The DC Extended Universe has always invited controversy over its tone. From Zod's snapped neck in Man of Steel to a slightly unhinged Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, or the tonal schism present in Suicide Squad's edits and re-shoots. Obviously the movies have all been a financial success and have a good number of supporters, but critical consensus has been a struggle, so it makes sense when the narrative around Zack Snyder's next DCEU project, Justice League, is all about the tone.
Even before Batman v Superman was released, writer Chris Terrio highlighted how Justice League's team dynamic would bring a lighter tone to the DCEU. Batman v Superman may have already brought the DC Trinity onto the big screen, but that initial meetup was in the middle of a battle with Doomsday, so there was hardly time to contrast personality differences or showcase a team dynamic. Batman and Superman are obviously going to draw a different contrast in a social situation than they would while fighting each other, and the same is true for the rest of the League.
Speaking with Total Film, Zack Snyder discussed how the differences in all the characters makes Justice League more fun:
"One of the more rewarding aspects of creating Justice League was having fun exploring the dynamic between this diverse group of larger-than-life characters with disparate backgrounds, ethics, and unique perspectives all trying to come together and work as a team"
Off-screen, a lot has been made about the personality and relationships of the Justice League actors. Whether its Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher cheesing it up at Comic-Con or Jason Momoa playing guitar in full Aquaman getup on set, there's no doubt these actors know how to have fun, and Snyder believes that those real life relationships and personalities bleed through into the film, bringing a natural chemistry to the team:
"It not only offers an opportunity for great drama and complex relationships, but it also often results in great fun. It's an exciting concept to explore and it only gets better when you add the component of our incredibly talented cast - their chemistry really adds to that dynamic."
The Total Film article goes on to repeat what we learned about the fabled 'Mother Boxes' from our set visit in June. In a situation that sounds reminiscent to the distribution of the rings of power in Lord of the Rings, three Mother Boxes were given to Earth: One to the Atlanteans, one to the Amazonians, and one to the humans. Thanks to the video clip stolen from Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman, we know one Mother Box was in the possession of Silas Stone, who used it to turn his son Victor into Cyborg. That leaves two more, likely the Atlantean and Amazonian boxes, unaccounted for - likely explaining how Aquaman becomes initially involved with the team. (See here for the full article text.)
While Justice League is the movie that seems to get a lot of the attention when it comes to the DCEU's efforts to land a critical hit, it's important to note that Wonder Woman will arrive in June, and that's the first film to see the full involvement of Geoff Johns in his new role with the DC movies. If the trailers for that are indicative, it seems like DC's tonal shift will come sooner than expected.
NEXT: The Most Powerful Justice League Members
Source: Total Film
