So, an interesting tid-bit has emerged that involves DC and Warner Brothers and their plans to build their Cinematic Universe. The Schmoes Know broke the story yesterday, (which you can find here,) about The WB's upcoming slate of films and their potential release dates. Now, as the article states, this information hasn't been confirmed by anyone and should be taken with a grain of salt, as the source may be slightly questionable. Regardless, it makes for interesting speculation.
So, according to Nikki Finke, formerly of Deadline.com, at this years Comic-Con in San Diego, Warner Brothers and DC are set to announce the line-up of films that they have planned in regards to their Cinematic Universe. The list is as follows:
May 2016 - Batman v Superman
July 2016 - Shazam
December 2016 - Sandman
May 2017 - Justice League
July 2017 - Wonder Woman
December 2017 - Flash/Green Lantern Team Up
May 2018 - Man of Steel 2
All I can say is, holy ambitious, Batman!
First off, what strikes me about this list is the fact that DC and Warner Brothers look to be going balls to the wall in regards to this whole thing. For the foreseeable future, their plan is to release three movies a year. Apparently, they're hell-bent on making up for lost time. The report also goes on to state that the reason that BvS was pushed back a year was not, as speculated, because the WB wasn't ready to move forward with the film, but was in fact because they were still trying to get the members of the Justice League to sign on the bottom line. Apparently, the actors will be making cameo appearances in the films leading up to the big one and they wanted to make sure that everyone was on board. (I'm not exactly sure if Sandman fits into the DCU or not, as it doesn't seem like it would, but then, I don't really know a whole lot about the character and where he fits in the comic book universe, so I can't say for sure).
The second thing that stands out, is the inclusion of a Wonder Woman stand-alone film on this list. Rumour has always been that Warner Brothers was gun-shy in regards to a female-led superhero flick, even though that female superhero in question is iconic and extremely recognizable. I would love to see a Wonder Woman movie, and given how, recently, female-driven films seem to be killing it at the box office, I can understand the WB's about face in regards to this project. I still have my doubts about how well Gal Godot is going to be able to pull off this character, however. It would have been nice if they had hired an actual actress, instead of an underwear model, but whatever. I guess the jury's out on this one until we see what she does in Batman v Superman.
The inclusion of Shazam on this list is also very interesting. He's not an extremely well known character, although, speculation is that this could be the role that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been hinting about, making it all the more intriguing. How they're going to pull this one off, I'm still not sure, but it will be interesting, to say the least. The fact that Shazam (or Captain Marvel as he was formerly known... although you can see where that could get really confusing, really fast!) spends half his time as 12-year-old Billy Batson (or 15-year-old, if you're going by the New 52 timeline), seems to be a waste of The Rock's talents. Another rumour has Johnson playing Black Adam, Shazam's arch-nemesis, turned member of the Justice League. Either way, it makes for an intriguing prospect.
I think the biggest surprise of this list is the exclusion of Batman. While the Caped Crusader will have a large part in Batman v Superman and will definitely be part of the Justice League, I am surprised that there are no plans for a stand-alone Batman movie, or franchise just yet. Either the WB thinks we're Batman'd out and doesn't want to compete with Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, or this has something to do with Ben Affleck's schedule. Either way, I find it interesting that there doesn't seem to be an immediate plan for one of their most iconic characters. This leads me to believe that Affleck's Batman will be the main character in the upcoming Batman v Superman film, his character arc needing to be relatively well developed for them to move forward.
But, overall, what does this mean for the Superhero genre as a whole? Now that both Fox and Sony have also thrown their hats into the Universe building ring, are all of these comic book adaptations going to flood the overall market? By the time that 2018 rolls around, will we be so sick and tired of Superhero movies that the bottom falls out of the whole genre? I mean, if all goes to plan, then we will be getting probably somewhere between six and seven comic book movies released every year. I guess it's possible that there could be some fatigue, although I do think it's highly unlikely. With the exception of The Amazing Spiderman 2 (let's hope that Sony has learned it's lesson, although it doesn't look like it, as there is a report out that says, while they're pushing TASM 3 back to 2017, it's only so that they can shoehorn their Sinister Six movie into its 2016 release date! Did they learn nothing with TASM2?), comic book movies just keep getting better and better. The studios are raising the bar with each subsequent release. The Winter Soldier and Days of Future Past are arguably the best Superhero releases to date... moving beyond just great genre films and into the realm of great films, period. If the studios continue to release great movies, I think that audiences will continue to flock to them. The idea of solid, strategic Universes, built around characters that we have come to know and love is very appealing. As long as the end product is entertaining, what difference does it make if it's based off a comic book or not? Besides, it's very cool to see the heroes that we grew up with on the big screen, in a manner that is fitting to their stature. It's nice to be a film fan at a time where, technologically, film makers are able to bring these larger than life characters to life on the big screen, without it looking hokey or fake. These days they are able to pull images directly from the page and transport them to a movie screen near you. It really is great to be a geek!
I guess what remains to be seen is whether or not Finke's "scoop" is actually true or not. With just a little under five weeks until Comic-Con in San Diego, we don't have long to wait and see what comes of this whole thing. It will be interesting to see how on the money she was. And what else Comic-Con has in store for us. I can hardly wait!
