Tag: Justice League

Guillermo del Toro Just Completed A ‘Justice League Dark’ Script

by Eric Francisco

Renowned director Guillermo del Toro just submitted a new script based on the Justice League Dark comic series (tentatively titled Dark Universe) to Warner Bros. We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

According to Forbes and /Film, del Toro’s script will feature DC horror staples Swamp Thing, The Demon, Deadman, The Spectre, and among others, John Constantine. I hope Zatanna Zatara is in there somewhere. del Toro has been working on Justice League Dark for several years now, but the last anyone heard about it was vague updates about a story bible. Until today.

With Warner Bros. desperate for any new franchise — and have been since Harry Potter completed his studies and Christopher Nolan’s Batman stopped doing Batman-y things — the studio might be more receptive to the fertile ground that is DC’s occult universe. While Warner Bros. does have Justice League and other associated superhero movies slated for the next several years, they all rely on the success of Batman v. Superman, and while the financial success of that movie is pretty much a given it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the studio to be cooking up other things. The Justice League Dark offers a wealth of fresh characters still relatively unknown and have the potential to be their own powerhouse. At best, they can be the true, symbolically new Universal monsters for the 21st century.

It is also entirely unknown whether or not Dark Universe will tie into the previously-mentioned Justice League movies. A year ago Guillermo del Toro said it was a possibility, but Badass Digest says it’s a sturdy no. I can’t see why not, although I’d understand if they want to focus on building each universe to be their own thing first before expanding into one giant clusterf*ck.

Still, there are reasons for pause. del Toro is currently knee-deep in post-production of Crimson Peak, and shortly after he’ll be taking on continuing Pacific Rim. On top of that, I’m pretty sure executive producing The Strain requires a lot of attention. Even if Warner Bros. executives love del Toro’s script and immediately greenlight it, we won’t see a glimpse of it until maybe 2017. A final film maybe in 2018 or 2019, and that’s being optimistic. (I just realized Power Rangers will be an actual thing by then, and I just got mad del Toro isn’t working on that.)

Elsewhere, NBC’s Constantine struggles to stay on television. News about the show’s continuation are still up in the air, but in the meantime you can watch all five episodes aired so far in their entirety here, free!

I’ve said before how Constantine on NBC is a chance to see the league on television and be totally amazing. I’m still processing how the show might die but a league story may live on a greater scale than I could have imagined.

While movie Constantine pretties himself to return to the big screen, TV Constantine is a drunken pledge passed out at a frat party. He’ll be fine! No, don’t call the cops yet! Wait! Just, turn his head over or something.

Are you excited for a big-screen Justice League Dark movie as I am? Comment below.

Warner Bros. Announces HUGE Slate Of DC Films, Including ‘Wonder Woman’ Standalone

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Well we certainly weren’t expecting all of this today. During an investor’s meeting early this morning, Warner Bros. revealed some major plans for the coming years… including details on its entire slate of DC films.

We all knew that there were a ton of DC films in the works, but WB had shied away from revealing just what and who these features would be based on, until now of course.

Warner Bros. noted that the announcements do not include stand-alone Batman and Superman films that are also in the works, but here’s what’s in store so far:

– Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, directed by Zack Snyder (2016)
– Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayer (2016)
– Wonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot (2017)
– Justice League Part One, directed by Zack Snyder, with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams reprising their roles (2017)
– The Flash, starring Ezra Miller (2018)
– Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa (2018)
– Shazam (2019)
– Justice League Part Two, directed by Zack Snyder (2019)
– Cyborg, starring Ray Fisher (2020)
– Green Lantern (2020)

It’s interesting that Warner chose to reveal some casting news along with the titles of the films. We knew that we’d see Ray Fisher as Cyborg, and Jason Momoa’s role as Aquaman had been unofficially officially confirmed about a thousand times, but Ezra Miller as The Flash is definitely news.

Ezra

Also, we’re getting a new Green Lantern, and there’s no way it could be as bad as the last one. You can also see that Zack Snyder has been tapped to direct both Justice League films, so it’ll be interesting to see who ends up in the director’s chair for the remainder of the standalone pictures.

So, which fims are you most excited for? Which DC heroes didn’t get a film that you’d like to see in one? Are you happy with all of the new casting? Sound out below!

Zack Snyder Confirmed To Direct ‘Justice League’, Will Follow ‘Man Of Steel’ Sequel

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: I’m pretty sure it’s what we were all expecting at this point (unless you were expecting the yet-untitled Man of Steel sequel to simply be called Justice League), but Warner Bros. has just confirmed that Justice League will follow said Man of Steel sequel, and Zack Snyder will return to direct the project.

Warner Bros. president of worldwide production Greg Silverman announced the plans today, stating that “It will be a further expansion of this universe. ‘Superman vs Batman’ will lead into ‘Justice League.’”

The script is still in the works, and a release date has not been set at this time. Silverman also didn’t state which DC characters aside from Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman will appear in the film (though it’s likely safe to assume that we’ll also see Cyborg, seeing as he’s just been cast).

On a side note, the world has been calling for a standalone Wonder Woman film forever, and Warner Bros. may finally be looking at the opportunity. Sue Kroll, president of worldwide marketing stated that “With the right script, that could be viable. The world is ready for her.”

Who do you want to see in Justice League? Sound out below!

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Source: The Wall Street Journal

‘Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox’ – The Geekscape Review

by Eric Diaz

At the San Diego Comic Con last week, I was lucky enough to see the world premiere of the seventeenth DC Universe animated feature, which hits DVD and Blu-ray on July 30th. I’m going to admit right off the bat–I’m going to have a hard time being totally objective in this review of Warner Brother’s and DC Entertainment’s latest animated straight to video film Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, which is based on Geoff Johns’ mini-series event Flashpoint  from just over two years ago. You see, Flashpoint was the event that led to DC’s universe wide relaunch known as “The New 52,”  which, in my opinion, has been frought with more negatives than positives. But even putting that negative bias aside, the truth is that The Flashpoint Paradox is a movie that while exhibiting some entertaining ideas and fun action sequences, tries to bite off more than it can chew and ultimately suffers for it.

The story of The Flashpoint Paradox is relatively straightforward, and much like the comic, centers around the Flash, Barry Allen. This is the first DC animated film to center around the Flash, and although the official title has the words Justice League in it, make no mistake…this is a Flash story through and through. The opening shots of the movie feature Barry Allen as a little kid, and shows us a close relationship with his (single?) mother Nora. One day, she is brutally murdered in a home invasion while Barry is away at school, and this quest to find her killer is what leads Barry to the life of a crime scene forensic scientist. It is during his time as a forensic scientist that Barry has the accident that makes him into the Flash, but we don’t see that presented here. I realize most hard core comic book fans are at least vaguely aware of the Flash’s origin story, but having said that, many casual fans who don’t know it might be sampling this movie, and jumping from the traumatic event of Barry Allen’s childhood to his adult superhero career might be jarring. If you are wondering how Barry Allen becomes the Flash, it isn’t covered in this movie. In fact, almost all of this movie expects you to know the basics of the DC Universe in some form, and that is but the first example of many.

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So we flash forward (no pun intended) to the Flash fighting his villains,collectively known as the Rogues, and just as he is about to succumb to their evil machinations, Flash calls in his Justice League friends to bail him out. This is where we get our Batman cameo, with classic Batman the Animated Series voice actor Kevin Conroy providing the voice of Bruce Wayne once again. Conroy is the definitive voice of Batman in my opinion, so any chance to hear him as the Dark Knight is a treat, even if it is really brief in this movie. This is maybe my favorite sequence in the whole movie, as the Justice League have to individually disable a bomb planted on each of the rogues by Flash arch nemesis Zoom, the Reverse Flash. Unfortunately, we don’t get a whole lot of insight into what makes the Reverse Flash hate the Flash so much, although he is pretty brilliantly voiced by C. Thomas Howell. If you’re not already a comics fan, you are screwed if you want further insight into just what his deep seeded animosity is based on. Still, this brief scene of the JLA doing their thing and finding unique ways to disable each bomb is maybe my favorite part of the whole movie. Sadly, for me it all kind of goes downhill from here.

