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Tag: dc-comics

  • ‘Superpowered: The DC Story’ Exclusive Filmmakers Interview

    The three-part original documentary series 'Superpowered: The DC Story' premieres July 20th on Max.
    The three-part original documentary series ‘Superpowered: The DC Story’ premieres July 20th on Max.

    Premiering on Max July 20th is the three-part original documentary series ‘Superpowered: The DC Story,’ which examines the history and impact of DC Comics. The series was co-directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks (‘100 Years of Warner Bros.’) and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Mark Catalena (‘Johnny Carson: King of Late Night‘), and was narrated by Rosario Dawson (‘Ahsoka’).

    What is ‘Superpowered: The DC Story’ about?

    ‘Superpowered: The DC Story’ takes an unprecedented look at the enduring and influential legacy of DC, allowing fans to rediscover the universe of characters, as well as the iconic comic book company’s origins, its evolution and its nearly nine-decade cultural impact across every artistic medium. The series features a wealth of interviews with the industry’s most prolific creators and the actors who bring their iconic characters from the page to the screen.

    Gal Gadot in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Gal Gadot in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    Related Article: Where To Watch The Multiverse-Jumping Superhero Adventure ‘The Flash’

    Who appears in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story’?

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with co-directors Leslie Iwerks and Mark Catalena about their work on ‘Superpowered: The DC Story,’ making it different from past documentaries about DC, focusing on the good and the bad, what they learned that surprised them, the unique structure of the series, fitting the 90-year history into three episodes, assembling the interview and archival footage, and the importance of diversity in comics.

    (Left) Co-directors Leslie Iwerks and (Right) co-director Mark Catalena of the three-part original documentary series 'Superpowered: The DC Story' which premieres July 20th on Max.
    (Left) Co-directors Leslie Iwerks and (Right) co-director Mark Catalena of the three-part original documentary series ‘Superpowered: The DC Story’ which premieres July 20th on Max.

    Moviefone: To begin with, there have been several documentaries about the history of DC Comics in the past, how did you approach making this series different from previous DC documentaries?

    Leslie Iwerks: So I think when Warner Bros. came to me to do the DC series and also the ‘100 Years of Warner Brothers,’ they were really inspired by ‘The Imagineering Story’ at Disney for Disney+, and said, “We’d love to have you do an approach for DC that’s very similar to what you did for Disney, in that it was warts and all. Tell the story as is. Be honest. Come at it with your own take on DC through time and where the pitfalls were and where the highs were.” We basically had various layers that we weaved in, which was the artist’s story and the personal stories of the artists, but then also the business story, the competition story, the character story, and then the culture story of what’s going on out in the culture that’s influencing these comics and vice versa. So we had to weave those layers like an onion together. Then early on we talked with HBO, and it was important to them and us to basically not tell this in a totally straight chronological way, but be able to flash forward and flashback so that we could remind the audience that this is present, that these characters still live and breathe today in a different form, but this is the beginning of it. So Mark worked with our graphic designer who I thought did a really great take of this time scroller through the years to sort of remind us of, hey, we’re going back. It wasn’t always like this, or here it is today. So it was challenging to always know which one do we flash forward to and why? What’s the theme there and what’s the point of it? It was like a big puzzle.

    Mark Catalena: I just wanted to add one thing to what you were saying earlier, Leslie. I think the other organizing principle for us, is that we wanted to come at it from an inspiration point of view. These are people, these are creators, from their point of view, that at some point during their life, they had a revelation, looking at a DC comic, or watching a cartoon. Something hit them hard to make them want to dedicate their lives to working in this industry and then filter that back out through their experience to inspire the next generation. So I think we wanted to really come at it from, why are these people passionate? How are they passionate? Trying to find the emotion that hit them and then dedicated their lives moving forward. We wanted to make it accessible to people. There are a lot of casual fans out there who know this more through maybe cartoons or movies, but it was important to us to say, look, that might be the entry point, but we want to show you where this all came from. We wanted to have them appreciate the source material, like 90 years of comic books. So I think that was one of our main goals, to approach it that way.

