’s cinematic films, it could also be a disaster if handled poorly. Still, we here at ScreenRant have faith in DC, and more importantly, we’re pumped to see a live-action Booster Gold hit the big screen.
Here are 15 Things We Want To See In The Booster Gold Movie.
15. Blue & Gold!
Let’s get this one out of the way right now. We love Booster Gold, but we love Booster Gold even more when he’s teaming up with his BFF Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle. Blue and Gold first paired up in the pages of Justice League International, and thanks to their comedic chemistry, they’ve had a lasting impact on comic book fans ever since.
For a while, it looked like we would be seeing these characters show up on the small screen, but when Greg Berlanti pitched Ted Kord as a character for Arrow’s third season, DC higher ups pulled the plug on the idea citing, “bigger plans” for the character.
This not-so-dynamic duo has saved the day on multiple occasions and if we’ve learned anything from Marvel’s 2014 endeavor, Guardians of the Galaxy, it’s that a comic book movie based around lesser-known superheroes with a comedic twist can work. With rumors already circulating that we could see both heroes in the upcoming film (currently being penned by Zack Stentz), the idea of a big screen Blue and Gold team-up could soon become a reality.
14. Origin Story: The Greatest Hero You’ve Never Heard Of
The second volume of Booster Gold’s solo series crashed onto comic book shelves in 2007, in the aftermath of the year long crossover series, 52 (not to be confused with the 2011 New 52 company-wide relaunch). Booster’s second starring role in a solo series came with the fresh new tagline, “The Greatest Hero You’ve Never Heard Of” and this tongue-in-cheek description of our futuristic golden hero has stuck with him ever since.
While the character of Booster Gold -- whose real name Michael Jon Carter -- and his time-traveling escapades are more well known now than they were in the past, he's still a fairly obscure character to all but the most obsessive of comic book readers. With just a handful of appearances outside of the comics, Booster’s story is one that will likely need to be told from the beginning.
Audiences should know where Booster Gold comes from and what he fights for if the filmmakers want audiences to invest themselves in this over-the-top hero. Whether we start in the future and follow Booster through time or we see his origin in a series of flashbacks, his origin will need to be handled with care.
13. Accurate Booster Gold Costume
Few things can spark a debate amongst fans before a film comes out than an inaccurate or ridiculous looking superhero costume. In the character’s lone live-action appearance in the final season of Smallville, the Booster Gold costume was fairly accurate (sans-headgear) to the comic books in terms of design, but the higher budget of a feature film will also mean a sleeker-looking costume as well.
Thankfully, recent superhero films have shown us some of the most comic book accurate costume adaptations we’ve ever seen. Just take a look at Ryan Reynolds’ costume from Deadpool -- it looks like the character stepped off the page and onto a movie screen, and there’s no reason Booster Gold’s costume can’t do the same. Whatever they decide, they’ll need to make sure to get all the little details right. Not only do we want to see that big blue star, but we want to see his trademark golden goggles and Legion flight ring too.
We can only hope that producer Greg Berlanti learned his lesson about a costume made entirely out of CGI from his first superhero feature film outing.
12. Corporate Sponsorships for Booster
While we’re talking about Booster Gold’s costume, one of the character’s most distinguishing characteristics that truly sets him apart from his peers is the fact that he sports corporate sponsored logos on his costume. A truly unique character in the world of superheroes, Booster Gold doesn’t do what he does out of a sense of justice or vengeance -- he does it for glory, and more specifically, money.
Not only do corporate sponsorships allow for some humor and insight into what makes Booster tick, it also gives the filmmakers a chance to throw in some fun easter eggs. A statement about the Booster Gold movie existing on its own, outside of the DCEU, has already been made, but does that mean we can’t see DC-related sponsors adorn our hero’s costume? While it seems highly unlikely that we’d see a Wayne Enterprises logo on his costume (Batman would never approve his company sponsoring another hero, or any for that matter), maybe we could see a Stagg Industries logo, or even better, a LexCorp one. Who knows, maybe Berlanti will sneak in a Queen Consolidated logo right out of his Arrowverse series.
11. Skeets!
Aside from Booster Gold’s boisterous personality, perhaps his most identifiable characteristic is his loyal robotic sidekick, Skeets. For the uninitiated, the best way to describe Skeets is to imagine an ever-present, robotic companion like R2-D2, but with the ability to vocalize all those sassy comments into more than just bleeps and boops. (Ghost from Destiny is reasonable comparison as well.)
Booster Gold isn’t quite the same without Skeets, and unless the filmmakers do the unthinkable and go forward with a Booster Gold movie without him, we’re going to be seeing a lot of this little guy in the upcoming movie. How exactly Skeets will look is no doubt going to be a hot topic as we get closer to the film’s release, but it’s something that could set the tone for the entire film.
