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The Batman himself, Ben Affleck (Justice League), dropped a cool piece of footage from what appears to be the Justice League (2017) set on all of his social media platforms earlier today. The footage appears to be confirmation that DC villain Deathstroke will be in DC's superhero team up. Check it out:
So this must mean that Deathstroke is in Justice League, right? Well maybe or maybe not because according to The Wrap's scoop master supreme, El Mayimbe, Deathstroke will feature as the main antagonist in Ben Affleck's Batman solo movie. Many had assumed that Jared Leto's Joker would face off with the Dark Knight in his new solo flick, but that appears to not be the case. Deathstroke could definitely cameo in Justice League and then star in The Batman. Or some are suggesting this could just be a costume test just for the Bat's solo film and Slade will not appear in JL.
Personally I hope to see the Terminator in both. Just imagine the fights Batman and Slade will have. Those will definitely rival the warehouse scene from Batman V Superman (2016). Or maybe Zack Snyder wants to recreate the moment from Brad Metzler's Identity Crisis when Deathstroke takes down the whole Justice League by himself. That would be sick.
Are you excited to see Deathstroke in the DCEU? Who should play him? Which movie do you want to see him in the most? Sound off in the comments or hit me up on twitter @cstrand73.
Batman is hands down my favorite fictional character ever. The Bat ignites passion from many different kinds of people. Because of this his movie franchise has been hugely popular, but as with any series of films there have been highs and there have been lows (I'm looking at you, Joel). So with Batman's 75th anniversary year coming to a close later this month, I thought this would be a good time to re-examine Batman's film history. The game plan is to look over each of the seven Bat-films over the next seven days. Then end with an massive overview that includes a look at the future of Batman in film (B V S and Justice League). So without any further ado, let's get started.
Batman (1989)
Directed By: Tim Burton
Batman/Bruce Wayne: Michael Keaton
Love Interest: Vicki Vale (Played By: Kim Basinger)
Villain: The Joker/Jack Napier (Played By: The Great Jack Nicholson)
Score: Danny Elfman
High Points:
Not enough can be said for how this film took on a dark tone that veered the general audience away from thinking of Batman as campy like the Adam West days (Even those are fun and they have their place in Batman's history).
Tim Burton's Gotham was beautifully realized by Art director Anton Furst. The sets were how I had always envisioned Batman's hometown. (Even though the film was shot on a sound stage).
Anton Furst's Bat-mobile and Bat-Wing were glorious
Jack Nicholson's The Joker was both comical and devilishly dark. He was the main highlight of this entire film.
Michael Keaton did well with what he was given.
Prince!
"Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?"
Danny Elfman's Batman March was/is still iconic
Billy Dee Williams (LANDO CALRISSIAN!!) was DA Harvey Dent
Batman did some detective work (Finding the poisonous Joker products)
Batman got laid (Doesn't feel like that happens often)
Favorite Line: "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" - The Joker
Favorite Scenes: The Birth of The Joker and his murder of Carl Grissom
Why?: Holding off showing Joker's transformation was a brilliant move. It made his reveal when he killed Carl Grissom that much cooler.
Low Points:
Batman killed people. He blew up a factory of Joker's Henchmen and later killed the Joker himself. All this was unlike the modern Batman and much more like the very beginning of The Dark Knight in 1939.
Making The Joker the killer of Bruce Wayne's parents was an unneeded tweak to both character's origins.
Kim Basinger's Vicki Vale and Robert Wuhl's (made-up fairy-tale character) Alexander Knox were largely forgettable.
Batman was largely reactive and the only time he really helped was when he foiled the Joker's poisoned products scheme and when he kind of got rid of the Laugh-X filled balloons.
Pat Hingle's Gordon was a goddamn joke whose relationship with Batman was nonexistent.
I'm never a fan of giving the Joker an origin (besides knowing he fell in the vat at ACE Chemicals)
Michael Gough's Alfred is a damn ballbuster/cockblock. First he didn't cover for Bruce when he lied to Vicki Vale about leaving town, then later on Alfred actually brought Vicki to the Batcave and revealed Bruce's secret identity without permission. What the fuck Alfred? I thought you were here to help?
Worst Line: "You wanna get nuts?" - Bruce Wayne
Worst Scene: Alfred letting Vicki Vale into the Batcave
Why?: Seriously Alfred would never do this. Such a dick move.