Showing posts with label DC comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC comics. Show all posts
Friday, 13 June 2014
Friday, 9 May 2014
And Marvel Comes Out Swinging...
So, word broke last night that, not only has ABC renewed Agents of SHIELD for a second season, but that they have also ordered to series, Marvel's Agent Carter. Apparently, the House of Mouse is taking their foray into TV seriously.
Marvel's Agent Carter will tell the story of Captain America's love, Peggy Carter, and her struggles to fit into a post-World War II world, where women who had stepped up, were expected to step back, now that the men were home. A founding member of the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve... Which goes on to become SHIELD) she must balance her administrative duties with the covert operations that she and Howard Stark continue on the side. An interesting premise, to be sure, and a bit of an unexpected one. There have been rumblings of this since sometime last year, and I am glad that Disney has followed through. I like the fact that the focus of this series is going to be on a female character, and that it is going to be a period piece. It will be very interesting to see how tightly it's tied to the MCU and Agents of SHIELD. As we follow SHIELD from it's humble origins, might we see the start of the infiltration of Hydra that has thrown the current MCU into a tailspin?
And speaking of Agents of SHIELD, I must admit that I am glad that it has been given a second season. Unlike a lot of viewers, I have stuck with it this entire season, and will admit that I have been rewarded with some great TV recently. I do, however, understand why some people jumped ship. It took SHIELD a while to find it's footing and get the audience invested. Disney, in my opinion, did two things wrong with this property. Firstly, they marketed it as a Joss Whedon show, which, it was not. Yes, Joss wrote and directed the pilot and it is a Mutant Enemy production, but the day to day show-running was actually done by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tanchareon, Joss' brother and sister-in-law. People were expecting something along the lines of Buffy or Firefly, and were disappointed when it turned out a little differently. Their second mistake was thinking that the general public was going to be interested in the behind the scenes, day to day stuff of the non-superhero characters of their franchise. While I enjoy the in and outs and knew what I was getting in to, I think a lot of people were disappointed when the focus wasn't on the Iron Man's and the Thor's of the MCU. What exactly people were expecting, I don't know, but it definitely wasn't what they got. Although the ratings have dropped throughout the season, the show still puts up decent numbers, and a second season is justified. Especially now that it's core is directly tied to the MCU. I think it ups the stakes a little bit.
Of course, we can't talk Marvel and television, without bringing up The Defenders. Announced back in November, this joint venture with Netflix will see the characters of Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage brought to the small screen. Set to air sometime in 2015, each character will get a set number of episodes to tell their story and then will come together for a mini-series event, The Defenders. The bonus of this format is that, with Netflix, all episodes are released simultaneously, so you can binge watch to your heart's content. According to Marvel, these will also tie in to the MCU, making the whole thing one big happy family.
I wrote earlier this week about how, even though DC's Cinematic Universe is a mess, they are still head and shoulders above Marvel when it comes to TV. I still believe that. While Marvel is trying, putting things out there, I worry that they are placing too much of the emphasis in their Cintematic Universe. By linking all of these properties, it is creating something huge... filling the canon and making things difficult to understand, if not lined up exactly right. It also forces viewers to at least keep up with all of the goings on in the various branches, whether they are avid watchers or not. This may alienate viewers, who don't have the time or inclination to catch everything that is produced. Warner Brothers, on the other hand, is spreading their properties around, leaving each incarnation as a seperate entity. What happens in one world, has no affect on anybody else's. With the trailer drop for "Gotham" and the news that both The Flash and Contstantine, at The CW and NBC respectively, have been ordered to series, DC/The WB are in good shape when it comes to TV. Now, if they could just get their crap together and get their movie properties in order...
I guess we'll see who actually wins this war once the ratings are in. With the arrival of the "comic book series" to television, the true winner is us, the fans. We no longer have to wait to see our old, or new, favourite characters on the big screen. Soon, they will be in living rooms everywhere.
Marvel's Agent Carter will tell the story of Captain America's love, Peggy Carter, and her struggles to fit into a post-World War II world, where women who had stepped up, were expected to step back, now that the men were home. A founding member of the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve... Which goes on to become SHIELD) she must balance her administrative duties with the covert operations that she and Howard Stark continue on the side. An interesting premise, to be sure, and a bit of an unexpected one. There have been rumblings of this since sometime last year, and I am glad that Disney has followed through. I like the fact that the focus of this series is going to be on a female character, and that it is going to be a period piece. It will be very interesting to see how tightly it's tied to the MCU and Agents of SHIELD. As we follow SHIELD from it's humble origins, might we see the start of the infiltration of Hydra that has thrown the current MCU into a tailspin?
And speaking of Agents of SHIELD, I must admit that I am glad that it has been given a second season. Unlike a lot of viewers, I have stuck with it this entire season, and will admit that I have been rewarded with some great TV recently. I do, however, understand why some people jumped ship. It took SHIELD a while to find it's footing and get the audience invested. Disney, in my opinion, did two things wrong with this property. Firstly, they marketed it as a Joss Whedon show, which, it was not. Yes, Joss wrote and directed the pilot and it is a Mutant Enemy production, but the day to day show-running was actually done by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tanchareon, Joss' brother and sister-in-law. People were expecting something along the lines of Buffy or Firefly, and were disappointed when it turned out a little differently. Their second mistake was thinking that the general public was going to be interested in the behind the scenes, day to day stuff of the non-superhero characters of their franchise. While I enjoy the in and outs and knew what I was getting in to, I think a lot of people were disappointed when the focus wasn't on the Iron Man's and the Thor's of the MCU. What exactly people were expecting, I don't know, but it definitely wasn't what they got. Although the ratings have dropped throughout the season, the show still puts up decent numbers, and a second season is justified. Especially now that it's core is directly tied to the MCU. I think it ups the stakes a little bit.