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After the opening credits, we cut to Barry Allen waking up in his office to a very different world. Barry wakes up to a world where his mother Nora was never murdered and is alive and well, but  in this world, Barry is no longer the Flash and has no super speed. There is a very different (and gun loving) Batman protecting Gotham, Cyborg is America’s #1 hero, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman are at war (or, more truthfully, Themyscira and Atlantis are at war.) A war that has resulted in Aquaman sinking continental Europe, and Wonder Woman and the Amazons taking over England and killing all the men. Superman is nowhere to be found. Barry doesn’t understand or remember how this world came to be, so he seeks out the one person he thinks can help him…Batman. But this Batman isn’t Bruce Wayne, and to say anymore is a fairly massive spoiler, so I’ll stop short of that. But I will say it is one of the cooler reveals of both the movie and the original comic. Barry and Batman try their hardest to restore the alternate timeline back to the normal one, all while an impending World War III is about to happen if Wonder Woman and Aquaman go to war.

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So all of this sounds cool right? Cool alternate universe story, good animation, all the stuff of fanboy dreams. But something about the whole things bugs me, and I can’t put my finger on it. And it could very well be under the circumstances that I saw it at San Diego Comic Con, to a packed house of enthusiastic fans. While that sounds like the ideal conditions, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth. See, this world exhibited in this movie is extremely violent and dark; Wonder Woman and Aquaman start a war simply because they have an affair that goes sour for example, and Wonder Woman kills Aquaman’s wife Mera by beheading her, and then begins wearing her crown as a trophy. We even have a rather gratuitous shot of Diana holding Mera’s severed head up (this got cheers from the audience for some reason.) Also getting applause was a Batman who killed wantonly, lot of severed limbs and horrible deaths, and even a scene where Wonder Woman kills a little kid. The more over the top the violence, the more they ate it up, and this seems to be the version of these characters we’ll be seeing for years come. It might be the DC Universe that these fans wanted, but it wasn’t the one I wanted. So while technically this is what you’d call an “Elseworlds” story, it sets the stage for a much darker animated DC Universe, and it isn’t one I’m really looking forward to, but it going to be the one we’re stuck with.

There are also tons of cameos from other DC Universe characters, to the point where they are just there as fan service and not much else. Lois Lane (once again voiced by Dana Delany) is a war correspondent and underground freedom fighter on “New Themyscira”, and we get even more cameos from characters like Etrigan the Demon, Deathstroke, (voice acted once again by Teen Titans‘ Ron Perlman) and even Captain Marvel, renamed Captain Thunder. But due to the movie’s eighty minute running time, there just isn’t time to properly develop these characters beyond just as “hey, I know that guy!” and on to the next shot of someone being bloodied up a bit. Some of the subplots should have been cut out entirely to make the movie flow better and seem less like cameo-palooza.

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Overall, this movie is a mixed bag. The voice acting is hit and miss; Barry Allen is voiced by Grey’s Anatomy’s Justin Chambers, and I hate to say, his voice acting is rather flat and bland, which doesn’t help when the character who he is portraying has a bit of reputation as being a bit boring and bland as well. Other voice actors fare better, like Kevin McKidd from Rome as Batman II, and veteran actor Cary Elwes as Aquaman. But unlike most DC Animated movies, where the voice acting is often the best thing in it, this time it wasn’t very memorable. The animation style is more anime influenced than any other DC animated movie thus far, and is actually pretty good and a nice change of pace from the usual style these movies go for.  This is the first of the DC Animated films without the influence of Bruce Timm, and you can tell. I miss his guiding hand, and I just can’t help but feel he would have made the production team of producers James Tucker and Alan Burnett and director Jay Oliva try a little bit harder. The final product is perfectly ok, but I kind of expect better from Warner Brothers animation and DC at this point.

‘Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox’ Gets Three New Images!

by Derek Kraneveldt

The holiday weekend means that news is slow (well, essentially non-existent), but Warner Bros. Animation has just released a trio of cool new stills from the upcoming release of Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.

DC readers are bound to be familiar with the events of Flashpoint, the acclaimed event that launched DC’s New 52 and rebooted the entire DC Universe. The animated adaptation features Justin Chambers as Barry Allen, Kevin McKidd as Batman, Michael B Jordan as Cyborg and C. Thomas Howell as Reverse Flash. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is set to premiere at SDCC on July 19th, and will hit DVD/Blu Ray on July 30th.

Take a look at the new stills below, and let us know what you think! Miss the trailer? Watch it here!

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The world is turned upside down as one of earth’s greatest super heroes – Flash – wakes up devoid of his super powers in the all-new Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox – the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Original Animated Movies. Produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, this all-new, PG-13 rated film arrives July 30, 2013 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack ($24.98 SRP), DVD ($19.98 SRP) and Digital Download. The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack will include UltraViolet™*.

Geekscape 295: ‘The Man of Steel’ Review And Analysis With Ian Kerner!

by Jonathan

The ‘Man of Steel’ has flown into theaters and geeks are as divided about it as two halves of an exploding Krypton! What was there to love? What was there to hate? How did it compare to the comics or earlier depictions of Superman? There is a ton to talk about! Luckily, our resident comics expert, Ian Kerner, is here to help us navigate all of the issues? Does ‘Man of Steel’ do a good job of setting up the future of the DC cinematic universe? If you listen to one assessment of ‘Man of Steel’, this one should be it! PLUS: We say a sad goodbye to James Gandolfini, beloved among TV and film geeks everywhere.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:51 — 25.2MB)

First Trailer For ‘Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Long-time DC readers are bound to be familiar with the events of Flashpoint, the acclaimed event that launched DC’s New 52 and rebooted the entire DC Universe. But what if you’re new to comics, and used the New 52 launch as a jumping-on point to these classic characters?

Enter Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Warner Bros. Animation’s video treatment of Geoff John’s insane DC event. The film hits DVD this July, and features Justin Chambers as Barry Allen, Kevin McKidd as Batman, Michael B Jordan as Cyborg and C. Thomas Howell as Reverse Flash.

The first trailer for The Flashpoint Paradox has just been unveiled, and it certainly looks like a DC animated feature that you won’t want to miss. Watch the trailer below, and let us know what you think!

The world is turned upside down as one of earth’s greatest super heroes – Flash – wakes up devoid of his super powers in the all-new Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox – the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Original Animated Movies. Produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, this all-new, PG-13 rated film arrives July 30, 2013 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack ($24.98 SRP), DVD ($19.98 SRP) and Digital Download. The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack will include UltraViolet™*.

The Coming War: What The Return of Pandora Could Mean For the New 52

by Andy Hines

It’s been a few years since we’ve seen a real tried and true DC event that really touches everyone. That tradition of big events is coming sooner than anyone may have expected, in the form of July’s upcoming Trinity War. Even before Flashpoint, the big events were cataclysmic in scale and had much more of an impact on a very different DC Trinity, the varied Justice Leagues. With the new Justice League of America, there are now three leagues in total, including the well-known Justice League and the lesser-known and magically inclined Justice League Dark. The new DCU won’t be the same after this, because it’s as much about the three leagues as it is the Trinity of Sin.

The Justice League
The Justice League

For those unaware of this “Trinity of Sin”, let’s take a look back at the New 52 FCBD Special Edition from 2012. We see the Phantom Stranger, Pandora and the new Question. These three are guilty of crimes against Man by the Circle of Eternity, a cable of wizards whose most notable member was Shazam. That’s right. The old wizard that turned Billy Batson into The World’s Mightiest Mortal was one of those that cursed the Trinity of Sin. The ways in which they did so were fairly ironic. The Phantom Stranger will forever remain a mystery to others and must betray people who rely on him. Pandora must wander the Earth alone and be told how she and her curiosity are evil. The Question was once a mighty warlord, until the Circle of Eternity caused him to forget his own name and desperately search for answers he’d never find.To say that Pandora is dangerous is to make a severe understatement. She is, after all, the woman who singlehandedly caused the DCU as we knew it to become what it is today, or so the pages of Flashpoint would have us believe. She’ll get her own series a month before the Trinity War begins, so we’ll really have an opportunity to learn about her then, and then the Question as the Trinity War unfolds.

