New Look at Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash in ‘Justice League’

Zak Snyder has already begun teasing images from Justice League via social media but now we have a look at Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash assembling and ready for action in a new photo released by Entertainment Weekly.

The photo doesn’t do much for me as I think Snyder is overly dependent on the use of green screen. Overall I think it makes the DC universe lack authenticity and feel artificial especially compared to Nolan’s interpretation of the Batman franchise.

“I’m super happy with the chemistry of my league of justice doers,” says Snyder who is currently locked up in the editing bay, readying the film for release next November before he exits the DCEU for a much-deserved break to helm his passion project The Last Photograph.

Justice League hits theaters November 17, 2017.

The film stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, JK Simmons, Diane Lane, Amy Adams, Amber Heard, Jesse Eisenberg, Willem Dafoe, Jeremy Irons, and Ciaran Hinds. Written by Chris Terrio. Directed by Zak Snyder.

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

SOURCE: EW

New Look at Gal Gadot in ‘Wonder Woman’

Last March, Gal Gadot stole the show with her incredible performance as Wonder Woman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Next Summer, Gadot will be back as the amazonian warrior in her standalone feature debut in Wonder Woman. Warner Bros. has revealed a new image of Gadot alongside co-star Chris Pine who plays Steve Trevor in the film.

The image was released with an interview with the film’s director Patty Jenkins where she talked about harnessing male superhero tropes for women:

“We’ve spent years treating male heroes in certain ways. I just applied those same tropes to her, and all these incredible radical moments suddenly appear to an audience.”

Gadot also emphasized the importance of balancing those male tropes to empower feminism itself:

“We knew it was tricky. We wanted to find the balance between portraying her as confident and strong and feminine and warm. I didn’t want her to be a ball buster. I didn’t want her to be bossy. You can be powerful and also loving.”

As a white male, I find it incredibly refreshing to see women being empowered in film whether it be a superhero movie or epic science fantasies such as The Force Awakens and Rogue One. Female heroines in blockbuster movies are long overdue. Women deserve to be featured in the spotlight in these kinds of films whether it be solo or alongside male co-stars. These vehicles offer an entry point to women who would have otherwise been disinterested in action blockbusters because they either felt excluded or weren’t able to relate to the characters. We have a long way to go but I long for the day when we aren’t talking about these kinds of things anymore and boys and girls grow up playing with their action figures together.

Wonder Woman hit theaters June 9, 2017.

The film stars Gal Gadot in the titular role as Wonder Woman, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Robin Wright as General Antiope and Connie Nielson as Queen Hippolyta with a script penned by Alan Heinberg and Geoff Johns, directed by Patty Jenkins.

 “’Wonder Woman’ hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.

SOURCE: TIME

‘Blade Runner 2049’ Announcement Trailer

Cue up that Vangelis. The long-awaited sequel to Blade runner from Denis Villeneuve is finally here. The announcement trailer doesn’t offer much in terms of the plot other than Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is looking for Deckard (Harrison Ford) but it does contain some stunning cinematography from Roger Deakins(Sicario).

Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters October 6, 2017.

Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.

The film stars Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, with Dave Bautista and Jared Leto. Written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. Based on the novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Phillip K. Dick. Directed by Denis Villeneuve.

SOURCE: WARNER BROS.

Former WB President of Creative Development Says Solo Batman Film Will Release in 2018

Ben Affleck made headlines yesterday when he said he was taking his time writing the solo Batman feature, only to reassure the world today that the film was indeed on track telling Variety:

“We’re on the right track with that and everything is coming together. We’re still finishing up a script. I’m very excited.”

While Affleck said he wasn’t concerned with meeting a release date for the project, it seems the solo Batman feature may indeed have one after all.

Greg Silverman, Warner Bros. President of Creative Development since 2013 (right around the time things began to go downhill at the studio), has stepped down from his position at the studio. Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer of New Line Cinema will assume Silverman’s responsibilities, becoming the Chief Content Officer for Warner Brothers. Going forward, Emmerich will oversee films produced by both Warner Brothers and New Line Cinemas.

Speaking to Deadline about his exit from the studio, Silverman addressed the studio’s upcoming slate of projects, casually dropping a major nugget of information regarding the Batman film in development starring Ben Affleck:

“Then in 2018, there is a second Fantastic Beasts film, and Ready Player One feels like an ambitious movie by the world’s best filmmaker, Steven Spielberg, that will set the world on fire. There is Aquaman with James Wan, and Scooby Doo will be a huge launch and then there is Lego Ninjago. And then there is Ben Affleck’s Batman.”