Of course, we can't talk Marvel and television, without bringing up The Defenders. Announced back in November, this joint venture with Netflix will see the characters of Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage brought to the small screen. Set to air sometime in 2015, each character will get a set number of episodes to tell their story and then will come together for a mini-series event, The Defenders. The bonus of this format is that, with Netflix, all episodes are released simultaneously, so you can binge watch to your heart's content. According to Marvel, these will also tie in to the MCU, making the whole thing one big happy family.
I wrote earlier this week about how, even though DC's Cinematic Universe is a mess, they are still head and shoulders above Marvel when it comes to TV. I still believe that. While Marvel is trying, putting things out there, I worry that they are placing too much of the emphasis in their Cintematic Universe. By linking all of these properties, it is creating something huge... filling the canon and making things difficult to understand, if not lined up exactly right. It also forces viewers to at least keep up with all of the goings on in the various branches, whether they are avid watchers or not. This may alienate viewers, who don't have the time or inclination to catch everything that is produced. Warner Brothers, on the other hand, is spreading their properties around, leaving each incarnation as a seperate entity. What happens in one world, has no affect on anybody else's. With the trailer drop for "Gotham" and the news that both The Flash and Contstantine, at The CW and NBC respectively, have been ordered to series, DC/The WB are in good shape when it comes to TV. Now, if they could just get their crap together and get their movie properties in order...
I guess we'll see who actually wins this war once the ratings are in. With the arrival of the "comic book series" to television, the true winner is us, the fans. We no longer have to wait to see our old, or new, favourite characters on the big screen. Soon, they will be in living rooms everywhere.
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
OOhh, DC, What Have We Here?
So, I've been pretty hard on DC and Warner Brothers in regards to their Cinematic Universe and some of the choices that they have made. The lack of confidence they've shown in their properties, the lack of direction and planning that they've presented to us and some of their suspect casting choices are just a few of the things that I have issue with. I mean, seriously, who casts an underwear model as the most iconic female superhero ever? Who does that? That's not creative casting (like the Paul Rudd as Scott Lang in the new Ant-Man in the MCU), it's bizarre and kind of insulting...
Anyway...
Whatever the shortcomings that the WB and DC have in their movie universe, they more than make up for in their television properties. Over the years, the WB and DC have created some seriously awesome programming for the boob tube, and it doesn't look like they're stopping any time soon.
Now, I have never watched Smallville, although I have always heard really good things about it. The untold story of Superman's early life on Earth, it follows Clark Kent, before he donned the cape and tights, as he traverses the trials and tribulations of being a teenager and a young adult. It was just one of those things that I was going to watch, and then it got a couple of seasons in and there was a lot to catch up on and I never got around to it. Maybe, eventually, I will. :)
Birds of Prey, however, was a series that I loved, and watched faithfully for the very brief time that it aired. The story of Helena Kyle, aka Huntress, as she takes over the mantle of protecting New Gotham City. The daughter of Batman and Catwoman, she, along with the Oracle (Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl) and Dinah Lance help take down the metahuman criminals that the police can't handle. Although it only lasted for 13 episodes, the creators had enough thought and foresight, from the time cancellation was announced to rewrite and film a proper ending for the series. It was great to see a superhero series where all of the main characters were female and it is unfortunate that it never found it's audience.
Which leads us to the fantastic, Arrow, currently airing on the CW. The story of Oliver Queen, as he returns home from being shipwrecked on a "deserted" island, to fight the crime and corruption that is destroying his city. He becomes known as the Arrow (or The Green Arrow to you comic book purists!). The action and dialogue come fast and furious, with nods to and the introduction of many staple DC comic book characters. The plot lines and story arcs mesh beautifully, and it's obvious that the creators have a very distinct vision and direction for the series. If you are not watching it, I highly recommend it. Season 2 is just wrapping up, so it's the perfect opportunity to catch up on this highly entertaining series.
And how can you talk about Arrow, without bringing up The Flash. Created by virtually the same team that brought us Arrow, it is currently in the pilot stage over at The CW. A spin-off of Arrow, it will form a shared television universe for the DC characters on the CW. The character of Barry Allen was introduced earlier in this season of Arrow, and we were witness to the accident that is eventually going to turn him in to the Flash. Currently his is still in a coma, awaiting pick-up of his series, I assume.
And so here we are... on the verge of what has got to be the biggest and most interesting news to come out of the DC camp in regards to television in a long while...