Trinity of Sin: Pandora, Phantom Stranger and The Question
Trinity of Sin: Pandora, Phantom Stranger and The Question

The thing to think about is that both the Trinity and the three leagues will duke it out. Furthermore, the fact that a character has to die in order for the event to take off shows just how big it may be. It seems as though the lines between the good and bad guys will be blurred on this one, similarly to Crisis on Infinite Earths and Zero Hour. It feels like it’ll be a “how hard can I hit before you break” sort of book. I’m really looking forward to a good story, but at this point, who really knows what we’ll get from it. It may very well undo the New 52, or it could be the final catalyst that forces the WildC.A.T.s into being in the current continuity.

Justice League of America
Justice League of America

For now, what we know is that there will be plenty of characters thrown at each other that either haven’t met or just plain hate each other. The Martian Manhunter and Shazam are two of those sorts of characters: J’onn, the Martian Manhunter, is the one with no real allegiances and a rough meeting with the original Justice League, contrary to the old model of the DCU, while Shazam has not yet been part of any team, and it’s unclear as to whether he even wishes to be. The inclusion of these and other sorts of “minor” characters could potentially give them solo series. The thing to really remember is how events like Crisis on Infinite Earths revitalized DC Comics during their publication.

Justice League Dark
Justice League Dark

Showing all of the extra characters in an event like this could potentially work very well for the New 52. All I can tell you about the finale at this point is what Geoff Johns told USA Today earlier:

“It’s not going to end wrapped up in a bow,” he says. “Something really, really major happens that kicks off some pretty crazy stuff at the end of August.” 

What I feel in my gut (and it’s never wrong… except for when it is) is that things will be quite different after this event, in the same way that things changed for Marvel after AvX last year. Sides will be chosen, relationships forever changed, and trust broken beyond repair. Some things are going to go down and people are going to say and do things that they can’t take back. That’s just life as a superhero (or John Constantine) for you. Things have a way of happening, and somebody usually ends up paying for it. It’ll certainly make the DCU more interesting than it’s been for the past few months, but the question is, “at what price?” We’ll figure out soon, so until then, just keep on checking the news feeds and your old pals at Geekscape. Trust me, I’ve got you covered. When I know, so will you.

Circle of Eternity
Circle of Eternity

SXSW 2013: Olivia Wilde Reveals She Would Love To Play Wonder Woman

by GeekscapeStaff

We caught up with Olivia Wilde at SXSW yesterday and she revealed to us that she’s a huge Wonder Woman fan. She’s been a fan favorite for the role for awhile now and the actress enthusiastically stated that she would love to play the role in Warner Bros. upcoming Justice League film. Hell, she even did the pose. Should we just start the petition now?

 

Christopher Nolan & Zack Snyder On ‘Justice League’: Weighing The Pros And Cons

by Eric Diaz

Last night, movie super-scooper “El Mayimbe” of Latino-Review dropped his biggest nerd nuclear bomb of the year so far, revealing in a video message on his website that Warner Brother’s Justice League movie, which last we heard was once again in limbo, is indeed anything but. He revealed that Warner Brothers has hired Christopher Nolan to produce a Justice League film, with Zack Snyder probably directing and, most likely, David Goyer writing the script. In other words, the exact same creative team behind this summer’s Man of Steel.

 

Perhaps the biggest news in all this is that Warner Brothers wants Christian Bale to resume the mantle of Batman, which means instead of JL introducing the world to a whole new Batman, as was said to be the original plan, the movie would play off the continuity of Nolan’s previous Batman movies. This is all a bit of a shocker, as Nolan has insisted these last few years that his Batman saga is a stand alone story, unrelated to any larger DC cinematic universe. In fact, he has denied involvement with any Justice League movie project in the past. And while this was all probably true when he said it, nothing can change one’s mind quite like having a Brinks truck full of millions of dollars in cash brought to your house, as Warner Brothers surely did to get him on board in some capacity, and help save Justice League from potential disaster.

 

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The inclusion of Nolan and potentially Bale just made the budget of this movie skyrocket into the stratosphere; these guys are not going to come cheap. But Warners must realize they stand to gain so much more by including them, it is worth the price. Right now, Disney has not only Marvel and Star Wars, but two of the biggest names with geek cred attached to them in the form of Joss Whedon and JJ Abrams.

 

To have Justice League even come close to competing with them, they know they have to pull out all the stops, and that means bringing in Nolan and Bale, and throwing lots of $$$ at them to get them to play along. While geeks everywhere are likely doing a happy dance at this news, I’m here to weigh the pros and cons to a Christopher Nolan produced Justice League. While this is surely good news…that doesn’t mean there won’t be any potential downsides to it.

If these new rumors turn out to be true, then these two guys have a lot of reasons to be $miling.
If these new rumors turn out to be true, then these two guys have a lot of reasons to be $miling.

 

The Pros

 

The positives of a Christopher Nolan produced Justice League are obvious; for starters, he is easily the greatest genre filmmaker to come out of the past decade, hands down. Having a talent like Nolan overseeing  Justice League  in a “godfather” capacity means that you’ll have someone with excellent taste who knows crap when they see it, and won’t tolerate something half-assed and low quality. It doesn’t meant the movie is going to be automatically good, but it does mean it will have integrity and not just be seen by the general population as a knock-off of The Avengers (and yes, I know the Justice League came before the Avengers in the comics–the average moviegoer does not know that.) His name alone attached to this project adds a level of quality and prestige (no pun intended.)

 

Up until now, the only name creatively attached to Justice League was a writer from the television show Castle. This excited exactly no one. Warner Brothers knows they need a name with both geek cred and mainstream cred to compete with Abrams and Whedon over at Disney. And for them, those names are Nolan and Snyder. And by making the Justice League movie an extension of the multi-billion dollar Dark Knight franchise, this instantly makes the film an event for not just geeks, but for moviegoers all over the world. It is the safe choice and the smart choice.

 

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The Cons

 

Yes, believe it or not, there may be cons to a Nolan produced Justice League. My biggest, and really only, concern is that Christopher Nolan just doesn’t really like super-heroes all that much. He has stated as much in interviews in the past. Sure, in many many ways, his Dark Knight trilogy is closer to the comic book incarnations than anything yet put to film about Batman (except maybe the Bruce Timm/Paul Dini animated series from the 90s.) However, Nolan also has a serious penchant for “de-comic booking” almost every aspect of Batman’s world as to appear more “real.” For the most part, that worked like gangbusters on Batman.

 

The jury is still out on whether or not it worked for Superman, but so far, the early buzz is very, very good. But there is simply no way to de-comic book a concept like the Justice League. Aside from Batman and Superman, you have a guy with what amounts to being a magic ring, an immortal Amazon, and a guy who can run at the speed of light. Much like the Avengers, the JL is pure comic book tropes in all their multi-colored glory. I seriously hope we don’t get a ‘realistic” explanation, Inception style, for how the Flash’s power works, or how Green Lanterns ring functions, or any of that. It just isn’t needed.

 

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Hopefully, Nolan allows writer David Goyer (who I’m just going to assume is going to be writing this) to take the reins of the story here; he’s a fanboy writer who is steeped in comics lore, and even co-wrote a lengthy run on Justice Society of America with Geoff Johns in the early 2000’s. The best thing Nolan can do is stay out of the way of Goyer as he comes up with the story mechanics, because Goyer understands the dynamics of a big, cosmic super-team stuff in a way Nolan probably never will. Goyer’s weakness is his dialogue, but then that’s where Christopher Nolan’s brother Jonah usually steps in and helps out.

 

Whatever ends up happening, we don’t need a grim, realistic take on the Justice League. In my opinion, the two very best incarnations of the team are Grant Morrisson’s run on the comic from 1996-2000, and the Bruce Timm produced animated series. Both were colorful, wild, and filled with big ideas, but were not campy or cheesy. That is where their inspiration should come from. If Synder does indeed direct (which would be likely) based on his past movies he is certainly not afraid of the more comic-booky aspects of the League.

 

While not as overtly talented as Christopher Nolan, both Snyder and Goyer have the comic book sensibilities that Nolan lacks.
While not as overtly talented as Christopher Nolan, both Snyder and Goyer have the comic book sensibilities that Nolan lacks.