WB currently has a release date reserved for an untitled DC project in July of 2018. Given Silverman’s words, it does seem likely this could be the release of Affleck’s Batman or The Batman as Affleck called it before quickly backtracking on the title. While I do hope they aren’t rushing development of the script to meet the July 2018 release, that is kind of how it works today. Studios don’t just invest in talent and development hoping the film comes to fruition eventually.

As of now, July of 2018 is pretty open giving WB a good opportunity to do major business at the box office. By then, both the young Han Solo film and Avengers: Infinity War will have come and gone, leaving Ant-Man and The Wasp as Batman’s only competition. Ant-Man and The Wasp is not to be underestimated, though, Ant-Man at the time of his introduction into the MCU took home $519 million worldwide. Now that Ant-Man is not only known but loved by a worldwide audience, the sequel is going to be a much heavier hitter at the box office when he returns to theaters.

SOURCES: VARIETY, DEADLINE

‘Dunkirk’ Trailer Teases The Action and Despair To Come

Rounding out the summer blockbusters of 2017 comes an epic war film from masterclass filmmaker Christopher Nolan. Shot entirely on 65MM, the film based on true events follows a group of soldiers during the evacuation of Dunkirk after allied forces were surrounded by the German army.

Dunkirk his theaters July 21, 2017.

The film stars Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Aneurin Barnard, James D’Arcy, Jack Lowden, Barry Keoghan, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Harry Styles.

“Dunkirk” opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces. Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in.

SOURCE: WARNER BROS.

David Ayer To Direct ‘Gotham City Sirens’ Movie

After being shunned from the editing room before Warner Brothers sent Suicide Squad off to Trailer Park productions to put together what became the theatrical release of the film, David Ayer has been welcomed back into the DC fold. Rather than lay the foundation for the DCEU — building their rogue’s gallery up— featuring them individually as antagonists in solo hero led features, Warner Brothers yet again has decided to cut corners in an attempt to catch up to the Marvel cinematic universe by throwing a bunch of villains into another movie together, hoping they can match the box office numbers of films such as The Avengers or Captain America: Civil War.

THR reports Ayer will reteam with Suicide Squad’s diamond in the rough, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn is set to be joined by Catwoman and Poison Ivey in a team up movie based on the comic series Gotham City Sirens. No doubt even the most avid of Suicide Squad haters can’t deny that Robbie was absolutely fantastic in the role, even if she couldn’t decide on an accent. Geneva Robertson-Dworet, who wrote the script for the Tomb Raider reboot which is currently in development will pen the script with DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and Justice League producer Jon Berg set to produce the film.

While the idea of seeing Harley Quinn bouncing off of Catwoman and Poison Ivy sounds fantastic, what is alarming is that the move is due only to the response to Robbie’s performance. Rather than focusing on building a foundation for the DCEU by telling the stories they think are the right to tell, Warner Brothers is simply deciding the direction of the DCEU based on the reaction to the characters introduced so far.

Warner Brothers has also tapped screenwriter Christina Hodson to pen the script for a Harley Quinn/Birds of Prey spinoff with a sequel for Suicide Squad and a Deadshot spinoff in development as well. Isn’t a spinoff supposed to be a spinoff from the main stories that flesh out your cinematic universe rather than serve as the tools to do so? Do we stop calling them spinoffs when there are just as many villain led spinoffs as there are hero led films in the franchise?

SOURCE: THR

Ben Affleck is Taking His Time Writing Solo ‘Batman’ Feature

The DCEU had a rough year in 2016. After Man of Steel got the cinematic universe off to a good start, Warner Brothers took a few steps backward when both Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were met with a negative reception, deservedly so. The reaction to BvS caused some last minute changes being made to Justice League which was going under the lens right as BvS hit theaters. Rather than continuing with the doom and gloom tone crafted in BvS, Justice League was going to opt for a lighter tone, injecting some humor so that the audience could have a little more fun.

When it was recently announced that Zak Snyder would be taking a break from the DCEU to helm his passion project The Last Photograph, making way for Ben Affleck’s solo Batman feature to debut in between Justice League Part One and Two, the pressure seemed on to get the ball rolling on Affleck’s Batman which has been rumored to start shooting in the spring of 2017. But Affleck has revealed he is not phased as the actor, writer, director is more concerned with the quality of the film than he is the release date. While promoting his new film Live by Night, Affleck told The New York Times the movie will happen when and if they get the right script together:

I’m a real believer in not doing, not reverse engineering projects to meet a window or a date, but rather like when you get the right story or you get the right idea or you get the right thing, then you make the movie. And so that’s what we’re doing, and I’m hoping to get that done and spending a lot of time on that, but I’m also working on other stuff. And if I could, if I can find it right then there’s nothing I’d love more than to direct a standalone iconic great Batman movie.