The first teaser and trailer for the upcoming Fox series Gotham premiered last night. And boy, does it look fantastic. Already receiving a full series order, Gotham tells the story of a young detective, Jim Gordon, in his early days on the Gotham City police force. It appears as if it will also be an origin story of sorts, for not only Batman, but other Gotham characters, like The Riddler, Penguin, Two-Face, Catwoman and The Joker. How exciting is that? Now, I am not a huge fan of Fox, as they have a tendency to jump ship pretty early on a lot of their series (it's been 12 years, and I'm still traumatized by the cancellation of Firefly!). Although, with the success of the fantasy/sci-fi driven Sleepy Hollow last year (another show that I completely recommend... and only like 13 episodes to catch up on if you need to!) and the name recognition and inclusion of the Batman Universe, this one just might last. If the trailer is any indication, we are in for quite a treat. Click on the link below to view both the teaser and the trailer at Schmoes Know:
http://schmoesknow.com/gotham-gets-its-first-full-trailer/22633/
Anyway...
Whatever the shortcomings that the WB and DC have in their movie universe, they more than make up for in their television properties. Over the years, the WB and DC have created some seriously awesome programming for the boob tube, and it doesn't look like they're stopping any time soon.
Now, I have never watched Smallville, although I have always heard really good things about it. The untold story of Superman's early life on Earth, it follows Clark Kent, before he donned the cape and tights, as he traverses the trials and tribulations of being a teenager and a young adult. It was just one of those things that I was going to watch, and then it got a couple of seasons in and there was a lot to catch up on and I never got around to it. Maybe, eventually, I will. :)
Birds of Prey, however, was a series that I loved, and watched faithfully for the very brief time that it aired. The story of Helena Kyle, aka Huntress, as she takes over the mantle of protecting New Gotham City. The daughter of Batman and Catwoman, she, along with the Oracle (Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl) and Dinah Lance help take down the metahuman criminals that the police can't handle. Although it only lasted for 13 episodes, the creators had enough thought and foresight, from the time cancellation was announced to rewrite and film a proper ending for the series. It was great to see a superhero series where all of the main characters were female and it is unfortunate that it never found it's audience.
Which leads us to the fantastic, Arrow, currently airing on the CW. The story of Oliver Queen, as he returns home from being shipwrecked on a "deserted" island, to fight the crime and corruption that is destroying his city. He becomes known as the Arrow (or The Green Arrow to you comic book purists!). The action and dialogue come fast and furious, with nods to and the introduction of many staple DC comic book characters. The plot lines and story arcs mesh beautifully, and it's obvious that the creators have a very distinct vision and direction for the series. If you are not watching it, I highly recommend it. Season 2 is just wrapping up, so it's the perfect opportunity to catch up on this highly entertaining series.
And how can you talk about Arrow, without bringing up The Flash. Created by virtually the same team that brought us Arrow, it is currently in the pilot stage over at The CW. A spin-off of Arrow, it will form a shared television universe for the DC characters on the CW. The character of Barry Allen was introduced earlier in this season of Arrow, and we were witness to the accident that is eventually going to turn him in to the Flash. Currently his is still in a coma, awaiting pick-up of his series, I assume.
And so here we are... on the verge of what has got to be the biggest and most interesting news to come out of the DC camp in regards to television in a long while...
The first teaser and trailer for the upcoming Fox series Gotham premiered last night. And boy, does it look fantastic. Already receiving a full series order, Gotham tells the story of a young detective, Jim Gordon, in his early days on the Gotham City police force. It appears as if it will also be an origin story of sorts, for not only Batman, but other Gotham characters, like The Riddler, Penguin, Two-Face, Catwoman and The Joker. How exciting is that? Now, I am not a huge fan of Fox, as they have a tendency to jump ship pretty early on a lot of their series (it's been 12 years, and I'm still traumatized by the cancellation of Firefly!). Although, with the success of the fantasy/sci-fi driven Sleepy Hollow last year (another show that I completely recommend... and only like 13 episodes to catch up on if you need to!) and the name recognition and inclusion of the Batman Universe, this one just might last. If the trailer is any indication, we are in for quite a treat. Click on the link below to view both the teaser and the trailer at Schmoes Know:
http://schmoesknow.com/gotham-gets-its-first-full-trailer/22633/
Friday, 2 May 2014
By The Power of Greyskull....
I was an 80's kid. And a girly-girl to boot. I had Barbie's and Cabbage Patch Kids, Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Ponies. My favourite colour was pink (although in my defence, that was kind of forced upon me, as I was my Grandmother's youngest (by over a decade!) granddaughter, and one of only three, so yeah...), I wore frilly dresses that my Grandmother had made for me and played with dolls. I also, however, had two younger brothers... Who were also 80's kids... Meaning that, in our collective grasp, we also had characters and spaceships from Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Thundercats, Transformers, Blackstar, Silverhawks and of course, He-Man as well as the other Masters of the Universe.
My brothers had Castle Greyskull and Snake Mountain, and everyone from the titular He-Man to Moss Man, Mekaneck and Man-At-Arms, as well as Skeletor and his evil henchmen, Tri-Klops, Trap-Jaw, Beast Man and Mer-Man. The list goes on and on. We lived in a small town, with basic cable, so didn't actually get the cartoon, as it never played there. However, a visit to our Grandparent's house in the city, who's TV programming included a feed from Washington State, was all it took to start our love affair with the residents of Eternia. Every afternoon at 3 o'clock we watched and marvelled. Even now, on Friday nights, when it airs on Teletoon Retro, I have a tendency to put it on now and again. (I know, really rockin' Friday night's going on there! Woot woot!). To say that these characters, as well as many others, weren't a huge part of my life would be a bold faced lie. They defined my childhood. It might be material and superficial, but it's also true.