    Jim Lee in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Jim Lee in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    MF: It seems like Warner Bros. gave you a lot of freedom to tell the story that you wanted and to be able to include the bad with the good. Was there anything that you discovered that you decided not to include for any reason?

    LI: That’s a good question. I think, for the most part, we felt like what we included was the most relevant to the overall story we were trying to tell. Whatever subject we do, whether it be Disney and Imagineering or Warner Brothers and DC, you look at the scope of these histories and you go, there’s so many little dramas and infighting that can happen within an artist or a studio or anything. But you have to pick and choose what are the ones that really are going to matter in the scheme of the entire scope of the storytelling, the years, the span of the years? What are the things that are the big turning points versus just little infighting. Those are the things that the media might like to cover. But for something that’s a real timestamp of history and a piece that’s going to sit on a server on a streaming service for a long time, we want to make sure that we’re really hitting the most important things.

    MC: I think the other thing is we wanted to not have story points feel repetitive. A creator and a corporate entity, their relationship and the creative tension, that’s a never ending battle, through any creative industry. So I feel like we’re like, let’s pick the one that’s emblematic of that. Let’s focus on it but we don’t have to hit it every single time it happens because it still happens. I don’t think that’s anything new, and I don’t think that’s necessarily something the audience wants to just keep seeing. It would get boring after a while. So I think we approached every story beat in that way of like, when did it really matter? Let’s focus on that one specific, and that’s emblematic of all of the circumstances, all the occurrences.

    Dwayne Johnson in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Dwayne Johnson in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    MF: The series includes low points in DC history like the poor treatment of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, lack of diversity and representation, and the financial failures of movies like ‘Justice League’ and ‘Black Adam.’ Was there anything that the studio asked you to not include?

    MC: Look, I think there are always sensitivities around companies’ histories. I think we just wanted to approach it in a very matter of fact way and not editorialize, and basically just tell the truth, tell it neutrally and move on. I think the larger point that we kept going back to was, look, each one of these story points could have been its own documentary. It’s huge, it’s deep, it’s rabbit holes that you can fall into. We wanted to stay on the level of the scope. I think when you look at it as a whole, there’s only so much time you can really bring things up. So we’re constantly trying to think, okay, what does that add to the larger story? We would’ve liked to include a lot of stuff, but things just naturally fall away when you keep your eye on that big picture.

    MF: With over 90-years of comics, movies and TV shows, there’s a lot of history to fit in and it seemed like almost everything DC has ever produced was represented in the series. Can you talk about the challenges of trying to fit everything in?

    LI: I think it’s hard to acknowledge everything, and I don’t think you ever can. I think what we try to do is put things in there that are quick, perhaps, if we can’t go into coverage on them. We at least acknowledge them briefly, or they’re in the background or they’re in a montage or something, so that we can at least say we’ve acknowledged it, but we don’t necessarily have to stop, otherwise it would just become a long, rambling story. So again, it is just choosing your battles.

    Mark Waid in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Mark Waid in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    MF: As a comic book fan, I know legendary names like Alex Ross, Mark Waid, and Keith Giffen, but a lot of people watching the series may not. Can you talk about the importance of highlighting the comic book creators with this series?

    MC: I agree. They’re not household names. I think a large part of it though was, it’s more about what do they represent, and it’s more of their emotion and passion towards this subject that we wanted to come through. We didn’t necessarily plan to say, you need to know Mark Waid‘s entire resume. That doesn’t matter. We want to know, how does he emotionally feel about Superman, how did it affect him, and then how did he then want to affect others? It was more thematic, I think. I mean, look, talking to some of these folks, it was amazing for me. I’m a lifelong DC fan. But just hearing, I think their passion and their approach, like John Ridley and the Gene Luen Yang, there’s such depth there that was really eye-opening for us. That’s what we wanted to come through. Of course, Jenette Kahn and Karen Berger were huge gets for us. We are really happy to have them. Again, they might not be household names, but what they’ve done, if you look at what the comic industry is today, they started it. I mean, they really steered this entire industry in a direction of, we’re going to take something that was considered disposable kids’ stuff, and we’re going to turn it into legit literature and art that can be appreciated by anybody.

