DC Movies Sure To End In Tragedy

Between Superman snapping Zod's neck in Man of Steel and the unrelentingly dark tone of Batman Vs. Superman, fans are asking Zack Snyder and Warner Bros.: why so serious? At the least, it certainly sets them apart from their competitors at Marvel Studios, who insist on making all their films so annoyingly fun and entertaining. This is just the tip of the iceberg, though. Here's a look at more DC movies sure to end in tragedy.

If you're expecting a movie called Suicide Squad to end on an uplifting note, well, that's adorable. But no. So how will they pack any shock into the film when the whole premise is villains being sent on a suicide mission? Why, by killing off the team's only actual hero, square-jawed all-American leader Rick Flagg. Expect him to get blown to kingdom come saving the world—just as he was in the comics.

This one won't just end in tragedy, it's already begun in tragedy, as Warner Bros. has revealed they are using the "New 52" origin for Wonder Woman. For all you non-comics readers, that's a recent, 21st century replacement for an origin story that's been in place for the last few decades. So instead of Diana being a messenger of hope sent from Paradise Island to teach humanity about love and peace, she's now the god of war's apprentice, a violent herald of a race of militant Amazons who propagate their society by kidnapping, raping, and murdering innocent men. Sure to be the feel good hit of the summer. Thanks, DC!

Just how much the feature film is going to be connected to the hit TV series on the CW is still up in the air. What's not up in the air is how the movie is likely to end: with Barry Allen's newlywed wife, Iris West Allen, brutally murdered by his archenemy the Reverse Flash. That's the plot of the Flash's most famous comic book storyline. And it perfectly sets up the sequel, where he'll kill Reverse Flash in revenge, get arrested for murder, and sacrifice himself to save the world. Two tragic endings for the price of one!

We know what you're thinking: Aquaman is a guy who talks to fish. What's the worst that could happen...he pricks his finger on a sea urchin? Yeah, well, think a little darker. Maybe you didn't know, but there's an infamously shocking comic book storyline where Aquaman's newborn baby is murdered in front of him by his archenemy Black Manta. Oh, and chances are Aquaman will also have his arm disintegrated in a vat of acid at some point too. Turns out being king of Atlantis kinda stinks.

With its older Batman and its titular fight sequence, Batman Vs. Superman is clearly based in part on the classic comic book miniseries The Dark Knight Returns. And that means one thing when Batman returns for his own solo film: the Joker is going to die a horrible death. Sure, it's a little difficult to use the word "tragedy" to describe the death of a mass murdering psychopath. But given how popular the Joker is, we're sure there won't be a dry eye in the house when he snaps his own neck to cheat Batman out of a chance for justice.

What threat is big enough to not only bring together all the heroes of the DC Universe, but also require two films to handle it? We're guessing the answer may be Doomsday, who in the comics trashed the entire Justice League before killing Superman in a double-KO. Warner Bros. hasn't been shy about highlighting the religious allegory in Superman's story, and there's only one way that story ends—with the ultimate sacrifice.

DC tried to go the comedic route with Green Lantern in 2011, and it was an epic flop. So how are they going to wash that memory away? Probably by adapting the black as night "Emerald Twilight" storyline from the comics. After his home city is completely obliterated, Green Lantern Hal Jordan murders his fellow Lanterns as part of an insane plan to bring the dead back to life. Instead, he becomes the galactic scourge known as Parallax—the same villain Ryan Reynolds battled in his movie. And it all comes full circle.