Verdict:This was the one that started it all. It's importance to Bat-franchise cannot be overlooked. Tim Burton's art-deco film style matched Batman's dark outlook, but it seemed Burton was never truly interested in Bruce Wayne or Batman, but just the Joker. Timmy has always preferred his lead characters be weirdoes/freaks (or Johnny Depp being a freak). He has stated that he didn't read comic books and it showed in his iteration (with Batman offing fuckers left and right). With that said Jack Nicholson's Joker was the highlight of the film. He was funny, scary, and homicidal all rolled into one. He was just fun to watch whenever he was on screen. So overall Batman (1989) gets a 7.5 out of 10. An enjoyable film that brought Batman away from the campiness of the 60's, but didn't stick much to any comic book lore.
Thanks for reading. Stayed tuned for an analysis of Batman Returns tomorrow. And make sure to follow us on Twitter @Caped_Informers or follow me @cstrand73 for all your comic book and Caped Informers news and stories.
Art By: Francesco Francavilla (Batman: The Black Mirror)
Roy thinks he may have done some bad stuff while Ollie thinks Laurel's new pal Wildcat may have done some bad stuff in an all new Arrow.
High Points
Wildcat was a former vigilante
BOXING GLOVE ARROW!!
Roy's Confession
Laurel was right for once
Roy throws down (Sidekick vs. Sidekick)
Ollie doesn't abandon Roy
Call him Arsenal!
Roy recalls what happened in last season's "Seeing Red"
IT FUCKING HAPPENED!!
Low Points
Ollie doubting Ted Grant (Get off your high horse Ollie, you are a vigilante and you have killed people too)
Flashback tied into the story, but were weak
Lame villain who is easily defeated (Terrible frame up btw)
Strangely Diggle wanted to abandon Roy
Verdict: Revelations about Roy and Ted Grant were the highlight of this week's Arrow, but overall this entire episode kind off lagged. Ted Grant's former sidekick was a terrible villain who was easily handed an ass whooping by Team Arrow. His revenge scheme against Ted made for a weak main conflict. Roy and Ollie's scenes were nicely woven into the story though. I'm glad Ollie decided to keep Roy around. Nothing happened on the League of Assassins front and with the end of the episode setting up Cupid, it seems they will not be featured next week either. Overall "Guilty" gets an 6.5 out of 10. You are better than this Arrow.
After months of speculation, Marvel Studios has finally found it's Doctor Strange. Deadline reports that Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) has signed on to play the Sorcerer Supreme in his upcoming solo adventure. About a month ago it seemed as though Joaquin Phoenix (Her) was a shoe-in to play Strange, but Marvel was having trouble signing him up for multiple film appearances. Cumberbatch is a prolific actor in his own right and will have no problem owning this role. Scott Derrickson (Sinister) will direct a script written by Jon Spaihts (Prometheus) Doctor Strange will hit theaters in 2016.
Cumberbatch is one of my favorite actors active today. Marvel has made the right move in getting him to lead a risky venture for them. I just wish DC/WB had made the move to sign BC onto to Justice League as Brainiac, but like Professor Oak always said "The early bird gets the worm, or in this case the decorated British thespian." What do you think of Cumberbatch as Strange? Sound off in the comments.
Who is the Flash?: Barry Allen is a forensic scientist that works for the Central City police department. While working late one night, a lightning bolt shattered a case of chemicals in Allen's office which then proceeded to spill all over him. The electrically infused chemicals is what gave Barry his super speed, reflexes and metabolism. The Flash uses his powers to defend the citizens of Central City, and is one of the original members of The Justice League as well as one of its most consistent members.