    LI: (Jennette Kahn and Karen Berger) created graphic novels. Just the way in which people read and consume this art, the storytelling became more sophisticated, the artwork became more sophisticated. The worlds became different. They sometimes became darker, they became more marginalized characters, you name it. I felt like in that era, they were really pushing the envelope to bring new audiences in, but also relate to people that could relate to this very specific sort of world, if that makes sense.

    MF: Can you talk about going through the Warner Bros. and DC Comics archives and finding the interviews and footage that you needed for this series?

    LI: I think that a big shout-out goes to the archive team and Warner Bros. who would help us to put together material or find material that hadn’t been seen before. But it was Mark and the producers working in tandem every single day to find these gems that hadn’t been seen before. A lot of stuff were old interviews that had to get transcribed and then we would go through and say, what’s the most unique bite that no one’s ever heard before? That’s what we do in the beginning, is just really going through the transcripts and these old archival things and trying to find the gems. Again, the gift of working with Warner Brothers and DC was, they were all equally excited as we were to get as much new cool stuff that no one’s ever seen before.

    Robert Pattinson in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Robert Pattinson in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    MF: The series even includes footage of Bob Kane admitting that he co-created Batman with Bill Finger, something that Kane had long denied and took sole credit for. Where did you find that?

    MC: Yeah, I agree. When we saw it, we were like, wait, what? Oh my gosh, this is amazing, and kind of refutes the common knowledge in the world that he never acknowledged Bill. This is amazing. So yeah, there were things like that. Even just the old Joe Kubert, Julius Schwartz and Carmine Infantino interviews that we found. Apparently some guy at a Comic-Con just took them in a room and started filming them. It was amazing because we don’t really hear their voices anymore. So finding that stuff was really cool. I would just say also, with all the photos of the old DC offices and how they worked, that was really fun.

    LI: I think also for us, we really want to bring you into that world as tangibly as we can. We want you to see the space. We want you to feel what it was like in that office. We want you to know that it was hot and it was tough, and they were struggling, and it was a man’s world, and there was one woman in there. You know what I mean? It’s like, we want you to feel that. So the more we can find those photos and bring that world to you, the better. The other thing too is, a lot of those old archival interviews obviously don’t look good, so that’s always a struggle. You don’t want to have a really low res, blurry image. So we worked with the graphic team to put them into kind of a comic book frame so that it looked more interesting. So I think that’s something Mark and I, and everyone are always trying to innovate documentaries, are always trying to say, how can we innovate graphically? How can we take the documentary form and push the boundaries and tell every new story differently with pacing, with graphics, with music, with shape, and with structure? We’re excited about always trying to be innovative.

    MC: Humor as well, and look, this is a colorful subject. We want it to be fun. We want it to be fast and fun and humorous at times. But that’s kind of our approach.

    James Gunn in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    James Gunn in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    MF: There have been a lot of changes recently at DC Studios with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over. Gunn appears in the series but there is no mention of future projects like ‘Superman: Legacy.’ At what point did you have to lock the series and were unable to include any new announcements?

    MC: I think it was August or September of last year. So it was before the big news of James Gunn taking over and everything. But Jim Lee loved that. He was like, look, we’ve done this. It’s a nice chapter break. Now, there’s going to be a new regime. It’s going to be a new path going forward. That’s a story that’s yet to be told. So yeah, he didn’t mind. I think it is exciting, though, that it’s not a stagnant thing. They’re always trying to innovate. They’re always trying to push, and yeah, it’s a moving target.

    MF: DC Comics is more than just Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, it has also included Vertigo, WildStorm, and Milestone comics. Can you talk about highlighting all of those companies in this series, in particular Milestone?

    LI: I think that it was very important and timely for Milestone to have a resurgence when it did. When you look back at the original Milestone, that was the biggest comic book sales by Black creators ever. There’s obviously an opportunity to reinvent that, to bring that back, and especially at a time when Black people’s stories needed to be told, and needed to be heard. I think that the more we bring these stories out and make them honest, truthful and relevant to our own lives, then that’s how these comic books formed from the beginning. It’s in the DNA of DC Comics. So I think that it’s exciting to see these different variations, so to speak, of storylines and characters continue to be successful.