It’s reassuring to hear Affleck is more concerned with having a good story than he is with the numbers at the box office but his words to little to inspire confidence if his attention is in fact divided between Batman and other projects. Warner Bros. has a lot riding on the film, Wonder Woman looks like it will help the cinematic universe get back on track, but Batman is the single most important character in the franchise and if his solo film isn’t up to snuff, which it will no doubt be under heavier scrutiny after BvS, it could significantly dilute the brand and leave the future of this cinematic universe in question.

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

‘Aquaman’ Adds Patrick Wilson as Ocean Master

Warner Bros. is continuing to bulk up the DCEU with A-list talent. Deadline reports Patrick Wilson will play the villainous Ocean Master in James Wan’s upcoming swashbuckling action adventure Aquaman.

In the comics, Orm Marius A.K.A. Ocean Master was fully human half-brother of Arthur Curry A.K.A. Aquaman. He turned nemesis after growing up in Arthur’s shadow, resenting him and turning to technology as a high-tech pirate first attacking ships at sea and later moving on to causing natural disasters in an attempt to hold the world ransom.

The choice to cast Wilson in the role is a safe move for Wan and Warner Brothers. The director and the studio has a long history working with Wilson as he has starred in both installments of the on-going Insidious and Conjuring franchises.

Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa, will be the fifth outing in the DCEU. The character was first introduced in this year’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and will also be featured as a main character in the upcoming Justice League. Wilson joins the cast which in addition to Momoa currently includes Amber Heard as Mera, and Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko. An official synopsis for the film has yet to be released.

Warner Bros. has deemed October 5, 2018, as a day worthy for the King of Atlantis to make his big splash in theaters. The film will be debut in both IMAX and 3D.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘Justice League: Part Two’ Delayed to Make Room for Solo Batman Flick

Instead of moving right into production on Justice League: Part Two after completing Justice League, THR reports Zack Snyder will instead take a breather from the DCEU to helm The Last Photograph in order to make room for Ben Affleck to direct and star in the solo Batman film that is currently in development. Details on the plot of Ben Affleck’s solo Batman film are scarce. Joseph Manganiello will co-star as the film’s villain in the role the superhuman mercenary Slade Wilson A.K.A. Deathstroke. Whether Affleck’s Batman will take place before or after the events of the first Justice League is unclear.

This move will also give Warner Bros. an opportunity to make some adjustments to Justice League: Part Two if it needs to do so based on the reaction to Justice League when it hits theaters on November 17, 2017.

The Last Photograph follows a war correspondent in Afghanistan who finds himself the sole survivor of an attack on a group of Americans. The correspondent teams up with a special ops soldier searching for his family, hoping to score the story of his life.

SOURCE: THR

‘Arrow’: “What We Leave Behind” Clip; Producers Preview

Coming off the heels of the alien invasion by The Dominators, Oliver has been reinvigorated in his crusade to make Star City a better place.

The first half of Arrow season five has been a bit of a rollercoaster in terms of quality. The series has delivered good episodes that seem to be taking the series back to its roots but are then followed by episodes full of implausible plots told with sloppy storytelling reminiscent of the atrocious fourth season. What has been ultimately the most frustrating component of season five is this year’s big bag, Prometheus. The mystery of Prometheus’ true identity is rather dull and leaves Arrow without a compelling narrative. The producers expect us to be interested in the villain without actually giving us a reason to be. The reveal of Evelyn Sharpe (Madison Mclaughlin) as a traitor in Team Arrow’s midst, working in cahoots with Prometheus is the most interesting factor related to his character.

Executive producer Wendy Mericle takes us inside the episode, teasing what essentially sounds like a move to retcon Prometheus into the first season during Oliver’s first year as a vigilante when he was a ruthless, cold-blooded killer. Although the show has not offered any context, it has been teased by the producers that Prometheus is the consequence of choices made by Oliver in the past.

The clip released offers a curious shot featuring a crossed-out photo of Lance. The last we saw he was headed to rehab but could Prometheus have captured him and killed him already? Will tonight’s midseason finale finally reveal the identity of Prometheus?

Arrow airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

PROMETHEUS MAKES A DEADLY MOVE AGAINST OLIVER AND THE TEAM — After Prometheus attacks Curtis (Echo Kellum), Oliver (Stephen Amell) realizes Prometheus knows all of Team Arrow’s secret identities and is planning to come for them one by one. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Detective Malone (guest star Tyler Ritter) discover a clue that links Prometheus to Oliver’s past.

SOURCE: THE CW