Howdy ladies and gents of the internet, as some of you may have seen, last year I started a film podcast entitled Film Focus and on this podcast, I talk about various topics in film and reviews as well on a biweekly basis. As for the latest episode, it is an in-depth yet casual discussion of the superhero films of 2017!
Anyway here’s the episode 45:
So this year we had 6 major superhero films in a variety of flavours and most were a good time at the cinema, though not all of the films were met with positive reviews. So in this episode, we cover all 6 films in chronological order from Logan to Justice League discussing our thoughts on each film and then ranking them in our own lists towards the end. And yes I said we as I have a wonderful guest joining me for this episode in the form of Eddie from Jaccendo.com to offer his insight on these blockbuster films. Also be aware will be spoilers for Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Wonder Woman, and possibly minor ones Spider-Man but I am not too sure about that one.
As I mentioned before I’ll cover a different topic or review in each episode and since I don’t have much in the way of listeners or promotion, I’m here to spread the word about my podcast. 🙂
So if you have some spare time on your hands and would like to listen to the ramblings of a passionate/strange man then please check it out, and share it with your friends if you can. Also, you have any feedback or if you’d be interested in joining in future episodes be sure to let me know, until next time, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents of the internet, as some of you may have seen, last year I started a film podcast entitled Film Focus and on this podcast, I talk about various topics in film and reviews as well on a biweekly basis. As for the latest episode, it is a recap/review of the summer movies of 2017!
Anyway here’s the episode 43:
I’ve done already done my written review for Justice League, however, there was so much more for me to say about this film that I couldn’t put in my original review. So in this podcast episode, I just expand upon some basic points and then get into full-on spoilers after 21:39, so for those who have seen the film and want to hear my thoughts about some of the more significant elements of the film, both good and bad, then that section is for you.
As I mentioned before I’ll cover a different topic or review in each episode and since I don’t have much in the way of listeners or promotion, I’m here to spread the word about my podcast. 🙂
So if you have some spare time on your hands and would like to listen to the ramblings of a passionate/strange man then please check it out, and share it with your friends if you can. Also, you have any feedback or if you’d be interested in joining in future episodes be sure to let me know, until next time, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, its time for another review and today I get to talk about one of the biggest films of the year, Justice League. Now to say that the lead up to this film has been rough would be an understatement, with the mostly negative feedback to Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad and the success of Wonder Woman, the odds were stacked against this film. Add on top of that the fact that Zack Snyder left the film because of family tragedy, Joss Whedon had to step in to finish the films and since then there were numerous conflicting reports about what had changed, and how much of the film was changed because of Whedon’s involvement. Anyway, the film’s out, the reception’s been mixed and now its time for me to throw my thoughts into the mix! 🙂
So the plot can be described as the following:
“A new evil force comes to Earth threatening to bring about the end of the world, and so Bruce Wayne and Wonder Woman work together to find and recruit a team of special individuals including Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash to stand against this newly awakened threat.”
So the plot of the film was good, not great, but solid. Firstly I liked the backstory involving the main villain, different races and the Mother Boxes, that along with certain dialogue about locations, history and characters helped flesh out the world and create mythology that was interesting and intriguing, it not only built on what we got in Man of Steel, Batman V Superman and Wonder Woman, but helped make this film more engaging and left the door open for future films to build on. I also appreciated how the story was simple, yet layered with themes relating to teamwork, death, leadership, moving on from the past and finding courage in the face of uncertainty. There was also some wonderful references to the comics with certain scenes and dialogue which made me smile a lot too. That being said there were some issues, certain scenes dragged or felt boring, there were some tonal inconsistencies, and some of the humour was good and some of it fell a bit flat and ill-timed. And some of the plot decisions were a little basic and certain dramatic or important elements were resolved quickly without enough time to simmer.
As for the cast, I liked them, some more than others. Let’s start with Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, now some people like him as Batman, some hate him, I fall into the former category. Affleck’s portrayal of Batman was one of my favourite parts of BvS and he’s put to better use in this film. I liked how Bruce was strong-willed, focused, yet reckless and uncertain. Gal Gadot was quite good as Wonder Woman, it was interesting her in the modern world, dealing with issues not only with her past but also with some of the actions of her teammates too, Gadot has certainly found her groove with this role and besides being super beautiful, she’s confident, strong and smart. Ezra Miller as The Flash was a worry for me before watching this film because of my love for Grant Gustin’s version, but I did like this cooky, strange and lighthearted guy, he was mainly there for comic relief, but he some serious and smart moments too, and Miller’s charisma was magnetic. Jason Momoa as Aquaman was cool, he’s this serious, yet chilled out and funny kind of guy who does the right thing when the tie is right. The real surprise was Ray Fisher as Cyborg, I thought he looked like the most boring character from the trailers and he ended up being one of my highlights of the team with his attitude towards the way he was created, his interactions with the team and his importance to the plot, Fisher’s portrayal was quite engaging. The team as a whole had a wonderful dynamic filled with humorous and aggressive tendencies which made their eventual formation and scenes on and off of the battlefield nice.