Director: Greg Berlanti
Why?: Time for some real talk. Ever since people went nuts for Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, the DC cinematic universe has decided to embrace a darker, grittier take on some of our heroes. Just watch Snyder's Man of Steel and count how many times anyone smiled. Now I am in no way saying dark and gritty is a thing to be frowned upon. Some of the best stories come from that edgier material. However, Superman was portrayed as very broody in his most recent movie and that is what scares me about The Flash. Despite his backstory of having lost his Mom when he was young, Barry is the farthest thing from being broody, or solemn. He is the type of hero who tosses witty banter and corny catchphrases around like it is going out of style. He is the type of guy who interacts openly with the citizens of his city, thus causing them to adore him to the point where they would build a museum in his honor. He reminds me a little bit of how Andrew Garfield's Spiderman holds himself when he is out and about solving crime (maybe not to such an extreme, but the basic gist of it). The tone of The Flash has got to be a bit lighter than usual in order to capture that and Greg Berlanti is the type of guy who can do that. Now you may be thinking to yourself "But Ryan, didn't that monster have a hand in producing the unforgivable, 2011 cinematic blunder known as The Green Lantern?". You would be correct in thinking that, but Greg Berlanti has also been a consistent writer and producer for one of our favorite shows: Arrow. Not to mention he has recently been doing some more writing/producing for a show alongside DC's Chief Creative Officer, Geoff Johns. Which show? The Flash. By 2018, he will have had close to four years experience working with The Flash's stories, getting to really know the characters and how to do them justice. He is practically a director in extensive training for this project.
A small sampling of how the Flash is intended to behave:
Proposed Story: During our Wonder Woman editorial it was proposed by Christian that no origin stories should come of this DC movie slate and I could not agree more. The Flash is the movie that is on deck immediately following The Justice League Pt. 1. Although he has not been confirmed yet, it would shock me to no end if The Flash wasn't present at all during The Justice League's first film. So let's just assume he will be and then have a quick little nod to how he obtained his powers and be done with it so we can get to the good stuff. Therefore: After the events of The Justice League Pt. 1, Barry Allen looks into ways to increase his speed. He soon discovers that he utilizes a power source known as the "speed force" and learns that he can use it to not only use it to run faster, but also to augment his cognition. One day, as if out of the blue, an EMP blast blacks out Central City, causing crime to run rampant. However, Barry later realizes that it was himself who caused the problem due to his reckless use of the speed force causing inconsistencies in the time stream. Barry must deal with the weight of what he has done to his city, while also dealing with the vengeance of those he has wronged.
Inspired By: The plot I have in mind (as vague as it may have sounded) is essentially the one that is featured in the Move Forward storyline of The Flash's New 52 run. It is a great story when it comes to Barry slowly figuring out the full-extent of his powers, as well as the consequences of them. In the story, an EMP blast blacks out Central City and leaves its citizens in the dark. Later on in the story Barry tries to contain an explosion using his speed, but instead sends it back in time without realizing it, meaning that he sent the EMP blast that doomed Central City to darkness. The effects of this also cause Leonard Snart to lose his sister, which causes him to go after the Flash in a crazed frenzy. The movie obviously wouldn't be frame-for-frame the same but it could definitely draw heavily from this story arch.
Lead Characters (Cast): By following the Move Forward storyline, The Flash will feature some names that are probably not well known to most so I'll give a little explanation about the character as I go and how they would pertain to the plot.
1. Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller)
Why?: The Flash is steadily taking the DC television universe by storm and come 3-4 years from now he will get his shot at the big leagues. Ezra Miller is the only confirmed actor associated with the project thus far and I am deeply unimpressed. There is no reason for me to believe that Miller has got what it takes to portray The Fastest Man Alive based on his past work. However, I remember a time when I was not overly impressed with Grant Gustin either, and now I am all for his Barry Allen. All I can say now is prove me wrong Ezra. For the love of Christ just prove me wrong.
2. Dr. Darwin Elias (Chris Messina)
Why?: Dr. Elias is the person who acts as a confidante to The Flash and he also helps perform tests to discover how Barry can maximize his powers. In Move Forward, he is essentially the one who tells Barry about the speed force. He is pretty new territory with not a whole lot of expectations about him so I trust Messina could make the character his own.
3. Roscoe Hynes/Turbine (David Oyelowo)
Why?: Roscoe Hynes is a Tuskegee Airman from WWII who got sucked into the speed force during a test flight. When the Flash goes to the Speed Force dimension he meets Turbine and ends up bringing him back with him. Turbine has potential to be either friend or foe depending on how they want to use him. Turbine is similar to Dr. Elias
Villans: The Rogues
1. Leonard Snart/Captain Cold (Gabriel Macht)
Why?: Captain Cold is the main person that is out to get The Flash in this story line. The blackout that the Flash causes keeps his sister from getting the care she needs and she passes away. The other Rouges are not really included in the this arch, but it would be easy to switch things around a bit and get them all in there. A while ago our own Dan Lee wrote a fan cast for Captain Cold featuring Gabriel Macht and it was explains the choice very well. Check it our here: Dan's FanCast Friday.