    Denis Cowan in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Denis Cowan in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    MF: Leslie, were you a comic book fan before making this series and what did you learn about DC Comics that surprised you?

    LI: I didn’t necessarily grow up as a DC aficionado. But I think that to me, I grew up around artists. My family, my grandfather and father are both artists. And myself, I’m an artist. So to me, reading these was inspiring, just from the artistic and story standpoint. But I never really followed the story arcs of these characters necessarily. I did grow up on the ‘Wonder Woman’ Show, though, as silly as that sounds and dates me a bit. But I love the ‘Wonder Woman’ TV show, and I watched the ‘Batman’ show. Those are sort of the campy era when I was a kid watching those. I think it was just, to me, again, the stories that I love to tell are stories about innovators, bold business people and creators who want to push the envelope in the genre that they’re working in. In this case, DC was pushing the envelope and completely reinventing itself time and time again, and finding new ways to keep their characters relevant and fresh. To me, that’s a great business story. It’s a great creative story, and those are the kinds of stories that I like to tell.

    Lynda Carter in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Lynda Carter in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    MF: Finally, Mark, as a comic book fan what did you learn about DC Comics that surprised you, and who is your favorite DC character?

    MC: Well, I guess what I didn’t know is that it was surprising to me that, for so long, that the creators weren’t respected. There was a stigma against it. There was a shame associated with it. Then on the fan side, of course, there’s a stigma of having liked these characters. I mean, there’s growing up with, you’re a nerd if you like this stuff and whatever. Because I don’t think people understand now what that was like. It was very much in the shadows. It was very much a secret, and now it’s mainstream. It’s out in the open. So that was a big eyeopener for me, just to hear it from the creators themselves. My favorite character? There’s so many. I don’t want to be boring and say Batman, but I would think that’s probably the one. It’s just something about the fact that this is a real person. We always were like, why do these things endure, right? Why have there been thousands of stories about this one character over 85 years? It’s like, well, he doesn’t necessarily have a superpower. He’s a human. I feel like it’s the humanity that people connect with. So I think, above all else, that’s why these things touch so many people. But man, I have tons of favorites.

    Margot Robbie in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Margot Robbie in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    DC Comics Movies:

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  • Where To Watch DC’s ‘The Flash’ Starring Ezra Miller

    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Speeding straight into your TVs, DC’s latest Superhero movie ‘The Flash’ is expected to be available on PVOD on July 18th.

    The film is set after the events ‘Justice League,’ where Barry Allen decides to travel back in time to save his mother – a storyline adapted from the ‘Flashpoint’ comic. Filled with action, cameos, easter eggs, and more.

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    The official synopsis for ‘The Flash’ is below:

    “Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?”

    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘The Flash’ opened in theaters on June 16, 2023. Initially, the movie was slated to release in July of 2022, but due to the shifting of schedules at Warner Bros., the movie was moved to its 2023 release date. ‘The Flash’ opened to $55 million domestically and so far has grossed $102.9 since its release. Worldwide, the movie has earned $249.1 million.

    Directed by Andy Muschietti (‘It’) and penned by Christina Hodson (‘Birds of Prey’), the movie stars Ezra Miller (‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’), who reprised their role as Barry Allen/The Flash, Michael Keaton (‘Morbius’) as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Ben Affleck (‘Air’) as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Sasha Calle (‘The Young and the Restless’) as Supergirl, Michael Shannon (‘Amsterdam’) as General Zod, Ron Livingston (‘The Estate‘) as Henry Allen, Maribel Verdú (‘Death’s Roulette’) as Nora Allen, and Kiersey Clemons (‘Somebody I Used to Know’) as Iris West.

    Two Barry Allens

    Ezra Miller as The Flash, Michael Keaton as Batman and Ezra Miller as The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The FLASH,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ezra Miller as The Flash, Michael Keaton as Batman and Ezra Miller as The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The FLASH,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    Longtime comic book fans knew we would be getting the Flashpoint story in ‘The Flash’, which director Andy Muschietti does a great job of adapting. When it comes to the speedster, time travel and meeting one’s younger self is imminent. Ezra Miller plays two Barry Allens in the movie, one that we have met already through previous DC films like ‘Batman v. Superman’ and ‘Justice League.’ The other Barry is younger and has not become The Flash in their timeline, which makes a lot of the scenes and conversation interesting and funny.