 

Ultimately, this is a very minor “con”–especially since Nolan won’t be directing the movie and will have less need to force his own aesthetics onto the final product. In the case of a Justice League movie, having Nolan involved will ultimately mean much more pros than cons in the end.

 

So What Can We Expect?

 

Assuming this is all true of course, we know next to nothing about what a Nolan/Snyder Justice League movie would look like, but it is likely that Warner is starting from scratch with the story and script. Which probably means no Darkseid as the villain, as he was reported to be in Will Beall’s now tossed-out script. One thing I do expect to stay is the idea of a “five members only” League, especially now with Nolan involved. Aquaman and Martian Manhunter are just a  wee bit too fanciful for Nolan’s aesthetic, and even if he isn’t directing, I’d imagine his first suggestion would be to keep the cast trimmed down and get rid of those two characters. But DC’s “Big Five” of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern are sure to be included. They are the core of the League, and to be fair, the core of the entire DC Universe.

 

Since 1940, in one way or another, DC Comics has been publishing these five heroes continuously in some form; only Flash and Green Lantern were considered popular enough to have their own comic books alongside Supes, Bats and Wonder Woman in the 40’s, and although they went away in 1952, they were revived in new forms just a few short years later and have been published continuously ever since. No other DC super hero characters can claim such long uninterrupted runs, which is why these five characters are the backbone of the DCU, and are certain to be included in a JL movie. Anything or anyone else is gravy. But bank on those five being on the team, no matter how much Chris Nolan may hate the idea of magic green rings.

 

Another question is whether a movie like Justice League come together in time for summer 2015 at this point. While it seems unlikey, remember Joss Whedon was not officially announced to direct the Avengers until Comic-Con 2010, two years before that movie came out. And that turned out just fine. So it isn’t impossible, especially if this is something that they have been working on in secret for some time.

 

These five heroes have been, in one form or another, the core of the DCU for 70 years. Expect all five to be in a Justice League film.
These five heroes have been, in one form or another, the core of the DCU for 70 years. Expect all five to be in a Justice League film.

 

So What About The  Future Of The Batman Franchise?

 

Up until now, the party line has been that Justice League was set to introduce us to an all new incarnation of Batman, who would then be spun-off into a whole new Batman movie series. If Bale returns instead, his role will probably be strictly limited to appearing in Justice League movies, and his asking price for that alone will probably break the bank. So forget fourth, fifth and sixth solo Batman installments with Bale starring in them. So does that mean no Batman movies while a JL movie series is happening? A movie series that could possibly go on for a decade?

 

There is an obvious solution to this–you make the new Batman film franchise based on 90’s animated series Batman Beyond. This way, you can have a younger Bruce Wayne appear in the JL, and an old Bruce (with another actor–maybe Clint Eastwood, whenever he’s not busy talking to chairs) appear in Batman Beyond training a new protege in the future.  Warner Brothers probably saw the lukewarm reaction fans had to Sony rebooting Spider-Man so quickly, and fearing a similar reaction to having “Batman Begins… Again!” so soon probably made them re-think their strategy. A Batman Beyond movie series is the “have your cake and eat it too” solution, as it would keep the two franchises from conflicting with each other.

 

A Batman Beyond movie would keep the Batman film franchise alive, all while combing the best elements of Batman, Iron Man and Spider-Man.
A Batman Beyond movie would keep the Batman film franchise alive, all while combing the best elements of Batman, Iron Man and Spider-Man.

 

Of course, this is all still rumor at this point, but “El Mayimbe” has quite the track record when it comes to these scoops (and if turns out to be false, expect Latino-Reviews credibility to plummet just as fast as it went up.) If it is true though, then Justice League just possibly went from being an industry and fanboy joke to being a real contender.

Somewhere, Ryan Reynolds is waiting for Christopher Nolan's phone call. He will call...right?!
Somewhere, Ryan Reynolds is waiting for Christopher Nolan’s phone call. He will call…right?!

 

RUMOR: Chris Nolan To Produce ‘Justice League’ With Christian Bale Returning As Batman?

by Shawn Madden

Sure, we’ve heard plenty of rumors regarding Warner Bros. planned Justice League film. But this time around, these rumors actually makes sense. According to Latino Review’s El Mayimbe, Warner Bros. has locked in (or is in talks with) Christopher Nolan, who is a producer on Man Of Steel, to produce their upcoming Justice League film alongside Zack Snyder.

 

Additionally, word is that Snyder’s Man Of Steel is receiving nothing but massive praise and Warner Bros. wants the director to return to direct Justice League as well. This does seem like it would be something that they would be doing after the recent news that Warner Bros. has decided to toss out Will Beall’s script for the film. Word is that they may pursue having David Goyer work on a script alongside Christopher Nolan for the film. But, that’s not the biggest part of this news at all. So, ever since the film was first announce, what has fans number one concern been when it came to this film? Well, that would be Batman and what Warner Bros was planning to do when it came to the character.

 

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With Warner Bros. bringing on Nolan to produce, they’re hoping that he will also be able to convince Christian Bale to come on and reprise the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Justice League. This would then result in establishing a DC Cinematic Universe right off the bat and remove confusion regarding a new actor taking up the role. If Bale does come on, it could mean we may actually get an answer regarding the ending of The Dark Knight Rises. So, it’s a win-win situation here if this turns out to be true.

 

Superman -new_closeup

 

Plus, who doesn’t want to see Bale and Cavill teaming up on the big screen? Bale himself even stated that if Christopher Nolan asked him to do a fouth film, he’d more than excited to do it. Unlike all the negative news we’ve heard surrounding this project, and there has been plenty, this is actually a bit of good news and appears that Warner Bros. may actually be heading in the right direction with this project. For now though, this one is definitely falling in the rumor department until we get some form of official announcement. Be sure to check back and see if we light up the Bat signal regarding this one.

 

Source: Latino Review

Warner Bros. May Look For New Writer For ‘Justice League’

by Shawn Madden

The latest bit of information about Justice League is far from good news. There’s a chance that the film, which Warner Bros. aimed for a 2015 release, may get scrapped in general. After his film Gangster Squad did so horribly at the box office, Warner Bros. began debating whether or not to go in a different direction with the project. According to Bad Ass Digest, and their multiple sources, the script for the film from Will Beall is horrible… so horrible that Warner Bros. may be losing faith in the project and could scrap it altogether or begin the search for a new writer.

 

JUSTICE-LEAGUE2

 

 

The sources state that the script is “half-baked from the beginning”, and constantly adds and subtracts characters, with no point to them appearing, outside of the “main five” who are supposed to appear in the film. With the script being so bad for the film, Warner Bros. is unable to attach a director to the project.

 

While none of this is officially confirmed, it does sound quite a bit like what I have been hearing regarding Will Beall’s script. With Warner Bros. in a rush to compete with The Avengers rather than take their time with the project, things aren’t looking good for Justice League at all. However, the movie does still sit on the shoulders of Man Of Steel at the moment. If that film is successful, Warner Bros. may choose the route of finding a new writer for the script.

Could Matthew Vaughn Be Directing ‘Justice League’?

by Shawn Madden

There’s been plenty of rumors and talk about directors when it comes to Warner Bros. upcoming superhero ensemble, Justice League. Just today it was revealed from a fairly reliable source what characters would be seen in the film. Now, we may have the first official hint at who may actually be directing the film. Just a short while ago Variety’s Marc Graser, a very reliable source, tweeted something very interesting.

 

Justice-League-New-52

 


 

Could we be getting ready for some official news regarding this project? Not long ago it was rumored that Matthew Vaughn would be directing the next Star Wars. But with the recent news of J.J. Abrams signing on to direct Star Wars: Episode VII, could this end up being the real project that that the director has signed on for? We may be finding out very soon.

Heroes Revealed For ‘Justice League’ Film!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Latino Review has just dropped some HUGE new information about the upcoming Justice League film adaptation.

 

According to the site, they’ve learned which heroes will be in the spotlight of the insanely anticipated film (at least as far as the current script goes). They also broke word of who the main villain would be late last year.

 

The five super-stars of the film will be: Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and The Flash. Possible cameos are thought to include Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and (less likely) Hawkman.