2. Mark Mardon/Weather Wizard (Taylor Kitsch)
Why?: Another member of the Rouges who could be worked onto the team and into the story. Taylor Kitsch has superhero movie experience under his belt playing Gambit. Weather Wizard is a character that seems right up his ally.
3. Mick Rory/Heatwave (Vinnie Jones)
Why?: Because bring back the Juggernaut bitch, that's why. Another experienced superhero actor who could be fun to watch as Heatwave.
4. George Harkness/ Captain Boomerang (Tom Hardy)
Why?: Earlier this week, Christian cast Captain Boomerang for the Suicide Squad. Let's get some continuity going between these two movies by having Captain Boomerang also be a member of the Rouges.
Thanks for reading the editorial! You probably may have noticed I didn't say anything about Eobard Thawne. Although he is all I talk about when it comes to The Flash TV show, I decided to go a different route this time for two reasons. A) I think the New 52 Flash stories have been pretty good so far and would do well on the silver screen if done right and B) if there were to be a live action Professor Zoom, I would want it to be done Flashpoint Paradox style, which I know is way, way too much to ask for in The Flash's first movie. At that point it is practically another Justice League movie that just happens to focus a little more on The Flash. Anyways feel free to share your thoughts on anything having to do with The Flash coming out March of 2018!
The 12 days of Editorials continues tomorrow with a write-up on Aquaman! 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.
What is the Justice League?: DC's greatest superheroes came together to form The Justice League in order to protect the Earth from threats that were too great to take on individually. Created in 1960 by Gardner Fox, the League has had many iconic tales told over it's 50 year history battling the likes of Darkseid and The Injustice Gang. Director: Zack Snyder (Watchmen) Why?:Snyder has done a hell of a job bringing graphic novels to life. Because of this he has captured several SATURN (The Academy of Sc-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Films) awards for his work in Watchmen and 300. He has a tendency to bring a certain darkness to the screen as well as being able to shed some light on the tradegy that is heroism. It ain't easy being a hero and stories about a hero's inner struggle are what make the best tales. If Snyder can take all these iconic characters and give with some type of inner terminal as well as pit them against a diabolical villain there, is no way this movie isn't an instant hit. Not to mention Snyder is know for producing kick ass action sequences in all his movies (300+Watchmen+Sucker Punch). Now picture one of these Snyder sequences with Batman putting his boot through some nameless henchmen's fucking face, I'm shitting myself because it's gonna be that cool when a scenario like this plays out on screen. Now with Man of Steel, the problems I believe were in dialogue and character development. David Goyer who wrote MOS will co-write this movie and Batman V Superman as well. But no need to fear because Chris Terrio who wrote the Academy award winning script for Argo will be rewriting both of Goyer's scripts. So expect better dialogue and story to accompany Snyder's amazing visuals and fight scenes.
Proposed Story:It's more or less certain that the main villain for this film is going to the ever classic Brainiac. So it turns out that Brianiac is the one responsible for destroying Krypton, he rolled onto the planet and fucked the place up. He was intent on killing everyone because he felt by eliminating the Kryptonians he could gain their knowledge and eventually become the most knowledgeable being in the universe. So after destroying Krypton he moves on to other planets that he can drain of knowledge and destroy. Years pass by when all of a sudden Brainiac's ship receives a signal from Kal-El's tracking decieve that he set off in Man Of Steel that also attracted Zod. Brainiac recognizes the signal because of it's Kryptonian origins and realizes that there is one Krptonian still left in the universe. Which leads him to Earth. Another planet that he can absorb and destroy. Having accidentally brought Brainiac to Earth leads Superman to being stricken with guilt as he believes if he had just been content with pretending to be a human he would never had endangered Earth twice from cosmic foes. But now he must team up with some of Earth's other heroes in an attempt to stop Brainiac from handing the same fate to Earth that he handed Krypton.