Needless to say, when I found out that DC comics was doing a limited 6 Issue Edition of He-Man and The Masters of the Universe, I thought, I must read this, and own this, and cherish this. So, on to my monthly subscription list (I know, how dangerous is that, right? Just a click of a button and comic books are shipped to your door on a monthly basis!) it went, and then I waited impatiently for it to arrive, as I'm wont to do.
Finally, the beautiful first issue arrived, all glossy and colourful.
And there he was, He-Man, holding the Sword of Power aloft, Castle Greyskull silhouetted behind him, in all his glory.
Overall, it is an interesting take on the original story. With the supplemental One-Shots of The Origin of He-Man and The Origin of Skeletor (and to a lesser extent, The Origin of Hordak), it's not so much an origin story, but a reboot. It turns out that Skeletor, through a betrayal of some kind by Orko, has enchanted all of the Masters of the Universe, so they now no longer remember who or what they are. That is, until they start dreaming about their old selves. As Adam sets off to find out what's going on, with the help of Zoar, he meets friends and foes along the way. Everything comes to a head when he finds the sword of power, breaking the enchantment and returning everyone to their former selves. Of course, there is an epic battle at the end, that leads to an open door for a continuing series. One that involves other characters from a related show...
The dialogue is witty and quick and the images are beautiful. The characters have a great look to them (shockingly, Teela somehow ends up in nothing but a string bikini... but, whatever!) that reminds of the originals from the cartoon, but is also a little more menacing and superhero-esque.
Overall, I would give this 6 Issue Series a 4/5. If The Masters of the Universe were a part of your childhood, I definitely recommend.
My brothers had Castle Greyskull and Snake Mountain, and everyone from the titular He-Man to Moss Man, Mekaneck and Man-At-Arms, as well as Skeletor and his evil henchmen, Tri-Klops, Trap-Jaw, Beast Man and Mer-Man. The list goes on and on. We lived in a small town, with basic cable, so didn't actually get the cartoon, as it never played there. However, a visit to our Grandparent's house in the city, who's TV programming included a feed from Washington State, was all it took to start our love affair with the residents of Eternia. Every afternoon at 3 o'clock we watched and marvelled. Even now, on Friday nights, when it airs on Teletoon Retro, I have a tendency to put it on now and again. (I know, really rockin' Friday night's going on there! Woot woot!). To say that these characters, as well as many others, weren't a huge part of my life would be a bold faced lie. They defined my childhood. It might be material and superficial, but it's also true.
Needless to say, when I found out that DC comics was doing a limited 6 Issue Edition of He-Man and The Masters of the Universe, I thought, I must read this, and own this, and cherish this. So, on to my monthly subscription list (I know, how dangerous is that, right? Just a click of a button and comic books are shipped to your door on a monthly basis!) it went, and then I waited impatiently for it to arrive, as I'm wont to do.
Finally, the beautiful first issue arrived, all glossy and colourful.
And there he was, He-Man, holding the Sword of Power aloft, Castle Greyskull silhouetted behind him, in all his glory.
Overall, it is an interesting take on the original story. With the supplemental One-Shots of The Origin of He-Man and The Origin of Skeletor (and to a lesser extent, The Origin of Hordak), it's not so much an origin story, but a reboot. It turns out that Skeletor, through a betrayal of some kind by Orko, has enchanted all of the Masters of the Universe, so they now no longer remember who or what they are. That is, until they start dreaming about their old selves. As Adam sets off to find out what's going on, with the help of Zoar, he meets friends and foes along the way. Everything comes to a head when he finds the sword of power, breaking the enchantment and returning everyone to their former selves. Of course, there is an epic battle at the end, that leads to an open door for a continuing series. One that involves other characters from a related show...
The dialogue is witty and quick and the images are beautiful. The characters have a great look to them (shockingly, Teela somehow ends up in nothing but a string bikini... but, whatever!) that reminds of the originals from the cartoon, but is also a little more menacing and superhero-esque.
Overall, I would give this 6 Issue Series a 4/5. If The Masters of the Universe were a part of your childhood, I definitely recommend.
Monday, 28 April 2014
Wonder Twin Powers Activate... Or, You Know... Not...
So, it appears that a Justice League movie is on it's way... and it's not actually the Man of Steel sequel set for release in 2016. Who would've guessed?
According to the Wall Street Journal, the President of Warner Brothers, George Silverman, has confirmed that a Justice League movie is in the works. It appears that it will be the WB's next big release after the Man of Steel sequel, or Batman vs. Superman, or World's Finest, or Justice League Light, or whatever you want to call it, in 2016. That means that it will be at least 2018 before we actually see this happen.
So, to say that I'm excited, would be an over-statement of huge proportions. Does that mean that I don't want the movie? Hell no! I think it'll be amazing to see these characters on the big screen together for the first time. I mean, Super Friends was a huge part of my childhood. (But please, regardless of my title, no Jayna and Zan!) And, if this all works out, is going to be a huge, huge, epic movie.
