You don't get it, son. This isn't a email service, it's a blog and we're the bloggers! We are the Caped Informers. Here to inform you on all current comic related news.
Rumor has it that Warner Bros is interested for Matthew Vaughn (Kingsmen, X-Men: First Class) to direct their upcoming Man Of Steel sequel. My Reaction:
Make this happen! It just needs to. Matthew Vaughn brings incredible action sequences, heart, and a great sense of humor. All which a Superman movie should have in spades.
Just imagine this with less guns, more Brainiac bots, and a 100% more Henry Cavill (Man Of Steel). Now that's a home run.
Follow me @cstrand73 on Twitter for more breathtaking insights.
Forget Batman and Superman, the real greatest team up of all time is taking place behind the camera. Warner Bros has announced that Academy Award winning talent and current Batman, Ben Affleck (The Town), will be directing as well as starring in the next Batman solo film! So who did WB decide to team with their one man wrecking crew to write this bad boy? None other than their top DC comics writer, Geoff Johns (The Flash)! Holy shit, right? That is one hell of a tag team. Affleck is a life long fan of the character and Johns has written the Bat on multiple occasions. So expect the most comic accurate and badass Batman to date on the silver screen. The movie is expected to shoot after Affleck wraps up production on Dennis Lehane's Live By The Night. So a tentative mid 2017 release date sounds likely! Source: ComicBookMovie
What direction do you want Affleck+Johns to take Batman? Who should the villain(s) be? Sound off in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in for all our TV + moviereviews. as well as our editorials.
Stop whatever you're doing and check out the high quality version of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice's teaser trailer. Most importantly check out Ben Affleck's Batman!
Batwing confirmed! Batmobile looks great! Superman is lifting heavy shit! Pretty much what I expected from the initial teaser. Remember the movie is about 11 months away. They don't wanna blow their load too soon.
Take or leave any other part of the teaser. All I need is this shot. Its fucking glorious.
Thanks for reading! Did you like the Batman V Superman teasertrailer? Are you going to a Imax screening? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in for our weekly Arrow,Flash, and Daredevilreviews.
STOP EVERYTHING! Zack Snyder just dropped a teaser to his teaser trailer for Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Check it out!!
Few times in life the hype is this high. Star Wars VII trailer tomorrow and a Batman V Superman one on Monday. Life is fucking good.
Thanks for reading! Are you excited for the Batman V Superman trailer? Are you going to a Imax screening? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in for our weekly Arrow,Flash, and Daredevilreviews.
Wow, what a difference 48 hrs. can make? Two days ago, I ruthlessly shat all over WB because I thought they let Michelle MacLaren (Game of Thrones) go for stupid reasons. Then yesterday several outlets reported that maybe WB wasn't so misguided in not agreeing with her vision of Diana. Apparently Michelle had some crazy ass ideas that she wanted to implement in the Wonder Woman film. Such as giving Diana a tiger sidekick that she could talk to and confide in. Finally Jasmine from Aladdin and Diana would have more in common than just being princesses! And if that wasn't strange enough for ya, Michelle wanted to set the film during the world's most famous war, the Crimean War. Yup that notable war that saw the fall of the once great Ottoman Empire. (Yup you bet your ass I googled that shit). And just when I thought my theories looked stupid enough already, the final bomb dropped that completely blew up everything I said two days ago. According to inside sources, Scott Eastwood (The Longest Ride) is not going to be Steve Trevor in the DC movie universe. So my idea that WB wanted his romance with Diana at the forefront of the movie is total bullshit.
Story of my life.
So here I am with no other option, but to apologize to WB for my abrupt comments. I thought you guys were getting cold feet, but just maybe you guys do have some semblance of what should and what shouldn't be in a Wonder Woman film.
I'm sorry WB. I just got to Step 9.
Okay now that I'm done kissing ass, it's time for some good news. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Patty Jenkins (Monster) has inked a deal that will put her at the helm of Wonder Woman. She was supposed to direct Thor 2 a few years back, but like MacLaren here, she left for creative differences. So I'm guessing that WB and her have a specific vision together or they would not have signed her up. Can't have two directors leaving one project. That shit would be bad for business. And best of all because this deal happened so quickly, the movie is still planning on shooting this fall and opening in 2017! Hopefully tiger-free!