Inspired By:Superman: The Animated Series did a similar plot with Brainiac. He was a Krptonian's super computer that withheld knowledge that could have very well saved Krypton. But he decided to amass all of Krypton's knowledge, let it die, and save himself. I also took elements from Geoff John's run on Superman. Lead Characters (Cast):Every member of the League except Green Lantern has been officially cast. So I will spend most of this section describing what each member can bring to the team. The villain will of course also be cast. 1. Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill)
Who?: Superman is the leader of the Justice League and their moral compass. Cavill was solid as Big Blue in Man of Steel, even though David Goyer wrote very crappy dialogue for him. With Chris Terrio on scripting duties for this flick, Superman is more likely to have interesting dialogue and character development.
2. Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck)
Who?: So many people have been worried about Affleck as Batman, but if we are being real here if Mr. Mom (Michael Keaton) can play a convincing Bruce Wayne, then why the hell can't Benny boy. Affleck can be a dark angry Batman that people are yearning for. I want him to be the strategist of the group, who in truthfulness does not really wanna be part of the team. (Ala Justice League Animated Series)
3. Wonder Woman/Diana Prince (Gal Gadot)
Why?: Smart, sexy, elegant, and most importantly BAD ASS!!! Gal Gadot has got all the tools to be a great Wonder Woman. Especially after seeing the way she handled herself in Fast Five. I am convinced that she is gonna take this role to the next level. Her character can be some sort of a love interest for Superman (Like in Geoff John's recent JL run) and maybe even a weakness cause Supes cares for her well being.
4. Flash/Barry Allen (Ezra Miller)
Why?: Gotta be real here, this casting call scares me a little. Miller seems too soft to play Flash. I hope to god that he does well. However, like we have said before Mr. Mom was Batman so maybe Miller can be a great Flash. The Scarlet Speedster is the youngster member of the team and I believe he will be the comic relief. Especially when Hal Jordan finally shows up.
5. Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Mamoa)
Why?: Khal fuckin' Drago as Aquman! Are you shitting me? God I love it. I smile from ear to ear just thinking about this. He's going to be so bad ass and bring to life a version of Aquaman that has never been seen by mainstream audiences (Cause comic fans saw a BA Arthur in Geoff John's recent Aquaman run). I can't even contain my excitement, like I shit myself again because this guy is gonna make Aquman as bad ass as ever and shut upanyone whose ever called him out as soft or useless.
6. Cyborg/Victor Stone (Ray Fisher)
Why?: I prefer Martian Manhunter in his place, but that doesn't mean I think Cyborg isn't a cool character. Vic is the tech man of the group who occasionally hacks into alien technology. Ray Fisher recently played Muhammad Ali so he definitely fits the part to play a high school football star turned Cyborg.
7. Green Lantern/Hal Jordan (Jensen Ackles)
Why?: DC has been focusing on the Silver Age characters for Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Flash (Barry Allen) for the last few years and I don't see them using anybody but these versions in their movies. So Hal it is. Jensen Ackles has been half of the best bro duo on TV for the last ten years on Supernatural. With his stunning good looks and comedic and dramatic skills he deserves to finally make it onto a major movie's cast list.
Now For our Villain... Mr. Mxyzptlk (Larry David)
Why?: Everyone wants to see Mxyzptlk troll the Justice League for two hours. And I would love to see Larry David tell the Justice League to shut the fuck up!
Just Screwing With Ya! Now for the real threat...
8. Brainiac (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Why?: Brainiac has been the rumored villain of Justice League Pt.1 for the last few weeks. With hints of him in Man of Steel on Krypton's technology, it makes sense that the alien android would show up to cause problems for our favorite heroes. Cumberbatch is one of the best actors alive today. He has recently played a few iconic villains, Khan and Smaug, so why not add Brainiac to the resume.
Thanks for reading! Those are my thoughts on Justice League. Who is your big bad for the movie? Should Wonder Woman and Superman be together? Sound off in the comments.
Make sure to check out the next 9 days of Exploring the DC Cinematic Universe. A different DC movie each day. Next up is The Flash. You can also check out our entire schedule by clicking here. And you can read our first two articles by clicking the links below.
Always have had a soft spot for the Justice League cartoon theme. Hans Zimmer will probably be scoring this movie. I can only imagine the amazingness that man will come up with for DC's iconic superhero team.
Warners Bros has officially announced it's full slate of DC Comic films up to 2020. Get ready to shit your pants with excitement.