 

What do you think of the team? Who would you like to see play those characters? Who would you like to see direct the film? Shout out below!

 

Justice League is set to hit theatres in Summer 2015.

 

JUSTICE-LEAGUE2

‘Justice League’ Film To Be Based On A Certain 1980’s Storyline?

by Shawn Madden

Yet another Justice League movie rumor has surfaced. According to Latino Review, the same source that recently revealed that Darkseid would be the villain the in DC Comics team-film, has revealed a new piece of information about the film. Word is that the screenplay written by Will Beall (Gangster Squad) is being influenced by a particular Justice League storyline from the 1980’s that took place in issues #183-185 of Justice League Of America.

The story, which was written by Gerry Conway and drawn by George Perez, saw the JLA team-up with the Justice Society Of America and involves Darkseid “planning the destruction of Earth by blasting it with a ray that’ll move Apokolips into the Earth’s place”. Wait, Justice League: Dark Of The Moon? Yes, that was a Transformers joke.

There’s currently no word as far as just how much the screenplay will take from the storyline, and at the moment it’s still a rumor. The source is usually fairly reliable, but have been known to get debunked here and there. And it’s pretty surprising that they wouldn’t just pursue the recent New 52’s first story arc for Justice League, which would be a perfect and easy introduction to all of the characters, and would choose to pursue such an obscure storyline. Let’s see how this one works out.

Do We Already Know Who The Villain In The Justice League Movie Is?

by Eric Diaz

So it seems we now know who the main villain is probably going to be in the upcoming Justice League movie, and it is quite possibly exactly who you might expect it to be; Darkseid, the God of Evil, and the DC Universe’s #1 bad guy. The rumor comes from Latino Review’s El Mayimbe, and if you’ve heard the name before, it’s probably because he has run many rumors in the last several years (especially concerning super hero movies) that have turned out to be very accurate. He’s as trusted a source as it gets when it comes to this stuff.

Darkseid being the villain makes sense. As I said, he’s the DC Universe’s biggest threat, and the kind of bad guy that would require Superman to actually need a lot of help to defeat. The opening storyline of the New 52 Justice League book seemed like a rough draft for a JL movie, and I doubt that was a coincidence. (although the similarity to that story and the Avengers movie might mean some story tweeking will be in order, just so the general audience doesn’t have even more reasons to see JL as a rip-off of Avengers.) Since Thanos is going to be the villain in Avengers 2, part of me is slightly surprised that Warners is going with Darkseid, since Thanos was inspired by Darkseid in the first place, and Avengers 2 is no doubt coming out first, having already claimed the May 1st 2015 weekend. But hey…I remember when two “giant asteroid coming to the destroy the Earth” movies came out the same summer, and Armageddon and Deep Impact both  ended up doing ok. So maybe two craggy faced alien despots won’t make America’s heads explode.

The Justice League movie has no director or casting yet, but it scheduled to be in theaters summer 2015, along with Avengers 2 and Star Wars: Episode VII, giving sad and lonely nerds everywhere a reason to delay any suicide attempts till at least 2016.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Will NOT Be Playing Batman In ‘Justice League’

by Shawn Madden

Earlier yesterday, rumor hit the internet that we would see Joseph Gordon-Levitt reprise his role as John Blake as a cameo in Man Of Steel that would lead into him playing Batman in the planned Justice League movie. Now, not only was that a ridiculous rumor but a source at Warner Bros. flat out denied it to me last night after I contacted them.

And being how ridiculous of a rumor it is, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to learn that Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s reps have flat out denied his involvement with Justice League. Hollywood.com, “checked in with Gordon-Levitt’s reps who have refuted the rumor entirely.”

From what I have been told, Man Of Steel will be the jumping off point for DC’s “shared cinematic universe”. So, don’t hope for any ties to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy because they probably won’t be there. We will definitely be getting a new Bruce Wayne/Batman for the film but there’s been no word as far as actual casting for the role yet.

Zack Snyder Hints That ‘Man Of Steel’ Will Lead Into ‘Justice League’

by Shawn Madden

When it was revealed that Warner Bros. was working on a Justice League film, which is set to hit theaters in 2015, one big question that many wondered is where would Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel fit in with the film. While speaking with the NY Post it seems that Snyder has hinted at what fans were hoping for. When asked about Justice League, Snyder commented:

“I don’t know how ‘Justice League’ is going to be handled. Honestly, I don’t. But ‘The Man of Steel’ exists, and Superman is in it. I don’t know how you’d move forward without acknowledging that.”

Then when pressed a little more about whether or not Warner Bros. has asked Snyder to include his film in a DC film universe Snyder replied:

“I can’t really say anything to that, because that’s a big spoiler. I will say, yeah, they trust me to keep them on course.”

Well, sounds like Man Of Steel may be Warner Bros. equivalent to Marvel Studios Iron Man and may be the jumping off point for a shared DC Universe. This also seems to confirm that we will see Henry Cavill, who has signed a three picture deal, reprise the role in 2015’s Justice League.

Man Of Steel hits theaters June 14, 2013.

‘Justice League’ To Shoot Next Year For Summer 2015 Release

by Shawn Madden

Now that Warner Bros. has won their case against the Schuster Heir’s for the rights to Superman it seems that the studio can now focus on bringing their various heroes together for the planned Justice League flick.

We already knew this one was in the works, but  apparently a loss yesterday would have meant serious problems for any further use of one their main character’s key mythology on-screen would have been a major issue for the film. But now, according to The LA Times, who cite a “a knowledgeable person not authorized to discuss the matter publicly”, Warner Bros. is moving full speed ahead with the project.

“Warner hopes to shoot the film next year and release it in the summer of 2015. The studio already has a “Justice League” script in the works. Next it needs to attach a director and then cast the lead roles.”

So, summer of 2015 we may see the ultimate super-showdown between Justice League and the sequel to The Avengers in theaters. The site also confirm that WB are taking a reverse approach than Marvel took when it comes to bringing their characters to the big screen. It seems their plan is “to spin out other superheroes into their own movies following”. I’m a little shaky on that one myself. And to be honest, after the box office powerhouse that The Avengers was combined with their Phase Two films keeping people interested in these characters…I definitely can see the sequel dominating the box office again in 2015.

RUMOR: WB Looking At Armie Hammer To Play Batman In ‘Justice League’

by Shawn Madden

We’ve got another casting rumor floating around this week. But just like the last rumor, this one doesn’t sound entirely unlikely. It appears that Warner Bros. has their sights on actor Armie Hammer (The Lone Ranger) to play Batman in their upcoming Justice League film. Keep in mind that Armie Hammer came very close to donning the cape and cowl once already. He was up for the role in Warner Bros. Justice League: Mortal movie that never came about.

The actor has on numerous occasions expressed his disappointment in interviews, explaining that they were only days from shooting when the roof caved in on the project. According to Moviehole they have sources that tell them that Warner Bros. has Hammer at the top of their list to for the in their upcoming Justice League film.

“Hearing, from a very good source, today that Hammer, who is now a hot commodity after such flicks as “The Social Network” and “Mirror Mirror”, not to mention his upcoming lead role in “The Lone Ranger”, is ”back on WB’s radar” for the part of Batman. Not for a solo flick, but for the ensemble “Justice League” movie [again].”

The site also goes on to say that Hammer may only be wanted for the studio’s Justice League meaning that we could see another Batman cast later on down the line for solo films. Hoping for a DC Cinematic Universe? You may not get it if that turns out to be true. Well, you may still get it but not a very consistent one. We will be sure to keep you updated as we learn more. But like any rumor…take this very lightly for the moment.

Source: Moviehole

The Justice League Movie: A Mostly Coherent Guide To Super Friends on the Silver Screen

by Joe Starr

A lot of ‘to do’ and ‘ruckus’ has been made over how Warner Brothers should go about making a Justice League movie. Does Batman need to show up at the end of Man of Steel? How do we introduce people to all the characters? Should there be nipples?

While Marvel has had insane success with the first phase of their movie universe by bridging multiple hero movies into a shared storyline leading to The Avengers, 99% of all other movies with an ensemble cast typically manage to give you a story and characters within the first 10 or 15 minutes. And if Avengers has taught us anything about audiences at super hero movies, you don’t need to justify crazy powers, clashing genres, or put everyone in dark black leather. The crowd just wants to be entertained.