But here's where the problems lie... First off, this will be the third... count 'em, third... DC movie to be directed by Zack Snyder, in a row. You've got to be a huge Zack Snyder fan to welcome this news, and in case you missed it, I'm not. Sure, Zack Snyder is a great visual director, but I need more than great visuals in my comic book movies. What's the point of putting all of these great characters together, if you're not going to do anything with them, except throw them through buildings? One of the reasons that The Avengers was such a great movie, in my opinion, is because Joss Whedon is really great at creating and building character dynamics. (All you have to do is watch a season of Buffy or all of Firefly to see this... which, if you haven't, I highly recommend!) And, what makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe so great, and diverse, is that they have chosen a different director for each of their movies so far. While each of the movies in the MCU have the same overall "feel", if you will (because they are all overseen by Kevin Feige and need to head in the same direction to eventually get where they need to go), each character and film has their own unique tone and style, brought on by the different directors that helm each project. It will be interesting to see what happens with The Age of Ultron and Captain America 3, as these will be the first Marvel properties, aside from the first 2 Iron Man movies, that are directed by the same directors. But again, I digress...
Secondly, although we are now talking 2018, for some reason this feels rushed to me. I mean, the WB couldn't even manage to get the Man of Steel sequel out on time, after the big announcement at last years Comic-Con. Once they realized how premature it was to actually announce it, solely in a effort to one-up Marvel, they were forced to push the release date back almost a full year. It seems to me that, instead of having a distinct plan and acting on it, that the WB is flying by the seat of it's pants, trying to do anything to stop the juggernaut that is Kevin Feige and his MCU vision. What they seem to forget is that, unlike their own situation, Kevin Feige set course to this vision back in 2008 and has methodically been ticking off the boxes as we go along. I mean, between now and May 6, 2016, when the WB is set to release the Man of Steel sequel (the second move in it's Cinematic Universe), Marvel will have released four... again, count 'em, four, new movies! (And that's not including the fantastic Captain America: The Winter Soldier from earlier this month!) That, my friends, is why, in my opinion, it's not possible for the WB and it's DC properties to ever catch Marvel. Marvel keeps chugging along, full speed ahead, while DC is spinning it's wheels.
While I am intrigued by the idea, and I do wish the WB and DC well, I can't say that I am overly excited at the whole prospect. While it would be very cool, as a comic book fan and a self-proclaimed geek, to have an epic battle of Marvel vs. DC on the big screen (numbers wise, I mean... I'm not a fan of the cross-over idea at all!), I will reserve judgement until I actually see what they do with the Man of Steel sequel. If it's anything like the original, for me, this just might be a short ride.
Below are some links to the original article, and the opinions of some people, who are way smarter than me!
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/04/27/warner-bros-details-plans-for-justice-league-movie-exclusive/ Original Wall Street Journal Article
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/04/28/admit-it-youre-pumped-for-the-justice-league-movie/?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Speakeasy&mod=WSJ_ArtsEnt_Speakeasy Second Wall Street Journal Article
http://schmoesknow.com/zack-snyder-is-officially-directing-justice-league/22130/ Schmoes Know Article
According to the Wall Street Journal, the President of Warner Brothers, George Silverman, has confirmed that a Justice League movie is in the works. It appears that it will be the WB's next big release after the Man of Steel sequel, or Batman vs. Superman, or World's Finest, or Justice League Light, or whatever you want to call it, in 2016. That means that it will be at least 2018 before we actually see this happen.
So, to say that I'm excited, would be an over-statement of huge proportions. Does that mean that I don't want the movie? Hell no! I think it'll be amazing to see these characters on the big screen together for the first time. I mean, Super Friends was a huge part of my childhood. (But please, regardless of my title, no Jayna and Zan!) And, if this all works out, is going to be a huge, huge, epic movie.
But here's where the problems lie... First off, this will be the third... count 'em, third... DC movie to be directed by Zack Snyder, in a row. You've got to be a huge Zack Snyder fan to welcome this news, and in case you missed it, I'm not. Sure, Zack Snyder is a great visual director, but I need more than great visuals in my comic book movies. What's the point of putting all of these great characters together, if you're not going to do anything with them, except throw them through buildings? One of the reasons that The Avengers was such a great movie, in my opinion, is because Joss Whedon is really great at creating and building character dynamics. (All you have to do is watch a season of Buffy or all of Firefly to see this... which, if you haven't, I highly recommend!) And, what makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe so great, and diverse, is that they have chosen a different director for each of their movies so far. While each of the movies in the MCU have the same overall "feel", if you will (because they are all overseen by Kevin Feige and need to head in the same direction to eventually get where they need to go), each character and film has their own unique tone and style, brought on by the different directors that helm each project. It will be interesting to see what happens with The Age of Ultron and Captain America 3, as these will be the first Marvel properties, aside from the first 2 Iron Man movies, that are directed by the same directors. But again, I digress...