Date - Movie (Starring or Directing)
March 25, 2016 - Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (Batfleck and Henry Cavill)
August 6th, 2016 - Suicide Squad (Directed by David Ayer)
June 23rd, 2017 - Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot)
November 23rd, 2017 - Justice League Pt.1 (Zack Snyder)
March 23rd, 2018 - The Flash (Ezra Miller)
July 27th, 2018 - Aquaman (Jason Mamoa)
April 5th, 2019 - Shazam (The Rock as Black Adam)
June 14th, 2019 - Justice League Pt. 2 (Zack Snyder)
April 3rd, 2020 - Cyborg (Ray Fisher)
June 19th, 2020 - Green Lantern Reboot (Unknown)
Solo Superman and Batman movies are also in the works
There is a God!
If you aren't at least mildly aroused right now then you have no soul. Finally we will see some iconic DC characters grace the big screen. Aquaman, Flash, and of course Wonder Woman have long deserved solo flicks of their own. ( I mean Marvel's had a goddamn tree and a talking raccoon already).
When rumors a few months ago speculated that the Warners' movie slate would have films adapted from the likes of the Metal Men and Doom Patrol, but not Wonder Woman, I lost my shit (there is a podcast recording to prove it). Diana is the most well known female superhero in the world and finally WB wised up and green light her a movie. Thank god!
Besides Wonder Woman (and of course B vs S) I am definitely most excited for Suicide Squad in 2016. People love interesting villains. And I have been waiting for a villains solo movie for some time. I initially loved the idea of the Sinister Six film planned by Sony. That was until I saw Paul Giamatti's terrible Rhino and Jamie Foxx's lameass Electro. Now after Amazing Spiderman 2's lukewarm reception all those planned films are up in the air. So it's great that WB will start the comic movie villain genre with the Squad. This movie will have a completely different dynamic than the rest on this DC list. The general audience will be cheering for 6 villains with wacky interplay. As they go against an impossible task while also going head to head with (a hopefully fat) Amanda Waller. And of course shit always goes bad for Task Force X. Can't wait!
What movie are you most excited for? Sound off in the comments and make sure to check The Caped Informers for all your up to date comics news!
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is the most hotly anticipated comic book adaption of 2016. Everyone wants to see Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman team up for the first time on the big screen. After what hopefully is a masterpiece, the DC movie universe will follow up with The Justice League. A film that will assemble all of DC greatest heroes to fight their largest threat yet. For years the rumored villain for a JL film has been one of their most frequent foes Darkseid, the all powerful dictator of Apokolips who is on an endless path of destruction in order to discover the Anti-Life Equation and rule all. That was until today when the Latino Review reported that Brainiac will most likely be the first villain to face the all powerful DC team.
The story supposedly is that when Superman activated the Kryptonian scout ship that alerted General Zod in Man Of Steel, it alerted Brainiac as well. Brainiac has had many incarnations over the years, but all of them want to attain all the knowledge of the universe which the alien android achieves in a variety of ways. The character is definitely powerful enough to face off against the League and is even the main antagonist of DC Universe Online. What do you think of Brainiac as the JL villain? Sound off in the comments.
If this rumor is true there is only one man for the job...
CUMBERBATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will not stop until this casting is announced!
DC Animated Films rarely disappointment and Justice League: Throne Of Atlantis looks primed to be another direct to DVD hit. Check out the first trailer.
AQUAMAN IS A GOD!!! And after this movie should be treated as such.
While being interviewed by Total Film, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson teased his DC movie role. Check out the clip.
Sure sounds like he'll be playing Shazam. Personally I would have rather seen him play John Stewart. Guess we will hear the official announcement at San Diego Comic Con and form an opinion then.
Geoff Johns has been shoving the character of Shazam down the throats of DC fans for the last year and a half or so. First he takes Aquaman's place in Justice League: War andnow he gets his own movie before someone like Wonder Woman. What is DC's thought process there? While I will say Johns did a good job reinventing Shazam's origins in the backup pages of the Justice League comic, I still do not wish to see the character on the roster of the live action Justice League. He still is far too similar to Superman and there are many characters that are much more deserving of a place on the team instead of Billy Batson. I'm looking at you Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Flash. Shazam just doesn't deserve his own big screen adaption even if he is being played by a big box office draw like the Rock. I hope that if this movie does exist that the character will still sit out of the first Justice League. Quit fucking with the League's roster Geoff. Except when you added Lex in the comics that was cool.