Ciarán Hinds had a nice intimidating presence as the voice as Steppenwolf, unfortunately, the villain was a little on the generic side. I also liked Henry Cavill is definitely in the film and he was quite good (not a spoiler, it’s in the trailers), Jeremy Irons as Alfred was just as fun, as he was in BvS offering insightful information while providing some good jokes here and there, seeing the return of Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta, was welcomed, Amy Adams and Diane Lane was fine as Lois Lane and Martha Kent, Joe Morton as Silas Stone was fine, but I thought it was more interesting that he was the guy from Terminator 2 in this film haha, and Amber Heard’s introduction to this world as Mera was cool. And finally, J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon was good and liked his version of the character, I just wish there was more of him, there wasn’t enough! 😛
When it comes to the presentation it was good for the most part. Visually the film was nice, the was some lovely attention to detail with the way certain shots were framed and the cinematography the action sequences were a mixture of creative and fun scenes that ranged from the heroes fighting the bad guy, to the heroes fighting each other and many others, and it looked great. But there were a few moments where following the action was a little tricky, the GCI was also a little dodgy with certain faces, body movements and locations lacking in detail. The music from Danny Elfman was something I was paying attention to from the beginning and I quite enjoyed it. Elfman’s score is one that has a presence, it is full of impact, drama, triumph, playfulness and while it isn’t as memorable as some of his previous work, the way he worked in the classic Batman and Superman themes, from Batman 89′ and Superman 78′ was delightful.
In conclusion, what can I say? I liked Justice League, it was much better than I expected considering my low expectations, and while this film doesn’t reinvent the genre or does anything in an amazing fashion, it was pretty fun with some good action, good characters and solid music. Besides issues with the story, tone and villain, the film was certainly a step in the right direction for this cinematic universe,
So have you seen Justice League and if so what did you think of it? Was it better or worse than you expected? Also, how does it compare to the previous DCEU films? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below and I’ll see ya in the next review, laters! 😀
Howdy people of the interweb and welcome to Films to look out for in 2017! This is my preview of upcoming films that I believe deserve your attention this year. In PART 1 I covered films from January to March, in PART 2 I covered April to July and in this post I’ll be covering August to December.
Now before we begin I have two main things I need to point out:
Obviously a lot of films come out, so if they’re not on my list it’s either because I don’t know about them or I don’t care…
2016 films getting their UK releases this year don’t count! So there. 😛
Okay then, let’s start 😀
Baby Driver
Release Date: August 11th (USA & UK)
Trailer:
I am a massive fan of Edgar Wright and I will follow his career wherever it goes, and while I will always wonder what he would have brought to Ant-Man, I still respect his decision, plus his original projects are always more interesting. I like the sound of the premise and the cast is also impressive including Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey and Jon Bernthal among others.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
Release Date: August 18th (USA & UK)
I just looked this film up and it sounds like it could be fun, while I’m always dubious of comedies these days, action comedies at least have some spectacle that I’ll enjoy and the premise sounds like it could be worth watch, plus this cast is interesting including Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, Élodie Yung, and Salma Hayek, I’m down.
American Made
Release Date: August 25th (UK), September 29th (USA)
I’m always looking forward to Doug Liman’s next project especially after Edge of Tomorrow and the fact that he’s teamed up with Tom Cruise on this project gives me hope that the film will be worth a watch. The premise sounds interesting and I am curious to see how those real life events translate to the big screen.
Granite Mountain
Release Date: September 22nd (USA & UK)
Here’s the premise: “A drama based on the elite crew of men who battled Yarnell Hill Fire, a wildfire in Prescott, Arizona in June 2013 that claimed the lives of 19 of their members.” I may have heard about this film’s production on Collider Movie talk before or some other film-related site, but reading about the premise it sounds like a captivating and intriguing story to be brought to the big screen. I’m really curious to see how Joseph Kosinski handles this film, so far he’s made Tron: Legacy and Oblivion, both films I enjoyed but were more style over substance, though I liked the latter film more for its story and mystery, so maybe with a more grounded story he’ll be able bring something new. Oh and I’m liking this cast including Jennifer Connelly, Taylor Kitsch, Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges, Miles Teller and Ben Hardy (who will have more to do than he did in X-Men: Apocalypse) and Alex Russell who I haven’t seen since Chronicle.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Release Date: September 29th (UK), October 6th (USA)
Kingsman: The Secret Service was one of the best surprises from 2014 and I think ended up in my top 5 of that year, it was so fun, action-packed, hilarious and violent and totally had all of the best qualities that come with a Matthew Vaughn film, but was also self-aware and had some good pop culture references too. So when I heard there’d be a sequel, part of me was wanting to leave the first film alone, but I was also curious to see where this series would go. So now we have the sequel with a cast possibly more impressive than the last including newcomers Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges and Elton John? This should be an interesting adventure an I hope it can be the badass sequel it has the potential to be.