Thanks for reading! Do you like Patty Jenkins? Are you excited to see Wonder Woman in Batman V Superman? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in for our weekly Arrow,Flash, and Daredevilreviews.
Bad news for Wonder Woman fans! The Hollywood Reporter has found out that director Michelle MacLaren (Game Of Thrones) has left the upcoming Wonder Woman film that is set to star Gal Gadot (Fast Five) and maybe Scott Eastwood (The Last Ride). The main reason for her departure is being cited as "creative differences with WB" for the direction of the project. No replacement has been named and the movie is still currently slated for 2017. Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Wonder Woman is an icon. She has long deserved the movie treatment. And this news is just another kick in the balls. Michelle MacLaren is a talented person. It sucks to lose her. Similarly Joss Whedon left a potential Wonder Woman movie a few years back. My question is what the fuck are the "creative differences" that WB wants that are turning off all these talented people off with? Do want her to be a damsel in distress for Steve Trevor to save? Do they want her to be a porn star? Cause seriously whatever it is they need to cut the shit and let the creative people craft the character and story.
My best guess to why MacLaren left is that WB probably wanted a large romance subplot tied to Scott Eastwood's Steve Trevor and she didn't want to focus on that bullshit and left. That's just me though cause I'm pretty much done with romance in superhero properties. (I'm such a happy person!) It's ruining Arrow right now. Olicitiy is a fucking disease that has infected the show and changed the funny, charismatic Felicity into weepy romantic fodder for Ollie and Ray to fight over. But back to Wonder, my point is that WB needs to stop turning everyone off with their idea of a Wonder Woman movie. Cause clearly people who know stuff about the character don't like their ideas.
Diana is one of my favorite heroes. She has had many great runs in comics by some awesome writers like George Perez, Gail Simone, Greg Rucka, and most recently Brian Azzarello. The movie could just put the ideas straight from there and I'd be happy. Or fuck it be lazy just adapt the 2009 animated movie that starred Keri Russell (The Americans) as Diana. Personally I don't care what you do just get this movie made. We have heard bullshit excuses for years like "writing a female led film is tricky" and "we just got to get the right people in place". I'm done with that crap. Hunger Games is one of the highest grossing franchises of all time. Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow is one of the most popular characters at Marvel. Women can kick ass. They are not tricky to write for. Just ask Game Of Thrones author George RR Martin.
There is nothing tricky about it. Craft a vision for the characters and let's do this shit. Stop the excuses. Stop the dumbass demands to your creative talent. And make a movie about a superhero that every wants to see. Not just because she is a woman, but because she is an inspiring character who has earned the right to grace the silver screen. (End Rant)
Thanks for reading! What director do you want for Wonder Woman? Is there a character that you are really passionate about that deserves a movie? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in for our weekly Arrow,Flash, and Daredevilreviews.
Just under an hour ago Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice director Zack Snyder released the first official image of Jason Mamoa's Aquaman via Twitter. Check it out!
I think he looks fantastic. He is absolutely rocking that beautiful armor and amazing trident. And don't forget about his Atlantian symbol on his belt.
As for "Unite the Seven" it could mean either unite all seven members of the Justice League or it could mean unite the seven seas. Personally I think (more like hope) we are going to get a series of these photos each featuring a new member of the Justice League until Batman V Superman is released. But holy shit just seeing Aquaman is exciting. What do all those naysayers think now? #UniteTheSeven!
You the man, Zack Snyder!
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters March 25th, 2016.
Who is Batman?: Batman is the secret identity of Bruce Wayne, an American billionaire, industrialist, and philanthropist (You hear that Tony Stark?). Having witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, he swore revenge on criminals, an oath tempered with a sense of justice. Wayne trained himself to peak human physical and intellectual perfection. Often called "The World's Greatest Detective", he dons a bat-themed costume to strike fear into the heart of criminals and to fight crime in Gotham City.