Secondly, although we are now talking 2018, for some reason this feels rushed to me. I mean, the WB couldn't even manage to get the Man of Steel sequel out on time, after the big announcement at last years Comic-Con. Once they realized how premature it was to actually announce it, solely in a effort to one-up Marvel, they were forced to push the release date back almost a full year. It seems to me that, instead of having a distinct plan and acting on it, that the WB is flying by the seat of it's pants, trying to do anything to stop the juggernaut that is Kevin Feige and his MCU vision. What they seem to forget is that, unlike their own situation, Kevin Feige set course to this vision back in 2008 and has methodically been ticking off the boxes as we go along. I mean, between now and May 6, 2016, when the WB is set to release the Man of Steel sequel (the second move in it's Cinematic Universe), Marvel will have released four... again, count 'em, four, new movies! (And that's not including the fantastic Captain America: The Winter Soldier from earlier this month!) That, my friends, is why, in my opinion, it's not possible for the WB and it's DC properties to ever catch Marvel. Marvel keeps chugging along, full speed ahead, while DC is spinning it's wheels.
While I am intrigued by the idea, and I do wish the WB and DC well, I can't say that I am overly excited at the whole prospect. While it would be very cool, as a comic book fan and a self-proclaimed geek, to have an epic battle of Marvel vs. DC on the big screen (numbers wise, I mean... I'm not a fan of the cross-over idea at all!), I will reserve judgement until I actually see what they do with the Man of Steel sequel. If it's anything like the original, for me, this just might be a short ride.
Below are some links to the original article, and the opinions of some people, who are way smarter than me!
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/04/27/warner-bros-details-plans-for-justice-league-movie-exclusive/ Original Wall Street Journal Article
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/04/28/admit-it-youre-pumped-for-the-justice-league-movie/?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Speakeasy&mod=WSJ_ArtsEnt_Speakeasy Second Wall Street Journal Article
http://schmoesknow.com/zack-snyder-is-officially-directing-justice-league/22130/ Schmoes Know Article
Sunday, 27 April 2014
May 6, 2016...
So, I'm going to start off with a disclaimer:
***************
I am a MARVEL fan-girl! I don't hate DC or anything like that, but, I just lean more heavily towards Marvel properties. I collect more Marvel comic book titles than I do DC, and I will admit, that I like what Marvel has done with their properties, in regards to their Cinematic Universe way more than anything that DC has done, including Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy.
While I don't detest Nolan's films (it actually takes a lot for me to truly hate a movie. I can usually find something redeeming about just about anything!), I honestly don't see the big deal. I think maybe it's because I don't like my superheroes so firmly grounded in reality. I mean, isn't the point of being a superhero not being a regular guy or gal? To me, while The Dark Knight was a good movie, I feel that both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises are way over-rated. Okay, granted, I have only seen all of them once, but for me, it was enough. (That doesn't stop me from owning them, but that's a completely separate issue!) And don't get me started on Man of Steel... Again, I feel that this was just an all right movie. Nothing special. While I think that Henry Cavill makes a beautiful Superman, I was not impressed with Amy Adams as Lois Lane (which is crazy, cause it's AMY ADAMS for goodness sake!) or the overall story arc. And it has nothing to do with Kal-El killing Zod... I get that part, and I think that it was a very powerful moment... even though it was cut a little short. My main problem was that more than half the movie was people punching each other through buildings and watching things blow up. I mean, if that's what you were going to turn your Superman into, then why didn't you just get Michael Bay to direct it?
Anyway, I digress... this post is not supposed to be about what I dislike about DC movies...
This post is my thoughts on this game of chicken that DC and Marvel are playing over May 6, 2016. For those who are reading this (you know, the 2 of you that aren't my mom) and don't know what the heck I'm talking about, I'll explain. Marvel had scheduled an as yet to be named title for release on May 6, 2016, a while ago, which has now been revealed to be Captain America 3. Well, during all of this crap that's been going on over at Warner Brothers in regards to this Man of Steel sequel, the WB decided to push back it's release date from the summer of 2015 to May 6, 2016. (Don't get me started on the debacle that thisJustice League World's Finest Man of Steel sequel is turning into!)
Looks like we've got a bit of a conflict of interest here, gentlemen! And a seriously high-stakes game of chicken to boot.
As of now, it seems that neither Marvel nor the WB is looking at moving their movie. Kevin Feige has actually come out and said that Marvel is not moving, period, (granted, Mr. Feige is not the be all and end all over there at Disney, so what eventually happens remains to be seen), and the WB, while not quite as adamant, doesn't look like it's going to make a move any time soon, either.
So, what does this mean?
Well, for starters, it means that 2016 is shaping up to be an interesting year for movies! It also means that, if, on the very highly unlikely chance that neither of these guys blink, that May 6, 2016 is going to be a very busy day for me! :) But honestly, what it really means is diminishing returns for both of these films, a hit right in the box office, if you will. And all because the respective heads of each of these companies have decided to have a pissing contest. Yes, there are many fans out there, like me, who would do a double feature and see both on the same night, or maybe both on the same weekend. But let's face it, we, as sweaty movie nerds (copyright to @JohnCampea over at AMC Movie Talk), are in the minority when it comes to these sorts of things. It's expensive to go to the movies here in Canada ($12.95 for a regular ticket, more if you want to do Ultra AVX, 3D or Imax) and there are a lot of people who are very selective in what they choose to see. It makes this whole thing a no win situation, no matter how you look at it.