Blade Runner 2049
Release Date: October 6th (USA & UK)
At this current pont in time I haven’t seen the first Blade Runner, I know, blasphemy right? All I can say is that I just haven’t gotten around to it yet, but I obviously will have seen it by the time this sequel comes out later on this year. I was never overly interested in a sequel to this film until Denis Villeneuve was attached to direct, I haven’t even the entire teaser trailer, this film is a mystery to me and I’m curious to see how it unfolds.
The Snowman
Release Date: October 13th (USA & UK)
I don’t know much about this film besides the fact that it’s a crime thriller based around a detective who investigates the disappearance of a woman whose pink scarf is found wrapped around an ominous-looking snowman, it’s directed by the man who did Let the Right One In and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (the former I liked and the latter I didn’t) and it stars my peeps Michael Fassbender and Rebecca Ferguson, so those facts altogether have me interested.
Logan Lucky
Release Date: October 13th (USA)
Here we have another interesting film with no UK release date, but there’s a great cast and director and a fun premise. I’m always interested ina comedy if the right kind of people are behind it and his you have Steven Soderbergh in the director’s chair I’m already intrigued, but then you add a cast including Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, Seth MacFarlane, Daniel Craig, Katherine Heigl, Hilary Swank and Sebastian Stan? I’m all over it, I really hope the trailer is good when it gets released.
The Commuter
Release Date: October 13th (USA) October 20th (UK)
All I know is that I like action thrillers and with a cast that includes Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Banks and Patrick Wilson I’m pretty excited to see how this turns out, especially with because you can never have enough Sam Neil. 😀
Thor: Ragnarok
Release Date: October 27th (UK), November 3rd (US)
I’m unapologetic about my love for Thor from 2011, while not a perfect film, I think there was a lovely sense of wonder, mythology, fun and interesting themes and character elements introduced into not only that film but also the MCU as a whole… And then there’s Thor: The Dark World, one of the most, if not the most forgettable film in the MCU, while there were some cool aspects with Thor and Loki and some action scenes, overall the film was a massive step down for me. And now we have Thor 3, a film that will have: 1) Thor and Hulk together (they had some of the best scenes in The Avengers). 2) Taika Waititi in the directing chair which is awesome. 3) Some adaptation of the Planet Hulk storyline, yay! 4) And a crazy impressive cast including Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins. This has the potential to be really good, but we’ll see.
Justice League
Trailer:
Release Date: November 17th (USA & UK)
I’m so dubious of this film, while I do want it to succeed I just don’t know if I’ll get a version of the characters that I liked from the animated shows that I enjoyed in the teenage years. Now I know as an adaptation there will be changes from the comics to screen, however, with Man of Steel and Batman V Superman, I feel like there were some unnecessary changes to the basic elements of Superman and Batman in terms of the characters, tone and story that made them a little unlikable for me and some other fans. Now with Justice League, that first footage they showed at Comic-Con last year was interesting for sure and I liked some elements, but I don’t know if it will be a film I’ll like overall. I’m cautiously optimistic.
Coco
Release Date: November 22nd (USA) December 8th (UK)
Well here we have another new Pixar film which isn’t a sequel or prequel, but an original film and I’m interested but dubious for one key reason; the story is based on the Mexican holiday The Day of the Dead. The reason I am a little less excited about this film is because we’ve already had a film based around this holiday in the form The Book of Life and then there was the opening sequence in Spectre that had a big focus on that event too. Now I know that this film will have its own original take on the holiday and will have those Pixar elements that will make it special, but I guess I need a trailer in order to be swayed.
Murder on the Orient Express
Release Date: November 22nd (USA) November 24th (UK)
I’m usually not down with remakes of older films especially if the original was pretty good, but if there is a chance that a new filmmaker can add a new perspective that wasn’t able to be done beforehand then I’m at least interested… And that is the case with this film. I liked the 1974 film when I saw it in college, but I never had a crazy attachment to it, so when I heard that there was going to be another version to be directed by Kenneth Branagh, I was all over it. Plus the cast for this film is insanity with Daisy Ridley, Kenneth Branagh, Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Michael Peña and Michelle Pfeiffer? Madness, I really hope this film is good.