Director: Ben Affleck (The Town)
Why?: Batman directing a Batman movie. In the immortal words of Stan Lee "Nuff said". But seriously Affleck is a major asset to the DCCU not just as an actor, but as a director. In all three of his directoral features Ben has displayed that he knows how to shoot dark and gritty. But what he handles best are the characters in his movies. Each one is an unique and interesting individual provided with kickass dialogue. In addition to shooting the film, Affleck, who is big comics fan himself, should co-write this script with his boy Chris Terrio (Argo).
Proposed Story: Batman thinks he knows his city better than anyone, but is he ever wrong. After a string of strange murders that implicate Dick Grayson (Nightwing), Batman must investigate into an urban legend, that he looked into as a child, called the Court of Owls. He soon finds there may be some truth to the legend, but will he be able to stop the Court's plans before they take out their next target, Bruce Wayne.
Inspired By: The main story will be inspired by Scott Snyder's The Court Of Owls. This story in particular showcases Batman's detective skills and expands upon the ever-growing Batman rogues gallery.
Lead Characters (Cast): I'm only sticking to the main Batman family. So just Batman, Nightwing, and Alfred will be in this film (Sorry Damian, Babs, Jason, and Catwoman).
1. Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck)
Why?: Affleck is going to be a great Batman. I have confidence in him. But in order to differ from Bale's version of the character, this Batman should be emphasized as"The World's Greatest Detective". He needs to show his skills of detection and solve a mystery. The Court of Owls storyline gives the character the chance to do just that.
2. Nightwing/Dick Grayson (Logan Lerman)
Why?: Dick is an essential part of the Batman mythos. Yet he has not had a proper film treatment (That's right Chris O'Donnell, you sucked. And JGL's "Robin" Blake doesn't count either) that the character so deserves. Having Ben Affleck as an older Batman allows for Dick Grayson to have already been Robin and don the mantle of Nightwing. I chose Alex Pettyfer because he is in good physical shape and is an up and coming actor (loved him in Fury). I would love to see some intense acrobatics in Dick's fight scenes as well.
3. Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons)
Why?: Alfred is Bruce's right hand man and confidant. There is no Batman without him. He provides Bruce with comfort along with some occasional dry wit. Jeremy Irons is an acclaimed British actor. He is a perfect choice to pick up the mantle of the World's most famous butler from Michael Caine.
Villains (Cast)
1. The Talon/William Cobb (Scott Adkins)
Why?: The current Talon (assassin) for the Court of Owls, William Cobb carries out any murder that the group asks of him. This part is mostly action focused and doesn't require the actor to take off his mask for pretty much all of it. I chose Scott Adkins because he is a martial arts master.
2. Lincoln March/Owlman (Casey Affleck)
Why?: The surprise villain of the film, Lincoln March is a seemingly straight-edge mayoral candidate that actually has ties to the Court and Bruce Wayne. Casey Affleck is a solid actor. I have fan casted him previously. Click here to read it.
3. Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel (Margot Robbie)
Why?: Harley would be great as a villain to be beaten down in a cold opening. Margot Robbie will have previous been in Suicide Squad by this point. So her appearance would bring more continuity to the universe. Could also lead to a Mr. J tease at the end.
4. The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot (Nick Frost)
Why?: Iceberg club owner/notorious criminal Oswald Cobblepot becomes a high profile target of the Court of Owls. Batman is forced to protect his nemesis from an assassination attempt. Nick Frost is known for his comedic roles. He has talent. I think he is ready to break into drama and The Penguin is just the part to do it.
Thanks for reading! The 12 days of Editorials continues tomorrow with a write-up on Justice League Pt.2! Be sure to check back here then to see it for yourself! And read our first 3 articles on the DCCU by clicking the links below.
Throughout the entirety of my existence I have never been right about anything. So this is a big moment for me. Today Deadline is reporting that Jesse Eisneberg (Batman V Superman) is in talks to reprise his Lex Luthor in the upcoming Suicide Squad. Now yesterday I wrote a article in our Exploring the DCU series about how Luthor could be a solid antagonist in the upcoming David Ayer film. Never did I actually think his appearance would occur. Nor did I think about 13 hours after writing the article that my suspicions would be confirmed. I read WB's minds. Totally Nostrodamesd those motherfuckers. Guess everyone gets one right eventually, right? #HumbleBrag. Anyway Suicide Squad is expected in theaters August 2016. You can also click here to see my article about Luthor in Suicide Squad.
