DC’s Elseworlds always have had some of the most interesting takes on their most popular superheroes. In recent times, one of the most interesting iterations of the DC universe has been depicted in Dark Knights of Steel, which depicts a medieval setting, with all of DC’s most popular characters.
While James Gunn has already announced that his DCU will embody the qualities of Game of Thrones in stories like Paradise Lost, Dark Knights of Steel could totally be a part of the DC Multiverse, completely deserving of an adaptation on the big screen. Further, there is already a director on hand who can make it work flawlessly, given the nature of the story and the experience that he has.
Zack Snyder could make a Dark Knights of Steel trilogy for James Gunn
Zack Snyder has directed superhero films and period pieces, which makes him uniquely positioned to work with Dark Knights of Steel. Depicting a slew of characters in a medieval setting, Dark Knights of Steel could potentially make a Lord of the Rings-style theatrical experience, given the unique take it has on a fantasy setting.
The series follows Jor-El and Lara crashing on Earth, causing Kal-El to be born on the planet. Except, instead of a farmland in Kansas, the Els are in a medieval kingdom, ruled by House Wayne, populated by metahumans and wizards, with rival kingdoms that have similarly powered monarchs.
While the story weaves its thread among a handful of characters, the wider world is hinted at when the story ends, hinting at characters that we are yet to see in this iteration of the DCU. Further, the story has received a hefty second helping with the ongoing Allwinter series, which depicts Deathstroke as a Viking-esque mercenary serving Vandal Savage.
A Dark Knights of Steel film trilogy could also work with other directors
There are a host of directors who would be well-placed to make a film like Dark Knights of Steel. Robert Eggers, who made The Northman, could bring his vibrant storytelling vision to the narrative should Zack Snyder’s dark palate not suit the film. Other directors, such as Guillermo Del Toro, Peter Jackson, Patty Jenkins, Destin Daniel Cretton, and Ryan Coogler, could all be great choices for making the trilogy as well.
While DC might not be keen on sustaining an alternative live-action franchise with a slew of characters, there is hope that James Gunn will look into at least an animated adaptation of the film outside the DCU, given how well the story takes the setting of the DC Universe and puts it in the genre of epic fantasy. DC also seems to be interested in expanding this world under their Elseworlds imprint.
Having an alternate DCU is not what James Gunn wants, but an animated film series would do the story justice. Perhaps the DCU could produce this series in-house, or, as has become the case for great superhero animation, have Seth Rogan work on the project with a third party, like Amazon or Netflix, as Bruce Timm did with Prime to produce Batman: Caped Crusader.