Star Wars: Episode VIII
Release Date: December 15th (USA & UK)
Rogue One may not have been for everyone but I and numerous other fans across the world certainly enjoyed it, but let’s be real, everyone was waiting for Episode VIII. Besides the addition of Laura Dern and Benicio del Toro and some comments from Rian Johnson about a heavy focus on Luke and Rey’s relationship and what was going on with Luke Skywalker since Return of the Jedi, there’s not much else to go on. All I want is more drama, character development, some more darkness, more Kylo Ren and Snoke, and finally some sweet Luke lightsaber action, that’s all I could ever want.
Pitch Perfect 3
Release Date: December 22nd (USA & UK)
I will never hide my love for Pitch Perfect, it was one of my favourite music-based film experiences in the cinema in years, it was such a pleasant surprise and cemented my love for Anna Kendrick forever. But then Pitch Perfect 2 came out, and I was stupid hyped for that sequel, but it was a disappointment, not a terrible film, but nowhere near as clever or as fun as the previous film. So when I heard there would be another sequel I wasn’t too keen, but because I like these characters I know I’ll be back to see this new film, I just hope the music, humour and story is better this time around.
The Greatest Showman
Release Date: December 25th (USA) December 29th (UK)
While I am interested in the story for the film, it is the cast that really have my interest. Seeing Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson and Michelle Williams together makes me very happy, plus I’m curious to see what Zendaya will bring to this film too. Plus it is a musical and while I’m not the biggest fan of those, I have been watching more over the last few years from Les Misérables to Sing Street and La La Land so I’m more open to them than I was before.
So finally that’s PART 3 done. Thanks a lot for reading. Are any of the films listed on your personal list of films to watch? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them below and coming back to see my Most Anticipated Films of 2017! Laters 😀
Good day to you ladies and gents, once again another crazy session at San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, and if you’re fan of comics, film and TV then you’re more than likely hyped for this event. So between Thursday and Saturday this week us fans were treated to a plethora of information in form of interviews, trailers and descriptions of panels and footage, and man, it was an overwhelming amount of gorgeous announcements. While some of the stuff that shown off was expected, at the same time there were plenty of unexpected announcements and it was glorious as a fan of several of these different franchises to get all of this information. The hype is real right now and just trying to think of it all right now is boggling my mind! But like last year, I’m gonna try to show off my personal highlights from SDCC 2016 😀
Doctor Strange Trailer #2
Yo, this was the best thing I could have woken up to. I had heard rumours of a second trailer for Doctor Strange being released during Comic-Con, but I wasn’t sure it was going to happen, but sure enough it did and it was glorious! And while this wasn’t super amazing, it was certainly fascinating to watch. We got some additional details on Steven Strange’s path to becoming the Sorcerer Supreme with his training, use of magic and interaction with other characters, we also got to see more of the main cast especially with the extra scenes of Mads Mikkelsen as the villain and Benedict Wong as Wong. What I’m loving is how Marvel Studios are embracing the supernatural elements of the source material which is reflected in some of the dialogue and plot, but mainly with the visual presentation which is super trippy, colourful beyond comprehension and clearly got an Inception kind of feel but times twenty! Cumberbatch looks so cool especially with the way he puts on that cloak and I love that line at the end of the trailer with Baron Mordo giving Strange the Wi-Fi password, that was great. I’ve been hyped for this film for ages, but now the hype has gotten so much higher! 😀
Wonder Woman Trailer
Okay so the Wonder Woman trailer has finally been released and I have to say that I’m intrigued and definitely down for this film more so than before. The thing about Gal Gadot’s version of Wonder Woman is that she’s pretty, but I don’t find her intimidating or badass, and while she had her moments in Batman V Superman, I wasn’t in love with her. However this trailer really seems to be winning me over with the good chemistry between Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, the WWI setting and the action sequences that look pretty cool. Oh and the colour, I’m liking the use of colour especially in WW’s costume and some of those action scenes look pretty hardcore. Oh and the use of WW’s theme from BvS, nice! My only issues with the trailer was the use of slow motion during the action scenes, these days it feels a little excessive in action movies and seeing some of WW’s movements, it looked a little awkward, but other than that the trailer’s good and I’m ready for this film.