    The juxtaposition of the two Barrys really makes their interaction fun to watch, especially in scenes with Micheal Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl. On top of the humorous scenes, the movie serves up many emotional moments as well when it comes to Barry and their mom.

    Speeding Across The Multiverse

    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash, Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash, Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC

    It feels like we are in the multiverse of multiverse movies right now. From ‘The Flash’ to ‘Spider-man: Across the Spiderverse, ‘ Everything Everywhere All At Once’ to ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.’

    DC has always dealt with the multiverse in shows like CW’s ‘The Flash’ and ‘Crisis on Infinite Earth,’ but in Muschietti’s film, we’re seeing the multiverse on a grander scale. We won’t spoil too much just in case you haven’t had the chance to see the movie, but multiverse and dimensional travel means jaw-dropping cameos aplenty.

    For example, seeing Michael Keaton putting the cape on once again as Batman, with iconic one-liners like, “I’m Batman,” and “You wanna get nuts? Let’s get nuts.” makes an extremely satisfying moment for the fans. Ben Affleck also appears as his version of the Batman.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘The Flash’

    Where Can I Watch ‘The Flash’?

    Michael Keaton attends a double bill screening of Tim Burton's 'Batman' followed by 'The Flash,' in London, England.
    Michael Keaton attends a double bill screening of Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’ followed by ‘The Flash,’ in London, England. Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images for Warner Bros Discovery.

    While the film was initially screened at CinemaCon, it was an unfinished version and ‘The Flash’ officially premiered on June 12th, 2023, at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Since the movie has only been out for 4 weeks, it is still playing in theaters, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘The Flash’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes.

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Flash’ Movie Showtimes

    Watch the official trailers for ‘The Flash’ below:

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    Can’t make it out to the theater? You will soon have the option to rent or purchase the movie on VOD. Services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play will have the movie available digitally for $24.99 on July 18th, 2023. There has been no official word yet on when ‘The Flash’ will stream on Max.

    Where To Watch: ‘The Flash’ Online

    For those who prefer physical copies, ‘The Flash’ should become available on DVD/Blu-Ray by September in formats such as 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD. Collectors can look forward to an exclusive steelbook edition from Best Buy and an Icon Edition digi-pack set from Walmart. Both are available for pre-order now.

    Buy ‘The Flash’ On Amazon

    Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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  • David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan cast in ‘Superman: Legacy’

    (Left) David Corenswet in Netflix's 'The Politician.' (Right) Rachel Brosnahan on Prime Video's 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.'
    (Left) David Corenswet in Netflix’s ‘The Politician.’ (Right) Rachel Brosnahan on Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’

    For the past few months, James Gunn has been on a feverish, widespread search for someone to take over the iconic lead roles in his new DC movie, ‘Superman: Legacy’.

    The DC Studios boss, who remains committed to making movies of his own while crafting the studio’s overall strategy, has been writing the script for a new Superman movie for a while now.

    And in looking for the cast –– the sort of roles that can change or define careers –– he’s been particularly careful.

    Finally, it appears he’s cut down the list to the final choices, as actors David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan have been cast as Superman –– and his alter ego/disguise, Clark Kent –– and Lois Lane, the fellow reporter at the Daily Planet newspaper who will become the love of his life.

    Gunn and his producing partner (and DC Studios co-CEO) Peter Safran have been conducting screen tests for the final few actors in full costume and makeup, with “test deals” in place (so they get paid for showing up).

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    What’s the story of ‘Superman: Legacy’?

    Little is truly known about the plotline at this point, but Gunn has been clear that he’s eschewing the usual exploding home planet Krypton/arrival in Smallville origin story (though those will likely be referenced) in favor of more of a workplace film with Clark showing up to work at the Planet, where Lois will already be an established reporting star.

    Safran said this about the new movie during the duo’s big announcement about DC films and series going forward:

    “It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned.”