World's Finest has obtained a copy of DC Animations' newest film Batman: Assault On Arkham. In the special features there is a look at their next animated project Justice League: Throne Of Atlantis. The recent Geoff Johns storyline was hinted at during the after credits scene for the mediocre Justice League: War, but never confirmed. Now we know for sure that Atlantis will face off with the Justice League.
Great to see Aquaman get some time to shine. He was robbed of his spot in Justice League: War and replaced with Shazam. Now it's time for Arthur to kick some Justice League ass.
Earlier this week Nikki Finke released a rumored list of future DC projects up until 2018, but surprisingly there was no standalone Batman film on the docket. Now Latino Review's El Mayimbe is reporting that Warner Bros is eyeing 2019 for Batfleck's first solo outing. The supposed movie's working title is The Batman. Mayimbe also states that Affleck may be the director of the film as well. Batman directing a Batman movie, is there anyone more qualified? Batman will next be seen in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice which will be in theaters May 6th 2016.
With all this talk of a Jason Momoa Aquaman, it is high time we started talking about the potential for Aquaman villains. Admittedly, with no Aquaman-centric film on the horizon, the potential for this is relatively low, but one can dream of a world where the King of Atlantis and Black Manta duke it out on the silver screen.
Enter Djimon Hounsou. He is an incredibly talented actor who is known for his strong supporting characters in movies like Blood Diamond and In America. His ability to portray complicated characters makes him a perfect candidate for Aquaman's arch-nemesis, who usually comes with a tragic childhood backstory. Whether we are talking about the tragic autism origin story, or the incredibly dark sexual abuse origin story, I fully trust that Hounsou would be able to convey the inner turmoil and emotions that make Black Manta the great villain that he is.
Hounsou isn't a stranger to the superhero community either. He will be playing Korath the Pursuer in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie and he has personally expressed interest in portraying Black Panther. I say DC scoops him up quick before Marvel fully capitalizes on this man's talent. Plus, if we get a Black Manta, maybe we can get a certain child of Black Manta? It is all very exciting to think about. Now get pumped about this improbable outcome with some classic Black Manta moments.
Nikki Finke has sources that claim to know Warner's Bro slate of future DC films. The list goes as follows: May 2016 – Batman v Superman July 2016 – Shazam Christmas 2016 – Sandman May 2017 – Justice League July 2017 – Wonder Woman Christmas 2017 – Flash and Green Lantern team-up May 2018 – Man Of Steel 2 Source: Nikki Finke Wow what list, huh? A Wonder Woman movie and a Green Lantern/Flash Team up are incredible news. So let's hope these movies hold true and are announced at San Diego in July. Until then let's celebrate!!!!!
Fan Cast: Katheryn Winnick as Black Canary (Dinah Drake)
“Wait a second… Arrow already has Caity Lotz as the
Canary, and the lovely Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance…”
That’s absolutely correct! And the Informers have been very
vocal about being pro-Arrow. However, this fan casting is more about the
upcoming Justice League movie under Zack Snyder. While it would be
awesome to see Stephen Amell and other mains from Arrow be tied into Justice
League, sometimes the cake is a lie.
Katheryn Winnick’s biggest role to date has been for History
Channel’s Vikings, which wrapped up its sophomore season in May. Winnick
plays the Viking legendary shieldmaiden, Lagertha, who pummels her way through
Norse and Saxon warriors alike. Possessing unparalleled ferocity from fight
scene-to-fight scene, Winnick also brings out a nurturing side when fostering
her on-screen son, Bjorn, which distinctly reminds me of Young Justice’s
version of a Black Canary who carefully mentors the young and inexperienced
Team. Aside from Vikings, Winnick has found no shortage of smaller
cinema roles and TV guest appearances kicking ass and looking fantastic.
A big contributor to her ass-kickery is the fact that Winnick is a third-degree
black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a second-degree black belt in Karate, and a licensed
bodyguard. Katheryn actually began her career as a martial arts instructor for
actors and had three studios open in New York and Toronto by the time she was
21. For more Katheryn Winnick, follow her as Norse skullcrushing badass
mother-of-maidens, Lagertha, in Vikings.