Justice League Footage
But this footage was the real surprise for me, Justice League is still in production as far as I know and for there to be such polished-looking footage already is crazy, but welcomed for me. This footage if anything proved one single thing, that Justice League will be a different kettle of fish from the last two DCEU films with humour, light-heartedness and colour. I liked how Bruce and Diana were on the hunt for their superhero team and how these moments of banter between Diana and Bruce about Aquaman’s recruitment or the conversation between Bruce and Barry Allen. Ezra Miller’s version of the Flash is one that I think I’ll like a lot and Jason Momoa looks tough as nails as Aquaman, and overall it looks like this film will be good session. I will admit that this trailer lacked the style, charisma and impact of a proper trailer like Wonder Woman, but since the film’s not done with principal photography I’m gonna let it slide.
Kong: Skull Island Trailer
Out of every trailer that dropped from SDCC, this was the one that really caught me by surprise. I’ve been looking forward to this film for a while, but to see some actual footage and the tone this film is going for, I was like “Damn, this needs to be in my system now yo!” This film really has a Godzilla (2014) kind of vibe especially with that opening shot on the ocean with the use of colour and the dark clouds, but the style and tone feels more in line with a film from decades ago like the 1970’s. I also enjoyed seeing how big of a part Samuel L. Jackson and John Goodman have with Jackson looking like the tough military guy and Goodman being some kind researcher familiar with the island. The visuals are looks very solid with some cool cinematography, big set pieces and King Kong, damn, how big is here? This film definitely establishes that Skull Island isn’t a place for humans, that it’s been around since the early times of Earth and that trespassers will meet their end, and that just excites me to see how dangerous this place and it’s inhabitants are.
Danai Gurira Joining Black Panther
This was one of the best small surprises for me, to have Danai Gurira from The Walking Dead come over to the MCU in the new Black Panther film? Hell yeah, she’s perfect to come into this film and to have her as the head Black Panther’s personal body guards it seems like a great role that’ll hopefully have some action material as Gurira excels at that in Walking Dead. And just in general to see Ryan Coogler talk so passionately about being a fan and working on Black Panther was great, but also seeing the current cast, Chadwick Boseman Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan and Danai Gurira together talking about their excitement for this new film was awesome.
Luke Cage & Iron Fist Trailers
And finally there’s the trailers from the first day of SDCC that got me all sweaty in the from of the trailers for the Netflix Marvel shows; Luke Cage and Iron Fist. And while there was this nice teaser for The Defenders, these trailers had actual footage and I’ve been hyped for these shows because of their potential in the future especially when it comes to crossovers. Firstly there’s Luke Cage and while there wasn’t really much in the way of story, this trailer definitely gives a look at the kind of tone, action and style of this show and how it’s different from Daredevil and Jessica Jones. I’m liking the action and how brutal/humourous it is with Cage just dispatching bad guys. And with Iron Fist there’s even less to see, but what glimpses we do get are pretty cool flashbacks to a young Danny Rand and his mum in a plane crash and then being found by monks in the snow, then fast forward to modern times with Rand being restrained in a bed and then smashing through that wall. I liked it, Finn Jones looks cool and with the music it really felt mystical and otherworldly.
And so that brings my highlights from this year’s SDCC to a close, what was your favourite material from Comic-Con this year? Whatever they are be sure to comment below and let me know and I’ll see ya on the next blog post, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, and welcome to post #4 on What I’m Currently Watching where I give you a tiny update on what TV-based stuff I’m watching and give mini reviews/impressions on them. With that out of the way let’s go!
Alpha House
This is the main new series I’ve started watching and the first Amazon-produced series I’ve started watching (besides Extant, but I never got beyond episode 2 with that). Alpha House is one of those show I’ve seen advertised for ages and since I like John Goodman, I wanted to give it a try and to be honest, it’s not half bad. I like this show, I like the tone and characters and the setting. It’s not a show I find incredibly funny, but I do find it entertaining and am always curious to watch more. I’ve almost finished the first season (I think I’m on episode 10 or 11) and I think the reason I like it is because of the four main characters; Gil John Biggs, Robert Bettencourt, Louis Laffer and Andy Guzman are an odd group of government officials who function well together but also as individuals and their stories, challenges and general behaviour is fun to watch especially when it comes to Gil John and Louis.
Blue Mountain State
Blue Mountain State, still watching it, slowly but surely. Why? I don’t know. The show’s not nearly as interesting now and it feels more like a show I would leave on in the background, but I continue to watch… Why? Because I’m a glutton for punishment, but also because I like to finish most of the TV shows I watch.