    Who is David Corenswet?

    David Corenswet in Netflix's 'The Politician.'
    David Corenswet in Netflix’s ‘The Politician.’

    Corenswet is a rising star at this point, but he does have some projects in his resume, including ‘Pearl’ and ‘Affairs of State’ in theaters and ‘We Own This City’, ‘Hollywood’ and ‘The Politician’ on TV screens.

    He’s the sort of new face that directors love to cast as Supes, since he’s bringing less baggage with him to the role (if you’ll recall, Henry Cavill had the likes of ‘The Tudors’ in his background but hadn’t really broken through before ‘Man of Steel’.

    Who is Rachel Brosnahan?

    Rachel Brosnahan in Amazon Prime Video's 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'
    Rachel Brosnahan in Amazon Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

    Related Article: Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan and More in Consideration for ‘Superman: Legacy’ Leads

    Brosnahan, of course, is a different consideration. She’s well established, at least for TV viewers, since she’s played the title role in ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ for a few years now. She’s also had some film roles, but while she’s higher profile than Corenswet, she’s not on, say the Angelina Jolie level.

    Who else might end up in the movie?

    Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult in the film 'The Menu.'
    (L to R) Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult in the film ‘The Menu.’ Photo by Eric Zachanowich. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    We’re still waiting to hear who might end up in the other roles for the movie, though Nicholas Hoult was among those testing for Clark Kent, but who had also been considered as big villain Lex Luthor. There have also been rumblings of Bill Skarsgård as Lex.

    And while Emma Mackey was at one point considered a front-runner for Lois alongside Brosnahan, she may end up with another role in this or some other DC Studios release.

    ‘Superman: Legacy’ is scheduled to hit theaters on July 11th, 2025.

    Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn and Superman.
    (Left) Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn. Photo courtesy of James Gunn’s Twitter account. (Right) Superman. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.com.

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  • Movie Review: ‘The Flash’

    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on June 16th is the highly awaited new DC Studios movie ‘The Flash,’ which was directed by Andy Muschietti (‘It’) and written by Christina Hodson (‘Birds of Prey’).

    What is the plot of ‘The Flash?’

    In ‘The Flash,’ Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) travels back in time to prevent his mother’s death, which traps him in an alternate reality without metahumans. Barry enlists the help of his younger self (also Miller), an older Batman (Michael Keaton) and the Kryptonian castaway Supergirl (Sasha Calle) in order to save this world from the restored General Zod (Michael Shannon) and return to his universe.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘The Flash’?

    ‘The Flash’ stars Ezra Miller (‘Justice League’) as Barry Allen/The Flash, Michael Keaton (‘Batman Returns’) as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Ben Affleck (‘Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’) as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Sasha Calle (‘The Young and the Restless’) as Supergirl, Michael Shannon (‘Man of Steel’) as General Zod, Antje Traue (‘Man of Steel’) as Faora-UI, Kiersey Clemons (‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’) as Iris West, Ron Livingston (‘Office Space’) as Henry Allen, and Maribel Verdu (‘Raymond & Ray’) as Nora Allen.

    Initial Thoughts

    Believe the hype! ‘The Flash’ is one of the best comic book adapted films ever made. Director Andy Muschietti reinvents the DC universe by brilliantly adapting the ‘Flashpoint‘ storyline from the comics, and fusing it with Michael Keaton’s ‘Batman’ and other nods to DC’s cinematic past. The movie is an exciting, action-packed, and humorous celebration of the DC Comics characters, with a brilliant dual performance from Ezra Miller, and of course, Keaton’s triumphant return.

    'The Flash' director Andy Muschietti at a Canada-Fan Screening event.
    ‘The Flash’ director Andy Muschietti at a Canada-Fan Screening event. Photos by Sam Santos.