Even though they had the date first, if I was up to me at Marvel, I would move the Captain America movie, probably forward, into April 2016 (a release date similar to the Winter Soldier date this year). First off, it makes you look like the bigger man, because even though you had the date first, you're acknowledging the significance of Batman vs. Superman, without actually coming out and saying it. Cause let's face it, even though I'm not super excited about it, the Man of Steel sequel is going to mop the floor with anything else that is released along side it. Secondly, you just proved, with the fantastic Captain America: The Winter Soldier, that as long as you make a great movie, it honestly doesn't matter what the release date is (with a few exception, of course!). Cap 2 has just recently become the highest grossing movie ever released in April. Why not see if you can beat that record by making and releasing an even better movie 2 years from now?
Anyway, that's my 2 cents on the whole thing. If you want to hear other opinions on this topic, below are a couple of links to my two favourite places for movie news: AMC Movie Talk and the Schmoes Know Movie Show. I encourage you to check these guys and gals out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBvjdS7g6hs AMC Movie Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ccVyyDk440 Schmoes Know Movie Show
***************
I am a MARVEL fan-girl! I don't hate DC or anything like that, but, I just lean more heavily towards Marvel properties. I collect more Marvel comic book titles than I do DC, and I will admit, that I like what Marvel has done with their properties, in regards to their Cinematic Universe way more than anything that DC has done, including Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy.
While I don't detest Nolan's films (it actually takes a lot for me to truly hate a movie. I can usually find something redeeming about just about anything!), I honestly don't see the big deal. I think maybe it's because I don't like my superheroes so firmly grounded in reality. I mean, isn't the point of being a superhero not being a regular guy or gal? To me, while The Dark Knight was a good movie, I feel that both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises are way over-rated. Okay, granted, I have only seen all of them once, but for me, it was enough. (That doesn't stop me from owning them, but that's a completely separate issue!) And don't get me started on Man of Steel... Again, I feel that this was just an all right movie. Nothing special. While I think that Henry Cavill makes a beautiful Superman, I was not impressed with Amy Adams as Lois Lane (which is crazy, cause it's AMY ADAMS for goodness sake!) or the overall story arc. And it has nothing to do with Kal-El killing Zod... I get that part, and I think that it was a very powerful moment... even though it was cut a little short. My main problem was that more than half the movie was people punching each other through buildings and watching things blow up. I mean, if that's what you were going to turn your Superman into, then why didn't you just get Michael Bay to direct it?
Anyway, I digress... this post is not supposed to be about what I dislike about DC movies...
This post is my thoughts on this game of chicken that DC and Marvel are playing over May 6, 2016. For those who are reading this (you know, the 2 of you that aren't my mom) and don't know what the heck I'm talking about, I'll explain. Marvel had scheduled an as yet to be named title for release on May 6, 2016, a while ago, which has now been revealed to be Captain America 3. Well, during all of this crap that's been going on over at Warner Brothers in regards to this Man of Steel sequel, the WB decided to push back it's release date from the summer of 2015 to May 6, 2016. (Don't get me started on the debacle that this
Looks like we've got a bit of a conflict of interest here, gentlemen! And a seriously high-stakes game of chicken to boot.
As of now, it seems that neither Marvel nor the WB is looking at moving their movie. Kevin Feige has actually come out and said that Marvel is not moving, period, (granted, Mr. Feige is not the be all and end all over there at Disney, so what eventually happens remains to be seen), and the WB, while not quite as adamant, doesn't look like it's going to make a move any time soon, either.
So, what does this mean?
Well, for starters, it means that 2016 is shaping up to be an interesting year for movies! It also means that, if, on the very highly unlikely chance that neither of these guys blink, that May 6, 2016 is going to be a very busy day for me! :) But honestly, what it really means is diminishing returns for both of these films, a hit right in the box office, if you will. And all because the respective heads of each of these companies have decided to have a pissing contest. Yes, there are many fans out there, like me, who would do a double feature and see both on the same night, or maybe both on the same weekend. But let's face it, we, as sweaty movie nerds (copyright to @JohnCampea over at AMC Movie Talk), are in the minority when it comes to these sorts of things. It's expensive to go to the movies here in Canada ($12.95 for a regular ticket, more if you want to do Ultra AVX, 3D or Imax) and there are a lot of people who are very selective in what they choose to see. It makes this whole thing a no win situation, no matter how you look at it.
Even though they had the date first, if I was up to me at Marvel, I would move the Captain America movie, probably forward, into April 2016 (a release date similar to the Winter Soldier date this year). First off, it makes you look like the bigger man, because even though you had the date first, you're acknowledging the significance of Batman vs. Superman, without actually coming out and saying it. Cause let's face it, even though I'm not super excited about it, the Man of Steel sequel is going to mop the floor with anything else that is released along side it. Secondly, you just proved, with the fantastic Captain America: The Winter Soldier, that as long as you make a great movie, it honestly doesn't matter what the release date is (with a few exception, of course!). Cap 2 has just recently become the highest grossing movie ever released in April. Why not see if you can beat that record by making and releasing an even better movie 2 years from now?
Anyway, that's my 2 cents on the whole thing. If you want to hear other opinions on this topic, below are a couple of links to my two favourite places for movie news: AMC Movie Talk and the Schmoes Know Movie Show. I encourage you to check these guys and gals out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBvjdS7g6hs AMC Movie Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ccVyyDk440 Schmoes Know Movie Show
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