Justice League
So with me looking for TV shows to pass the time during my free hours off of work, I decided to re-watch the Justice League animated series from the mid-2000’s. I used to watch it on and off back in my school/college days, but I never fully got into it. So I decided to check it out from the beginning and the three-part opening episode is SO good. Besides the art and animation being really good, the show starts with a very creepy, dangerous and larger-than-life storyline that felt interesting, adventurous and had all sorts of cool to it. I love the way the characters came together and became a team, whether they butt heads or worked together, I liked their interactions and it felt nice because Batman and Superman were initially the focus, but the lesser-known characters are given their time to shine and you’re given reasons to like them too.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I’m still going through Buffy’s seventh season and I’m just over halfway through at episode 14 and I’m enjoying it, but I’m saving my main thoughts for the review. Its annoying that I’ve taken so long to watch this show, but I’ve had to be in the right mood to watch this and considering the fact that I’m balancing Buffy along with several other shows, work and my video games, I think I’m doing okay. I will say that this season isn’t as engaging as the previous ones, but I continue because I have to see this show’s ending.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
With Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returning to the world of TV in just under two weeks with season 3, I thought I should jog my memory by re-watching season 2. I had been intending to watch this back in the summer but never got around to it because of work and other outside events. Plus even though I remember the majority of the season, everything before episode 9 was a little blurry. So the last few days I’ve been checking it out and getting my sister up to date with it. I have to say I’m really enjoying seeing this show the second time round in a more cohesive manner and at a quicker pace. AoS really turned itself around with season 2 with the tone, stories, characters and use of comic book source material, and while the show is far from perfect, I think it is definitely worth watching now. With the mysteries behind the blue alien, the Tahiti project and Skye’s background getting cleared up, it offered up room to tell new stories and introduce the Inhumans as well. I’m only halfway through but I’m already feeling all giddy about what comes up later on and curious to see what season 3 is gonna throw at us.
So that’s what I’ve been watching, if you have any thoughts on anything that I’ve been watching be sure to drop a comment below and let me know, oh and do be sure to let me know what TV shows you’re watching at the moment too. Until next time, this is me signing out. Laters! 😀
Good day to you ladies and gentlemen, today I return to you to talk about more comic book film-related news that’s been going down over the last few days. So with the big rumoured announcement surrounding Captain America 3, DC and Warner Bros. deceived to fight back with their own big film announcement and as one person put it online “Go to Defcon 3.”
While speaking at Time Warner Investor Day, Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara fully revealed their DC Comics movie slate, which was previously filled with nine untitled films.
2018 will see the release of two solo DC films with The Flash on March 23, 2018, starringThe Perks of Being a Wallflower and We Need to Talk About Kevin‘s Ezra Miller in the title role, in addition to Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa, on July 27. We’ll also get a sequel toThe LEGO Movie on May 25 and the second Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them later that year.
In 2019, WB will release Shazam, starring Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, on April 5, 2019, and Justice League Part Two, once again to be directed by Zack Snyder, on June 14, 2019 .
2020 brings us two more solo films with Cyborg, starring Ray Fisher, on April 3, 2020 and a reboot of Green Lantern on June 19. A third Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will also be released later that year.
Furthermore WB has also confirmed that solo films for both Batman and Superman are also in development though no release date has been set for either. Here are highlights from the press release:
As part of his presentation, Tsujihara announced a bold expansion of the industry’s broadest theatrical slate, built around the largest, most important global franchises. Warner Bros. Pictures will release three LEGO-branded films over the next four years, building upon the enormous success of this year’s “The LEGO Movie” ($468 million worldwide box office), starting with “Ninjago” in 2016, directed by Charlie Bean and produced by Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Batman will take a star turn in “The LEGO Batman Movie” in 2017, directed by Chris McKay, and the sequel, “The LEGO Movie 2,” will debut in 2018.
The Studio will release three pictures, in 2016, 2018 and 2020, based on best-selling author J.K. Rowling’s original story and screenwriting debut, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Set in an extension of her familiar wizarding world, featuring magical creatures and characters inspired by Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook and its fictitious author, Newt Scamander, “Fantastic Beasts” will be directed by David Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter movies, and reunite the filmmaking team of David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
And, in a massive expansion of the Studio’s DC Entertainment-branded content, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema will release a slate of at least 10 movies–as well as stand-alone Batman and Superman films–from 2016 through 2020 that expands this prized universe of characters:
“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)
Well, damn, this came out of nowhere. Now don’t get me wrong, it isn’t like Warner Bros. and DC hasn’t been making announcements since their Batman V Superman film has been in production, but I didn’t think their progress was real… Until now. Looks like these companies are starting to show some balls now and I’m surprised. They have been cowering in the shadows while Marvel have been taking all the glory in the film department, but now they have a list of films dating up until2020, that’s a long way off, but the fact of the matter is, after all this time, we see that there are plans of DC Comics’ character and they will have a their day in live-action, provided that the film schedule works out. Now I have to say that I am a bit of a Marvel fanboy and I love how much they are owning everyone in the realm of live-action comic book films (with the exception of 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. from time to time), but to hear that some of these films will actually start happening, it does make me super giddy and curious as to how it will turn out.
