It's no secret that the DCEU needs some work. The cinematic universe has experienced a fair number of notable misses since Man of Steel debuted back in 2013, with many viewers wondering when Superman would finally get the proper treatment he deserved after films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League mostly fell flat. One name that has popped up in the search for a hypothetical director for a potential Man of Steel sequel is Mission: Impossible - Fallout director Christopher McQuarrie. He's by no means confirmed for such a project right now, but the thought of it leads us to wonder if McQuarrie is indeed the right candidate for such a job.
First, let's get some background information as to why this conversation is even happening in the first place. The prospect of McQuarrie getting involved in the DCEU is a rumor that has circulated for quite some time. At one point there were rumors that he could be the man to take on the Green Lantern Corps solo film, but his partnership with Henry Cavill on Mission: Impossible - Fallout has left many to wonder about his potential as the director for a long-awaited Superman sequel.
This all feels bolstered by recent comments that Christopher McQuarrie made during an interview with Screen Rant. In response to a question about him working on Man of Steel, the Fallout director offered up a non-committal response, noting that he simply would like to work with Henry Cavill again after their experience on the latest Mission: Impossible. McQuarrie said:
To me, I'm interested in a good story. That's really what it is. I mean, when Man of Steel came up, it was because somebody had asked me, did I want to work with Henry again? Which I would in a second. I go through the door that opens.
So, while that's far from a real commitment to Man of Steel 2, it opens up the possibility and paves the way for something like this to happen if the story is right. From there, we need to note that Christopher McQuarrie might be precisely the right person to take the Man of Steel franchise and give it the show of adrenaline that it needs.
Not only does Christopher McQuarrie have an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his work on The Usual Suspects, but he has also become known as one of the film industry's best action directors working today -- second, in some assessments, only to Mad Max: Fury Road helmer George Miller. With McQuarrie developing such a strong reputation as an action filmmaker with movies like Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, and Mission: Impossible - Fallout, it's easy to see how he could deliver fantastic spectacle with one of the genre's most beloved heroes.
Lastly, there's the simple fact that his work with Henry Cavill on Mission: Impossible - Fallout is already generating insanely strong buzz. Some have even hailed the film as Cavill's best performance of his career. With that in mind, if Henry Cavill has any clout in the development of a potential Man of Steel 2, then it would arguably behoove him to throw his weight around and get McQuarrie onboard for a sequel that could help revitalize the DCEU and solidify his currently-shaky footing as an action star.
Of course, there is also another side to this argument worth considering. The Superman-driven installments in the DCEU have not performed that well with critics in recent years, which raises the question of how the DCEU can continue in its current state. Films like Wonder Woman 1984, Aquaman, and Shazam! are right around the corner, and while all of them have a chance to help revitalize the franchise as a whole, it's not unreasonable to ask the question of whether or not McQuarrie should commit to such an unstable universe. Viewed through that lens, one might argue that his talents would be better served to wait in the wings for a possible reboot that may one day reset the silver screen DC continuity entirely, thus giving him a clean slate to work with in the Superman world.
Only time will tell of Man of Steel 2 will actually get made - let alone with Christopher McQuarrie behind the camera as its director. As always, we will bring you more information related to all of these fan-favorite franchise films as new details surface, and for now, you can watch out for McQuarrie's first partnership with Henry Cavill when Mission: Impossible - Fallout hits the big screen this weekend on July 27. If you are looking for more insight into the latest installment in the spy franchise, then check out our in-depth Mission: Impossible - Fallout review!
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