Today is a day where it should be celebrated that I write my stupidity on the internet. No need to thank me because I have already thanked myself. So just get on your knees and thank god that you have access to my dementia.
P.S.- Let's hope this steamy relationship starts up again. I'm getting flustered just thinking about it.
What is the Suicide Squad?: The Suicide Squad (created by John Ostrander and Ryan Scott) is an antihero team of incarcerated supervillains who act as deniable assets for the United States government, undertaking high-riskblack ops missions in exchange for commuted prison sentences. The group operates out of Belle Reve Penitentiary, under the directorship of Dr. Amanda Waller. (Thank you for explaining that so eloquently Wikipedia!)
Director: David Ayer (Fury)
Why?: Last month rumors of a David Ayer helmed Suicide Squad movie hit the internet. Immediately I became excited about the prospects of such a film. David Ayer is known for dark and gritty movies like End of Watch and Training Day. The man even created Denzel Washington's best character Alonzo Harris. That's right he wrote the line "King Kong ain't got shit on me!" and now he'll be directing some of DC's best villains. What's not to love about that? But on a more serious note, Ayer has recently worked on a more ensemble drama titled Fury about a tank crew in Nazi Germany. The flick and especially it's ensemble cast are getting rave reviews (I haven't seen it yet, but I have heard). Suicide Squad is completely dependent around a director who can lead an ensemble cast to an interesting dynamic and with his resume I think David Ayer fits the bill.
Proposed Story:Amanda Waller assembles Task Force X to retrieve the body of alien invader General Zod from Lexcorp. (Rumor is Lex has Zod's body and it will play a role in Batman V Superman)
Inspired By:Batman: Assault on Arkham includes several of the members I will suggest and is a fun heist movie while still remaining considerably dark. I feel that tone matches the Squad and it's members perfectly.
Squad Members (Cast): The Suicide Squad has had many different villains fill it's ranks over the years. Personally I think picking the Squad's roster is most important component of this movie. Ayer can't just throw absolute nobodies out there like Guardians of the Galaxy did. DC films haven't yet earn the credibility Marvel movies have so there is less room for error. Recently Latino Review's El Mayimbe released a list of 7 squad members he saw in one draft of a Squad script. Not gonna lie, the list is rough. (Mindblogger and Jaculi? Are you serious?) Yes it takes influence from the John Ostrander days and thats cool and all, but this movie needs more DC firepower. Especially because it is connected to the greater universe. Instead it could be a great time to introduce some high profile villains before they debut in other heroes' flicks. Then throw in a few low end villains that you can kill off because remember people always die on these missions. (Ain't called the Suicide Squad for nothing). I also decided to leave Rick Flag Jr. out of the mix. I prefer our villains to have a bit more freedom when they are on the mission and Rick brings more order to the crew. Finally, I incorporated actors who are rumored to be in talks to join the movie (Tom Hardy, Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling) and used them to cast the main four roles. The I will provide a grab bag of other of my favorite potential members.
1. Deadshot/Floyd Lawton (Gosling, Hardy, or Smith)
I've been leading this team all night ya douchbag!
Why?: Deadshot is a mainstay in the Squad and their most consistent leader. It ain't Task Force X without him. He will be the main character of this flick and is why I believe that the movie should use his origin that includes a daughter. This will make him a bit more sympathetic, but of course won't affect the fact that he is a badass hired assassin.
Now any of the actors above could knock this role out of the park. Some people believe Will Smith (Hancock) will be Floyd because he always plays the "good guy" and Deadshot is the closet thing to it in this movie. I think Smith would bring the character justice, but I would prefer Tom Hardy (Warrior) play him. Hardy recently excelled in a similar role in The Drop, playing Bob Saginowski. In the end though if Ryan Gosling (Drive) signs on he will be the lead. Just a feeling I have. People love that guy.
2. Harley Quinn/Harleen Quninzel (Margot Robbie)
"Don't you wanna rev your Harley?"