Skeets’ sarcastic comments are a huge part of what makes a Booster Gold story such a fun ride. Skeets gives Booster someone to banter with and also provides a voice of reason to keep Booster somewhat grounded. Skeets will need to look like a believable, tangible object, even if he isn’t. To top it all off, they’ll need to find a voice actor with the right comedic timing to pull off the humor.
10. Booster Gold: Reality TV Star
One angle that could prove interesting in a modern telling of the Booster Gold saga is to have him starring as a reality TV actor. This could be handled a few different ways, but Booster Gold going after the reality TV genre feels like a natural move for him to make as a character.
A self-produced reality show might be the best way to approach an angle like this. It fits his character so well, and can be a great way to show Booster working to promote himself as a famous superhero. Skeets could man the camera and follow Booster around as he tries to show off what a great hero he is, only to fall on his face time and time again.
If they choose to go with this idea, it’s key that they stay true to the character and make sure that he isn’t a successful one. The idea of Booster Gold striving to be a reality TV star and failing at it seems like a great direction to take if DC is aiming to make a more light-hearted comic book adventure.
9. Bumbling Heroes
The best part of Booster Gold -- and to a larger extent, the team of Booster and Blue Beetle -- is the fact that they aren’t the most effective superheroes around. In the DC universe, heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are generally accepted as being the A-listers of the Justice League. If this is the case, Booster and Beetle are essentially the faces of the D-list of superheroes, and we love them that much more for it.
These days, there are seemingly endless amounts of superhero movies to sink your teeth into if you want to watch someone overcome the odds and save the day. What could help make Booster Gold stand out amongst his peers is a deviation from the standard formula, with a struggling and heavily flawed hero who makes mistakes and learns along the way.
Booster and Beetle aren’t perfect heroes, and that’s what makes them different. Booster bumbles through most of his adventures, making terrible decision after terrible decision before finally saving the day -- but just barely.
8. Possibility For Crossover With CW's Arrowverse
Booster Gold screenwriter Zack Stentz and producer Greg Berlanti each have strong ties to the CW’s Arrowverse. These television shows have strong fan followings who were vocal of their displeasure over the news that these shows would have no connection to the DCEU. With reports now stating that Booster Gold’s big screen exploits will also exist outside of the DCEU, why not at least leave the possibility of a connection between the film and the Arrowverse open?
All things considered, the way things have been set up on TV, a crossover would be completely plausible. The Flash has already traveled across across the multiverse to a few different Earths, and the one that Booster Gold is on can simply be just another one of the infinite Earths that exist within DC’s multiverse. Since Booster is a hero well known for his time-traveling exploits (more on that in a bit), is it that much of a stretch to say that maybe he’s capable of finding his way into Star City?
With his partner, and future son Rip Hunter, already established on the CW, we would love some kind of hint or easter egg that fans can obsess over as they create a web of connections between a Booster Gold feature film and the quartet of CW’s television shows.
7. Killer Soundtrack
Few things in a film can create an immediate, visceral feeling in audience members like hearing a familiar song. Whether it’s used to incite excitement, comedy, or something in between, a Booster Gold movie could benefit tremendously from featuring a licensed soundtrack.
Music sets the tone for emotion, and it could help to highlight comedic scenes, enhancing their effectiveness in the eyes of the audience. Look at what Guardians of the Galaxy did with their soundtrack. Each song, while great in their own right, was used expertly to enhance the scenes they were in, and the collection of old-school hits proved to be one of the film's true highlights.
A Booster Gold movie doesn’t need to try and be Guardians of the Galaxy (in fact, that would probably be a mistake), but it should be used as a roadmap of sorts. Marvel was able to take a relatively unknown property and create a box office sensation out of it. With DC looking to do the same, the inclusion of a familiar soundtrack may aid in drawing the audience into an unfamiliar adventure with an unknown hero.
6. Charismatic Lead Actor For Booster
As with any film, superhero or otherwise, a Booster Gold movie would need to land the right leading man to bring Michael Jon Carter to life. We’ve already gone over the actors we think should play our beloved hero, but whoever lands the role will need to deliver on multiple levels to make it work.
This is a superhero movie after all, and the character of Booster Gold was a futuristic football star, so (much like many other comic book roles) there’s a level of physicality that comes with playing the character. More importantly, however, Booster Gold may prove to be a difficult hero to play based on his personality.
Booster isn’t a traditional hero who does the right thing because the right thing needs doing; he’s out there for himself. It will take an actor with a certain amount of charisma to be able to charm the audience into rooting for someone who is at times a complete jerk. It won’t be easy, but with the right actor in the role, it can be pulled off.