So my advice to Warner Brothers? Regardless of how Man of Steel does, just go make a Justice League movie. People know who Superman and Batman are, a lot of people kind of remember Wonder Woman, and that’s really all you need to get on board.

In fact, to help out, I’ve graciously spent 15 minutes of my life outlining a movie for you and casting the roles. You’re welcome. Please pay me. I need to see a dentist.

JUSTICE LEAGUE!

So the first thing you need to do is give a quick nudge to where we are in the world. And how do we do that without Iron Man touch screen and holo displays? THE NEWS. Show us all 17 24 hour news channels in the DCU doing a quick blitz of President Lex Luthor, who was elected after the entire city of Gotham was held ransom by Bane and is now entering his second term with a strong anti metahuman agenda in response to Superman, explaining that in the wake of the recent death of American fighter pilot Steve Trevor, who crashed on  a mysterious Amazon Island, which recently appeared out of no where, these strange Amazon warrior tribes represents a clear and present danger to the United States and we’re gonna wipe the place out. USA! USA! USA!

Yeah that’s right, suck it Marvel! Ed Norton as Lex Luthor! I’m about to American History X a bunch of superheroes with SCIENCE! Eat a dick, Ruffalo!

We cut to chaotic footage of the D Day style invasion of the Amazon Island. It looks like a modern Saving Private Ryan but with 300 looking warrior ladies instead of Nazis.

“Victor can you believe all chicks with swords? It looks like something out of Revenge of the Titans, a great movie I saw in 3D 7 times! OH GOD ARROWS!” A young terrified marine named Victor Stone (John Boyega) saves a buddy with awesome movie taste by punching out a warrior lady but then gets nailed by a ton of friendly fire and some guy is like OH GOD MEDIC! And they cut back to Amy Adams as anchor Lois Lane at Daily Planet and she’s like ‘yeah so that was an awful thing to see. Here’s some cats in a wheelbarrow.’

Yeah I just watched Attack the Block. So what? 

We cut from the Victor Stone POV to a bunch of armored ladies forcing Princess Diana (that’s unfortunate) to evacuate because they need to make sure she’s safe and protected. Throw in some statues that look exactly like Lucy Lawless because who else would play Hippolyta in the eventual Wonder Woman movie? We get some tossed in lines about ‘that man that crashed in the iron bird…I thought he would recover! What happened?!’

Hi, I’m Katrina Law. I’m on the show Spartacus where I kick the crap out of people and am super beautiful. I’m literally the only actress on the planet currently qualified to play Wonder Woman. 

The Amazons maybe didn’t kill that pilot like the president says they did? OH SNAP SOMETHING IS ROTTEN ON THE ISLAND OF… Does it have a name? Sorry, I’ve been spending all my money on Avengers books my whole life. How stoked are you guys about Marvel Now? LOTS of really cool titles dropping and…Ok.

JUSTICE LEAGUE.

That’s where you throw the title. See? Just jump into this shit. Instead of overthinking about how to make this OK for an audience, just punch them in the face with it, show them how cool it looks to have Xena chicks beating the shit out of the cast of Blackhawk Down and have them be like ‘holy balls, what the eff word?!’ when the title drops. In addition to blowing everyone’s minds out of their buttholes, now we know Batman exists and that the Nolan Bat movies and Man of Steel are this movie’s Phanton Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and A New Hope. Welcome to Empire Strikes Back.

Wait Joe! Remember at the end of TDKR when Batman retires and the Looper guy replaces him? Well, we’ll deal with that later. Ok? Hey look, a private jet owned by Wayne Enterprises!

Bruce Wayne is watching the news on the invasion from his private jet.

Bruce: “It’s hell over there, Alfred. A completely unprovoked act of aggression on a people we know nothing about.”

Alfred is played by Michael Caine again because that dude doesn’t turn anything down ever.

Alfred: “Well sir, perhaps you could show them what happens to acts of aggression in your city.”

Bruce: “That’s the problem, Alfred. This isn’t my city.”

Reveal of METROPOLIS! Batman is in Metropolis! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH.

Honestly? I don’t know who the hell should play Batman. But right now I’m going with Dustin Clare, because male DC heroes should never be played by American actors. ‘But a Bruce Wayne this young could never fit the Nolan timeline!’ you say? New 52 Batman banged Talia and had a 12 year old son in 5 years.

Argument invalid.

DAILY PLANET: Clark! Get in here! Yeah Perry? You’re covering the premiere of Honey Booboo The Movie tonight! But I thought I was covering President Luthor’s dinner? Are you kidding? You look awful on camera. Lane is covering the dinner! You’re covering this crap. GET ON IT.

People keep telling me I need to learn how to format scripts and I keep telling them to stop trying to hold me down. That scene was magic.

Also this movie needs to have a sense of humor about Green Lantern, where people always mention that they heard about what happened in Green Lantern and no one believes any of it because it just sounds ridiculous.

At the dinner, Luthor reinforces his stance on metahumans, that aliens like this…Superman not only spit at the law, they spit at the human spirit and the idea of human achievement. But in the spirit of human achievement, thanks to a partnership between Lexcorp and the Pentagon, the poster boy casualty of the Amazon Invasion, Victor Stone, has been saved! Project: Cyborg! Cyborg, covered in lots of cloth and gauze, waves to the cameras and asks the President when he can get back out there! Everyone claps because America. Also, Lois Lane hits on Bruce Wayne a bunch! “Hey Bruce we all thought you were dead after the Bane incident but when you ended up being fine we were all weirded out that you didn’t take your house back from those orphans and he’s like ‘Lets just say Gotham is in good hands and I’m focusing on a global scale.” See? Addressed. At some point he decided to unretire and then wink at the Grant Morrison fans with a seriously thin Batman Inc reference. It’s this movie’s unfinished Cap shield.

And then Diana from the Island busts in and is all like YOUR FAULT! ALL OF IT! Bruce Batmans up in a some kind of bad ass mobile costume suit up sequence and defends the president against her! It’s the first Batman sighting since the Gotham City siege!

Hey! Also in the room! It’s a catering guy! It’s a misplaced plane! No! It’s Superman! Still played by Henry Cavill because I really want his movie to be awesome! High powered Lexcorp soldiers led by Amanda Waller still played by Angela Basset who’s been by the President’s side in like every scene he’s in are escalating the crap out of things! The president points to the cameras and says C WE REALLY NEED 2 DO SOMETHING THESE GUYS R A MENACE K THANX. Lexcorp troops are going to kill Wonder Woman and Superman is all like woah due process and they’re ‘like suck a dong Superman’ and so he grabs Wonder Woman and Batman and flies them to THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE. Wonder Woman and Superman fight because she’s freaked out and he locks her in a cell because chill lady.

Batman and Superman take a moment to size each other up. Everyone gets boners in the audience, except for people who are wondering where Thor is. You know where he is? He’s a hot lady in a cell in the Fortress of Solitude because Wonder Woman should be DC’s Greek God based Thor and her movie should have been the Clash of the Titans remake but in present day and how hard is that to figure out?

President Luthor announces a big Skynetty computer AI defense system to track and deal with metahuman threats. He laughs and reminds everyone that people always accuse him of being a Brainiac so that’s what it’s being nicknamed. Batman tries to check out the Brainiac project by breaking into Lexcorp. In one room he sees a big global map with different areas located, squints his eyes and says ‘Atlantis…?’ and then Cyborg attacks him because these heroes have to get on the same page, am I right??

But then it turns out that Luthor built Brainiac with what he thought was Krypton tech but it turns out to be whatever it is that Brainiac actually is and I’m not exactly sure what that is because looking at his Wikipedia page gave me a migraine. But any way, Brainiac attacks and Cyborg is saving people and Batman is in the holding cell Cyborg and Amanda Waller dumped him in all like ‘let me help you’ and Wonder Woman is like ‘let me help you’ to Superman and he’s all like ‘I dunno lady I’m a boy scout and you’re dangerous’ and she’s all ‘ughhhhh you’re an idiot but also my sexy male equivalent.’