Why?: Harley's inclusion into the Squad has divided comic fans, but I believe she is needed. She is a valuable commodity. She brings diversity and popularity to the team while simultaneously letting the general audience know that the Joker (another fan favorite character) exists in this universe. Her personality also allows for moments of hilarity and flashes of ultra-violence that create fun interplay with her other teammates. That is something neither of the supposed female leads, Vixen and Mindblogger, can provide. Not to mention that her popularity among comics fans is ready to break into the mainstream and this film is the perfect opportunity.
Peanut Butter is meant to go with jelly, the sky is meant to be blue, and Margot Robbie is destined to play Harley Quinn. I didn't think of it before she was rumored last week, but nothing in life has ever made more sense. Robbie burst onto the scene in last year's The Wolf of Wall Street as Leo Dicaprio's wife Naomi. She held her own alongside a star studded cast and even nailed a Brooklyn accent (a key component to Harley). Robbie is a no brainer to portray Harley Quinn.
3. Black Manta (Will Smith)
"Aquaman is MINE!!"
Why?: Manta is Aquaman's arch nemesis and will most likely factor into the King of Atlantis' solo movie in 2018. So I see this film as a perfect opportunity to set up the character for that outing. He was just very recently added to the Suicide Squad's roster so it's not a completely out of the box pick. He also possesses an unique skill set to add to the team. (Underwater shit, son)
Like I said before Will Smith usually plays good guys, but this is his chance to break that trend. He hasn't had a hit in quite some time so maybe it's time to do something different. It's time to embrace the evil Will.
4. Captain Boomerang/George Harkness (Hardy)
"Hoist a pint with us, mate"
Why?: Boomer is a member of Flash's Rogues and also a frequent inclusion into the Squad. I mainly want him to be involved because his attitude (occasional racist and frequent pain in the ass) leads him to bumps heads with his teammates. Friction among the team always makes for a much more interesting story. And once again this could set up his character for a future appearance. Such as in 2018's The Flash movie if need be.
Hardy is extremely versatile and could nail the part of this annoying Aussie. He will most likely be Deadshot if Gosling doesn't sign on, but if pretty boy does nut up and join, Boomer is a fun part that Hardy could do a lot with.
5+6+7. (Pick Any 3)
Vixen: Usually a hero she was forced into the Squad, she has a necklace that can mimic the powers of any animal on Earth.
King Shark: Could definitely add muscle, this cannibal is a fun (and expendable) addition to the Squad.
The Clock King: Tockman was once part of the team, but so was fellow Clock King Temple Fugate (The DC animated version). Fugate's job was to keep the team on a precision schedule and help set up the plans.
Black Spider: Many incarnations. Could use any. Could kill off easily.
Plastique: Can make shit explode. Adds another female member and is a good candidate to betray the team.
Bronze Tiger: Used to butt heads with Boomerang. Provides more muscle.
Killer Frost: Kept her out of the main cast because I wanted to save ice powers (or guns) for Captain Cold or Mr. Freeze, but any incarnation of her brings a cold blooded killer who shows absolutely no mercy.
Antagonists/Villains
1. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis)
"No one messes with the Wall!"
Why?:Waller is of course in command of the Squad. Her mission is to retrieve Zod's body which Cadmus will be using to find Superman's weaknesses. I want our audience cheering against her and cheering for our villainous squad to fuck her over.
Davis is a strong actress who character in How To Get Away With Murder reminds me a bit of Waller.
2. Deathstroke/Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett)
"I made you a promise kid"
Why?: Slade's popularity has soared after appearing on Arrow and in the video games Arkham Origins and Injustice: Gods Among Us. It's time to cash in now. Slade could be working security for Luthor by protecting the body of the Kryptonian. Imagine a fight of the Squad vs Slade. Who doesn't want to see that?
Casted Manu Bennett because at this point who is gonna play Slade better?
3. Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg)
"Krypton sucks"
Why?: It would be a small appearance because since the team is breaking into his company it would make sense. His appearance would a show a pre-established character and future show the cohesiveness of DC's cinematic universe.
Eisenberg has already been chosen as Lex and I hope he does a wonderful job with the character in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
Thanks for reading! Those are my thoughts on Suicide Squad. What is your Squad lineup? What's their mission? Sound off in the comments.
Make sure to check out the next 11 days of Exploring the DC Cinematic Universe. A different DC movie each day. Next up is Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. You can also check out our entire schedule by clicking here.