As for the films chosen, it is interesting the way they’ve structured it. Did not expect there to be a two-part Justice League film, they must have some major story plans for that if they’re calling part one and two. As for the Suicide Squad film, I’m not too fussed, however, having David Ayer behind it does make the project seem more interesting. I know of the SQ and their iterations in Arrow and Batman: Assault on Arkham., but to have a film based on them is a bit risky since they aren’t that well-known, but hey, if Marvel can make something as obscure as Guardians of the Galaxy mainstream, then DC can try it too right? And speaking of risky, I’m not sold on the choice of actor relating to The Flash, now I like Ezra Miller a lot, but he does not come across as superhero material at all, ESPECIALLY when it comes to someone as cool as the Flash, but hey, maybe he and the filmmakers will prove us wrong, but man they will have their work cut out for them, the internet fan boys aren’t too happy about this decision.
As for the rest of the films, Wonder Woman, I dunno, Gal Gadot is gonna have to do something amazing in BvS to prove that she deserves her own solo film. Shazam, I’m sold, I only know a bit about the character from Young Justice, but he seems like such a cool character that belongs on the big screen at some point. Aquaman sounds like a badass in the comics these days, so it will be interesting to see id that cool version of the character can be translated into live action with Jason Momoa. Cyborg is the one I’m not too interested in seeing a solo film about, why? Because as much as I’ve liked him in the animated adaptations of Teen Titans and Young Justice, I’ve always liked him as an ensemble character rather than having a solo film focused on him. And finally, there’s Green Lantern, coming back to the world of live-action after nine years, well it will be by that point, hopefully they’ll get it right the next time.
So all in all this is good news and I’m intrigued for Warner Bros. and DC have coming up in the future beyond BvS, if they can play their cards right.
Anyways, what do you think of this news and which new film are you excited for the most? Please comment below and let me know people! Laters. 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, time for some film news and this is definitely something worth talking about as we have some pretty massive news emerging from the realm of comic book movies as you can see from the following info that comes from superherohype:
A Justice League feature film is not only officially on track today, but has also announced a director. The Wall Street Journal reports that Man of Steel helmer Zack Snyder will make the ensemble blockbuster his follow-up to 2016’s Batman vs. Superman.
“It will be a further expansion of this universe,” Warner Bros. president of worldwide production Greg Silverman tells the outlet. “’Superman vs Batman’ will lead into ‘Justice League.’”
Although no Justice League cast is official at this stage, the project is likely to again star Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Ray Fisher as Cyborg (with a view that other JLAers are expected to be announced in the future).
The article also offers a slightly less optimistic update on the status of a Wonder Womansolo film, noting that, while the studio is open to the idea, they feel the right script has not yet been found.
UPDATE:The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit posted the following tweet, indicating that Batman vs. Superman and Justice League will shoot back to back and that we may see the latter as early as 2017.
Well damn, seems like the people over at Warner Bros. and DC have finally grown some balls and decided to make an announcement that’ll shock and excite their audience. So we finally have the announcement that there is a Justice League film.. And it isn’t Man of Steel 2 aka Batman Vs. Superman! Well with this announcement, I think anyone who was sceptical about this new Man of Steel sequel secretly being Justice League can put those rumours to rest, but who could blame people for thinking that it was the new JLA film? The amount of cast and characters that were being introduced was mad and very in line with the JLA. That being said I guess Batman Vs. Superman will probably be something similar to Iron Man 2, where it introduces characters who will play a bigger role in future films.
I think the bigger aspect of this news story is the fact that Zack Snyder is directing. Now I don’t know if this is a good thing. I mean if you wanted the guy for the visual flair and great presentation, I take no issue there, but I’m curious why Warner Bros. doesn’t want to venture out and try getting a new director. Is Snyder really that great that he can handle more than just Superman, but also Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, etc? Who knows? Maybe the Snyder is really good at what he does, maybe the studio don’t want to lose him, there are a number of factors that could come into play.
Ane then of course there is that 2017 release date and the fact these films may shoot back to back. Shit, that’s quick, but it’s also smart and I like that. Again if this is al true, then the wheels are in motion which means that DC and Warner Bros. may not actually be the scaredy cats some have believed them to be. But hey, I won’t believe anything until filming happens and we get those online photos and videos of these comic book films going down.