And then Brainiac hits the Fortress of Solitude and trashes it. It’s on. Superman and Wonder Woman show up in Metropolis to fight it’s AI hordes. Cyborg goes against orders and lets Batman out and the team comes together. At some point Batman picks up a bow and arrow and says WELL THIS IS JUST STUPID staring right into the camera. Eventually Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Cyborg beat Brainiac through a series of progressively escalating CG action pieces that make up most of the third act of the movie and the world forgives Warner Brothers for Batman and Robin but not for the Matrix sequels.

NEVER FORGET

Brainiac not being completely dead is teased. At the end of the movie after the good guys win, Supes salvages the fortress to begin building a new structure so that they can keep an eye over the world they’re trying to protect. You know, like an Avengers Watchtower.

And then Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern shows up and Batman is like ‘oh, you’re real?’ and in the background a wacky homeless guy who earlier bet another homeless guy that ‘there’s no way a guy ever fought a purple jizz fog because how stupid does that sound?’ just quietly hands his buddy three bucks. And Green Lantern says ‘But seriously guys, I hate to sound ridiculous, but I’m a galactic peacekeeper, and Earth is about to be invaded. By Mars.’ And then there is this crazy shot of White Martian fleets mobilizing.

HEY we’re in the sequel to rub John Carter in Disney’s face a little more!

And there you go. You get the big three anchored by a young every man people can get behind because he served his country. You get Lex Luthor as a legit bad guy that isn’t scamming real estate agents: He’s the POTUS. You get guns vs. swords and you get super heroes vs. AI robot hordes. You get a Martian Manhunter tease. You get an Aquaman nod.

Because you guys HAVE to have an Aquaman nod.

*sighs, waits for millions of dollars to roll in*

Frank Miller Involved With ‘Justice League’ Movie?

by Shawn Madden

The latest of many rumors attached to the upcoming Justice League film is an interesting one. It appears that an undercover Warner Bros. marketing/research team made it’s way into an undisclosed comic book shop and began asking a series of question to gauge what fans reactions are to Marvel Studios, the talked about Justice League film and Frank Miller. The team apparently entered the shop posing as fans, but it became apparent to the staff by the time they finished their first question that they were definitely not.

The team began asking questions regarding whether fans would accept a DC superhero movie without Christopher Nolan directing and if he served as a producer, would that placate fans?

Apparently they also began asking about the team line-up and made sure and mentioned Aquaman but also went on to mock the Ant-Man film only to become worried when the staff said it would probably be cool. The most interesting of the questions seemed to be the final question. They asked:

“What would fan reaction be to a Justice League movie with Frank Miller’s name attached?”

If this turned out to be true. What would it really mean to have Frank Miller’s name attached? Is he rewriting Will Beall’s (Gangster Squad) script, producing or directing? I guess we’re going to have to wait and find out.

Source: Bleeding Cool

Geekscape Comics: War Is Coming To DC In Crossover Event “Throne Of Atlantis”

by Shawn Madden

Just yesterday it was announced that current Aquaman artist Ivan Reis would be taking over art duties on Justice League. Now USA TODAY revealed that beginning with issue #15 of the series we will see a crossover event with Aquaman called “Throne of Atlantis.” This event will be one of the arcs building towards DC’s upcoming event “The Trinity War”.

Geoff Johns on the crossover:

“They don’t just come up out of the water to say hello. The Justice League is trying to come together and become the team that Aquaman said in issue 12 the team needed to be: a team that trusts each other, that knows each other, and there are no secrets anymore.

There’s still questions of what Atlantis is like and what they do and what they’re capable of and why they exist and who sank Atlantis. There’s all this mythology behind Atlantis that we’re not really sure of and no one really has any answers, and we’re about to get the answers.”

 

Geekscape Comics: Ivan Reis Taking Over On ‘Justice League’

by Shawn Madden

Many have been speculating just who will take over on Justice League after Jim Lee leaves the title in a few issues. Well, it’s now been revealed that Ivan Reis, the current artist on Aquaman, will be taking over the title. Geoff Johns commented on Reis taking over art duties on the title:

“There is no other choice for the next A-Star art team on JUSTICE LEAGUE. Ivan Reis and Joe Prado bring power, grace, emotion and epic storytelling worthy of the world’s greatest super heroes. From GREEN LANTERN to BLACKEST NIGHT to AQUAMAN, I couldn’t ask for better collaborators. The second year of JUSTICE LEAGUE will begin an adventurous, mysterious and heroic storyline focusing on our members as their greatest secrets are revealed…and the repercussions change the world. Ivan and Joe begin with a story they were born to draw — THRONE OF ATLANTIS — a story between JUSTICE LEAGUE and AQUAMAN that will have the League experiencing what Aquaman does — they’ll be caught between land and sea. With new relationships developing – like Wonder Woman and Superman – new members coming on – like Shazam! and the all-new Atom — and new threats rising — like Ocean Master & Atlantis — the Justice League will grow and change as we march towards the impending TRINITY WAR.”

Check out the cover to Justice League #15:

Source: Buzzfeed

Summer 2012 Was The Biggest Super Hero Movie Summer Yet. But Can It Be Topped?

by Eric Diaz

So Labor Day is upon us, which means that for all intents and purposes, summer is over. Believe me, writing that is weird, because as I write this it is something like 80+ degrees outside. But weather aside, as far as Hollywood is concerned, the major summer movie blockbuster season was over with the release of The Expendables a couple weeks back. And I think it can now be made official: summer 2012 was THE summer of the super hero.

In the final box office tally of summer 2012, the three biggest movies were all comic book super hero movies. Avengers is the third biggest movie domestically of all time, destroying even the most ambitious of expectations. Worldwide, it made a billion and a half dollars. The Dark Knight Rises ended Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy with dignity intact, and is currently on track to be the number seven film released domestically of all time, also with a billion dollars made worldwide. And oh yeah…at #3 this year is the red headed step child of the summer, The Amazing Spider-Man, which despite its detractors, went on to make  $260 million domestic, and nearly $800 million worldwide. True, actual ticket sales are at their lowest in twenty years, but the success of these three mega hits in a summer filled with misses shows that even in the toughest movie going market, one can almost always count on the nerd dollar. A lot of people have been wondering when the comic book movie boom would end. Detractors have been saying “any minute” for what seems like years now. But looking at the box office tallies of this summer, it is pretty clear the American public is anything but sick of super heroes.

Going into Summer 2012, a lot of people were saying this would be the peak of the comic book movie juggernaut that has been with us since Summer 2000, when Bryan Singer’s X-Men started the modern super hero movie ball rolling in earnest. But was this past summer the peak of this phenomenon, or is this  just the begining of the second phase, leading not only to Avengers 2 in 2015, but also Warner Brother’s response to the Avengers in the form of Justice League?  Sure, a Justice League movie has been rumored for years now, and even once almost happened. But that was before Avengers made over a billion dollars at the box office; now Warner Brothers has to respond to Marvel’s success with their own super hero mega group flick. Warners has apparently approached directors from Ben Affeck to David Yates to the Wachowskis in a desperate effort to have this puppy ready by Summer 2015. It is a safe bet to assume that this time, when it comes to the League, they’re serious. On top of all that, based on how the last two summers have played out, not to mention how the next two summers are set to roll out, There will almost certainly be another super hero film that year, although the real question is who will dare to take on the JLA AND the Avengers in Summer 2015?

The ultimate super hero box office battle is set to take place in three years, when the Avengers take on the Justice League. Who would have thought THAT would ever happen?

Although there are plenty of comic book and super hero movies scheduled for next Summer as well as 2014, none are as likely to be as huge as an Avengers sequel or a Justice League movie. Right now, the sequel to the Avengers is maybe the most anticipated sequel since maybe The Empire Strikes Back. And even though there hasn’t been the same lead up, Justice League is at least as anticipated as the first Avengers was, as a JLA movie not only teams up Superman and Batman for the first time in live action, but also introduces live action versions of the Flash, Aquaman and Wonder Woman. While it is a safe bet that almost all of the super hero flicks coming over the next two Summer seasons will do well (only Guardians of the Galaxy is the real question mark) none are going to have the epic must-see feel of either of these potential 2015 movies. Add to that a potential third super hero flick into the mix that summer, and summer 2015 is set to dwarf summer 2012 in a big way. If there is a super hero movie peak, it is likely at least three years away still.