5. Compelling, Non-Generic Villain
What do you need to make a movie? Of course you need a cast and crew, but in terms of a story, you need a hero, some sort of motivated goal that the hero strives to accomplish, and some sort of antagonistic force to oppose the hero. A compelling villain is as important to a film as the hero is, and the right villain could go a long way in solidifying Booster Gold as a worthwhile character in the eyes of the audience.
With all the great things Marvel has done with their Cinematic Universe, sadly their villains, save for Loki, have not been the most memorable. This should be a focal point for how DC should attack their movies. With Suicide Squad featuring an entire team of villains, including arguably the most popular villain comics in the Joker, the potential is there for DC to truly set itself apart from their chief competition with some truly great villains. Whether it’s someone like the Black Beetle, Starro the Conquerer, or maybe a more unorthodox choice, a compelling villain could prove to be the make or break factor in a Booster Gold film.
It's worth pointing out that certain films of late have made some questionable choices in regard to the wide-reach/scale of their villains. It might be smart for Booster Gold to veer away from the apocalyptic threat baddies for this first adventure
4. One Part Action, Two Parts Comedy
What will make the Booster Gold movie stand out above the rest of the films from DC’s pantheon is its emphasis on comedy. A great Booster Gold film can’t just be a superhero movie with a few funny moments; it needs to complete action comedy. If they give the go ahead on pairing Booster Gold with his pal Blue Beetle, then DC would have themselves a bona fide buddy comedy on their hands.
If you look back at the history of great buddy comedies, the common trope that runs through them -- be it Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, or 21 Jump Street, is off-the-charts chemistry between the two leads. It’s a proven formula in the action comedy genre, and there’s no reason that a superhero or two couldn’t follow that formula to success. Whether the film does indeed center around Blue and Gold, or they decide to keep things streamlined to following Booster and Skeets, the banter between these characters will be paramount to the success of the film.
3. Competent Director At The Helm
Even with a good script and a fantastic cast, films have fallen apart at the seams without the guidance of a competent director. Whoever is tasked with leading the Booster Gold project once it’s off the ground will have quite the task ahead of them.
As we’ve already touched upon, there are innate challenges with bringing a big screen version of Booster Gold to life. He’s a D-list hero that mainstream audiences won’t recognize, and to top things off, he doesn't have the most likeable personality. The tongue-in-cheek humor of his character will need to be handled with care, and finding that perfect director is always a struggle.
A director like Matthew Vaughn would be an obvious choice to helm the Booster Gold movie, given his string of directorial success and innate ability to find the ideal balance between adult humor and over-the-top action. Fans would love to see Edgar Wright finally get his shot to see a big budget superhero film all the way through (we've had our fingers crossed on that one for some time now), and someone with his skill set could definitely bring a unique spin to the character. Truthfully, DC probably will go with a lesser-known director for the project (Berlanti could in fact be the man at the helm when all is said and done), but as long as the person at the head of it all understands the character and what makes him tick, we should be in for a treat.
2. Compelling Time-Travel-Centric Plot
Booster Gold’s personality is what attracts fans to his story. His adventures are character driven journeys that people invest themselves in because they are invested in the characters. Still, even with a cast of entertaining characters, there needs to be a captivating reason for us to go on this adventure with them.
Booster’s story starts in the future, and assuming they stay true to his origins, we have a general idea of what gets Michael going on his journey to be a superhero, but what kind of adventure will he have once his journey has begun? This will obviously be affected by the choice of villain, but seeing Booster traveling through time, fixing irregularities from the time stream as he does in the second volume of his comic book, would be a welcomed sight to see.
The time-travel element of Booster’s story is what helps make him unique amongst his comic book peers, and the team behind the film would be wise to exploit it to its fullest extent.
1. Heroic Victory Without The Pomp & Circumstance
Perhaps the most important aspect of Booster Gold is what was stated in the tagline of his series: he’s the greatest hero that you’ve never heard of. Booster can save the day, he can save the entire multiverse for all we care, but he can’t have the glory. There’ll be no parade, no cheering in the street, and certainly no kids running around in Booster Gold costumes when it’s all said and done (not in the world of the movie, anyway).
This is what makes Booster Gold such an endearing character for fans. Underneath his cocky exterior beats the heart of a true hero, even if he doesn’t quite know it yet. While he may have started out as a washed-up football star looking for one last shot at glory in a pair of tights, he grows into his role as a heroic guardian nicely.
Michael can win, but he can’t win too big -- that’s what makes him Booster Gold.
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What do you want to see from DC's live-action Booster Gold? What's your dream director/actor pairing for the flick? Let us know in the comments.