Anyways that’s my thoughts on this new announcement, how about you lot out there, what do you think of this news? Is it good or bad? How do you feel about Snyder directing Justice League or the idea that both films will be shot back to back? Please comment below and let me know! Laters! 😀
Okay people, time for yet again another news story and this time it isn’t on a Marvel film, but on a DC one. Will wonders never cease? Anyways there’s been a lot of talk about Batman vs. Superman (most of which I don’t care about besides the recent setback the film had) and now we learn of Gal Gadot’s contractual obligations. The following information comes from superherohype:
“Cast in the iconic role of Wonder Woman for Zack Snyder’s Batman vs. Superman late last year, actress Gal Gadot revealed today to Israeli entertainment show “Good Evening with Gai Pines” (via Batman-News) that her contract has her signed for three feature films. Although that may sound like exciting news for fans anxious for Justice League and/or Wonder Woman solo films, it should be noted that multi-picture deals tend to be the norm for big screen franchises and such a contract is not a definite sign of anything in development outside of the May 6, 2016 team-up.”
While this news story is small, at least we have an idea as to how far Gal Gadot’s contract as the character will go. Rather than being signed on to do a six-movie deal like what most of the actors and actresses at Marvel Studios, Gadot’s been signed on for half of that and from the number we can assume the films that she will be in are the following: Batman vs. Superman, Justice League and her own Wonder Woman film right? And with that in mind this means one of two things:
DC and Warner Bros. are serious about making sure that she sticks to the role
It doesn’t mean shit because while actors are always signed on to do more in follow-up films they’re easily interchangeable and can be dismissed at any time.
I’ve seen that a lot of hardcore fan boys hope that it’ll be the latter of these two options but I guess we’ll see how this unfolds when she gets into her role eventually in 2016 (damn that sounds so far away now).
This is only a small news story but it is a significant one that has my attention and news to be blogged about. As per usual this comic book film news comes from superherohype:
“One of the juiciest rumors to come out in the past few months was that Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight trilogy, would be shepherding the Justice League movie at Warner Bros. We’re sad to report that this was a case of ‘too good to be true’ as EW has confirmed with Warner Bros. President Jeff Robinov that this rumor is not true.
When asked if it was true that Nolan would be bringing the project to life with his former Batman Christian Bale, he left no room for interpretation and simply said “No, it’s not.”
Christopher Nolan’s representatives also confirmed that Nolan was never involved with the project and is working solely on his upcoming film Interstellar.
We know you were really looking forward to this, but take heart that it would appear the film is still on track to eventually get made. Man of Steel producer Chris Roven says the upcoming Superman reboot will pave the way for future films.
“It’s setting the tone for what the movies are going to be like going forward, In that, Man of Steel is definitely a first step. Nolan’s Dark Knight series was deliberately and smartly positioned as a stand-alone. The world the films lived in was very isolated, without any knowledge of other superheroes. What Zack and Chris have done with this film is allow you to really introduce other characters into the same world.”
Man of Steel hits theaters June 14 while Justice League is rumored to be targeting a summer 2015 release date.”
Alrighty then so the President of Warner Bros. has ruled out Christopher Nolan, however one can never say never in Hollywood and when it comes to superhero films you can’t always assume things as truth. I pray that this president stays true to his words though.
So what do I think of this news? Well all I can say is…
Yes! Yes! And yes again! This is GOOD NEWS! Now I can see loads of Nolan fanboys freaking out all over the internet saying stuff like “Oh now this film will fail!” or “Why isn’t he attached to the film he made great Batman films!” But there’s the problem; Nolan’s Batman films. Now don’t get me wrong, The Dark Knight Trilogy is great and it works on its own. But attach that to the realm of the Justice League and it WOULDN’T WORK! Why? Because Chris Nolan’s Batman universe is overly dark, gritty and realistic and while that works for Batman, that would not translate well with a live-action adaptation Justice League. Plus add to that the Justice League comics and animated adaptations is anything but realistic, it’s all completely fictional, fantastical and larger than life. Warner Bros. and DC already have problems trying to find a way to adapt their crazy characters to film, if they changed it to the dark and realistic style of Nolan’s Batman films not only would it be unfaithful to the source material, but it’d be horrible. The reason why the film would be horrible is because we’ve endured three “dark” Batman films already, they were good at showing a different style of making comic book films, but I think people have had enough of that and want something different. Many fans and critics have said it before and so have I, Chris Nolan is great, but not for the Justice League movie.
Now just to clarify again, I do not dislike Chris Nolan, I think he is brilliant and there’s not one of his films that I’ve seen that I’ve not liked or loved. But for Justice League I can’t help but think that he’ll turn it into another dark Batman film or some sort of absurdly realistic film with all the good comic book elements taken out. I dunno who would be a good director for this JLA film but I know Chris Nolan isn’t the right fit.
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