Avengers 2, The Justice League, and…..?

It is fair to say we can make a solid, educated guess on what the third super hero movie of summer 2015 won’t be, by process of elimination. Iron Man 3, The Wolverine, and Man of Steel are coming out next Summer, 2013, with Thor: The Dark World following that winter. So it is highly unlikely any sequel to those movies are coming out as soon as 2015, especially with both Thor and Iron Man presumably starring in Avengers 2. Same logic applies to Superman in  a JLA movie, that squashes his chances even more of having another solo film that summer. Summer 2014 has sequels to The Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and X-Men: Days of Future Past. So forget any X-Men movies in 2015 to go head to head with the Avengers or the JLA, and no Spidey or Cap sequels will follow that fast. Also, according to every reliable source, DC/Warners won’t have another super hero property out after Man of Steel until 2015, when Justice League is set to hit. In all likelihood, the third comic book property that summer will be a Marvel one, with one other notable possibility. But what? Who will be the third super hero movie to go toe to toe with the Avengers and the JLA? Here are my best guesses on who will likely complete the ultimate super hero movie summer three years from now.

Option #1: Daredevil

Fox is  just about to give up their rights to the Daredevil franchise to Marvel Studios/Disney. A grittier, more realistic take on a super hero might fill in the void left over from the end of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies, as the Batman in a Justice League flick will definitely be different. With Daredevil, It’s still a super hero movie, but it would be as dramatically different from Avengers and JLA as humanly possible, and not feel like direct competion. I’d say this difference gives Daredevil the best shot.

Option #2: The Fantastic Four

While Fox was willing to let the Daredevil rights go back to Marvel, it his highly unlikey that they will allow Marvel’s First Family to go anywhere anytime soon. We know they have a reboot of that franchise coming soon, with Chronicle’s Josh Trank at the helm, but will they dare to compete with both the Avengers and the Justice League? It is a 50/50 proposition really; an FF movie could benifit from super team mania that summer, or it could just get crushed between those two giants. I suppose it would ultimately depend on how good it is. It would amazing in a way if three of the four longest running super teams being published made it to movie theaters all in one summer. The twelve year old version of me’s head might explode.

Option #3: Dr. Strange

Marvel Studios has been teasing a Dr. Strange film for a while now, and it seemed the front runner for their 2014 movie until Guardians of the Galaxy took that slot. With Guardians, Marvel is going knee deep into outer space territory, and it seems after that the world of magic is the next logical step. Dr Strange could tie in somewhat to the overall Marvel Movie universe, while still being tangential to the greater Avengers story. Dr Strange, along with Ant-Man, are the last two Stan Lee created major Marvel properties from the 60’s who haven’t yet had a movie. I’d like to see the old man get his cameo.

 

Option #4: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Although the TMNT reboot was scheduled to be released in early 2014, the script review that leaked recently was so scathingly negative as to probably make producer Michael Bay reconsider the direction they are going in and push that movie back, maybe as far as summer 2015. Even though the Ninja Turtles are a super hero team of a sort, there is no chance anyone would ever confuse them with the Avengers or the JLA. They could carve their own little niche that summer.

 

There will be plenty of geek speculation for the next three years as to how summer 2015 will turn out, and there will be plenty of comic book films from now till then to keep us all excited (not to mention NON comic book films….I hear they still make those) But all eyes are on summer 2015, and after that….then maybe we can talk about whether super hero movies have peaked or not. In the meantime, let the speculation continue.

Geekscape Comics: The Justice League/Transformers Crossover That Almost Happened

by Shawn Madden

The crossover that almost happened! Just prior to DC launchng the New 52,  Chris Ryall of IDW and Phil Jimenez of DC Comics pitched the idea that got sidelined. However, don’t get too excted seeing these because the project is definitely dead in the water as Jimenez has begun posting the images to his Facebook.

Source: Bleeding Cool

Even More Names Added To The List Of Potential Directors For ‘Justice League’

by Shawn Madden

It looks like we’re getting even more names added to the list of potential directors for Warner Bros. upcoming Justice League film. Peter Georgiou of Thinkmcflythink Tweeted earlier this week that he had heard some more names that were on Warner Bros. radar for the upcoming and he didn’t sound too stoked on the names he had heard. He’s revealed some of the names on the list that include Zack Snyder (Watchmen), Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) and joining Brett Ratner on the list of people that no one wants to do it…McG (Terminator: Salvation).

Georgiou also Tweeted that they were about eight names in total on this list, and we can possilby expect more to be revealed shortly. Keep in mind that of course if these directors are on the list it doesn’t mean that any of them are going to do it. Hell, some of these name have most likely not even been approached yet for the upcoming project. Let’s just keep Brett Rater and McG away from this one please Warner Bros. I think of all the names revealed Snyder, Fleischer and The Wachowskis are definitely the best picks on the list. So, what do you think about these?

Source: Peter Georgiou [via ScreenRant]

Jesse Bradford Is A Big Deal! The Geekscapepod For August 28th, 2012!

by Jonathan

Geekscape writer Shawn Madden joins me on this Geekscapepod as we talk about potential directors for Warner Bros planned ‘JLA’ movie. Marvel, Joss Whedon and ABC put a S.H.I.E.L.D. series into production! Kick Ass 2 is putting together quite the cast. Rob Liefeld has lost his damn mind! A new team is taking on The Man of Steel for DC and the leaked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles script sounds awful! PLUS! Jesse Bradford is a big deal and my neighbor has a mid-life crisis!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:58 — 18.7MB)

Brett Ratner On List Of Considered Directors For ‘Justice League’?

by Shawn Madden

Originally it was reported that Warner Bros. wanted Ben Affleck to direct their upcoming superhero epic, Justice League. After Affleck announced that he was not interested in doing the film the studio began compiling a list of directors which has been reported to be topped by Lana and Andy Wachowski. But, now another name has been reported to be on that list. While this may be a rumor, and man do I hope it is, Superman Super Site is reporting that sources close to the project are hearing that studio executives are very interested in Brett Ratner. Apparently none of these executives have seen the horrendous X-Men: The Last Stand.

“The studio is very pleased with the work that Brett [Ratner] has done as a producer and director on past projects,” states our sources. “They are now very interested in seeing what he can do with helping finally bring this group of iconic superheroes to the big screen!”

Yes, this would not be the first comic book movie for the filmmaker that is best known for directing the Rush Hour franchise. No, this is definitely not the project for that director. One of the few road bumps in this possibility is that Brett Ratner has just started pre-production on a fourth Rush Hour film. And may we all pray that they decide to go with someone else here. I am honestly quite interested in seeing a Wachowski helmed version of Justice League and hope that the rumors of them being the second choice on the list come to be true and end up with them helming the upcoming film. Until anything official is announced though…let’s keep this one on the rumor list.

Lana And Andy Wachowski Warner Bros. Second Choice For ‘Justice League’?

by Shawn Madden

Not too long ago word broke that Warner Bros. wanted Ben Affleck to helm their upcoming Justice League movie. Well, earlier this week Ben Affleck revealed that he is in fact not working on the upcoming Justice League movie:

“I’m not working on the Justice League. One of the problems with entertainment web sites is that they need to fill pages, and that’s how rumours get started. Justice League sounds really exciting, but it’s not something I’m working on.”

It appears now that there a couple of new names that have popped up as possible candidates for the job and they may be going with more than one director. Moviehole is reporting that Lana and Andy Wachowski are WB’s second choice for the film. Warner Bros are apparently so impressed with Cloud Atlas that they’ve put the directors under consideration for the upcoming superhero epic. The directing duo is responsible for giving the studio one of their most successful film trilogies of all time, The Matrix trilogy. This wouldn’t be the first time the Wachowski’s have considered doing a comic book film. They were the duo behind V For Vendetta, had contemplated doing a Plastic Man film in the past and ever were in the running for Man Of Steel before Zack Snyder took on the project. Would they consider doing it? Possibly. Would it be a good choice to have them do it? Most definitely.