    Story and Direction

    For those not familiar, ‘Flashpoint’ was a 2011 DC Comics storyline that involved the Flash going back in time to save his mother’s life. When he returns, his world is not the same, he no longer has his powers, Thomas Wayne is Batman instead of Bruce, a weakened Superman is secretly being kept prisoner by the government, and Atlantis and Themyscira are at war. ‘The Flash’ follows a similar storyline with Barry losing his powers and needing to regain them, but instead of Thomas Wayne being Batman, its Michael Keaton from Tim Burton’s ‘Batman.’ It’s also a weakened Supergirl they break-out of captivity instead of Superman, and Earth is in danger from an attack by General Zod and the Kryptonians not a war between Atlantis and the Amazons.

    None of these changes affect the power of the story, and the lesson Barry learns about excepting your past and living in the present. But they do allow general audiences to understand the story a little easier, as they are likely more familiar with Michael Keaton’s Batman than the sudden appearance of Thomas Wayne. In the comics, the ‘Flashpoint’ storyline was used to usher in a new continuity, and in that sense, ‘The Flash’ comes at the perfect time for DC Studios, as the film officially marks the end of the DCEU and the beginning of the new DCU. The movie honors the DCEU, as well as other cinematic DC projects from the past, while setting up an exciting future for these characters.

    Director Andy Muschietti clearly loves these characters and retells the ‘Flashpoint’ story well, streamlining it into a tight, fast-paced, and dramatic movie. He also injects the film with a good amount of humor, but it never feels cheesy or forced and aligns with the characters. The filmmaker also handles the time-traveling aspects of the movie very well and in a coherent way, something Marvel struggled to do in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Muschietti does a great job with the effects, especially Barry’s powers and the Speed Force. Super-speed has never looked like this before, and Muschietti and his VFX team take a completely new approach to it, which is much different than the slow-motion effects Zack Snyder used.

    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash, Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash, Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC

    Ezra Miller’s Dual Performance

    A lot has been written about Ezra Miller over the last few years concerning their brushes with the law and whether this movie should be released at all given their illegal activities. I’m not going to get into any of that, and just judge them on their performance in this film, which was nothing short of extraordinary. Miller plays two roles, the Barry Allen we all know and have seen mature through appearances in ‘Batman v. Superman’ and ‘Justice League.’ But Miller also plays a younger Barry Allen, who has not yet become the Flash and lives in this new alternate reality. Most of Miller’s scenes are with themself, and you truly believe they are two different people.

    Our Barry is a bit older and wiser, and not as impulsive as when we first met them, but the new Barry is young and immature, and it’s fun watching the two of them interact. As both characters, Miller has great chemistry with Keaton and Sasha Calle, as well as a few strong scenes with Kiersey Clemons’ Iris West. In some ways, Miller plays a third role in the movie as well, but to say too much would be a spoiler, so I’ll just say that they are equally impressive and believable in that role too. Whether Miller will ever return to play Barry Allen again is yet to be seen, but if they do not return, it certainly won’t be because their performance in this film was lacking.

    Ezra Miller as The Flash, Michael Keaton as Batman and Ezra Miller as The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The FLASH,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ezra Miller as The Flash, Michael Keaton as Batman and Ezra Miller as The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The FLASH,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    Michael Keaton’s Return

    I was just a kid when ‘Batman’ was released, so for me … Michael Keaton will always be Batman, and his return in this movie is a very welcomed one. While I really liked Ben Affleck’s Batman, and the actor does a great job in this movie in his limited role, the film really kicks into high gear when Keaton is on screen. He reprises his particular version of Bruce Wayne and Batman effortlessly, and while he has some funny moments, brings a lot of emotion and heart to the role. Keaton is also great in the action scenes, including an early fight scene between him and Miller. Muschietti perfectly matches Wayne Maynor, the Batmobile, the Batwing, and the costumes to the look and aesthetic Tim Burton originally created.

    Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    Supergirl and General Zod

    Sasha Calle breathes fresh air into the role of Supergirl, which is a much different and darker depiction than we’ve seen before. The actress is strong and believable in the part, and also plays the role in a mysterious way as to never really know her true intentions and keep the audience guessing. Calle has a few fun scenes opposite Miller and Keaton, but most of her work is in the action sequences and that’s where she really excels in the role. It’s also fun to see Michael Shannon return as General Zod, and he’s just as menacing now as he was in ‘Man of Steel,’ but other than the big fight sequence, he doesn’t have a whole lot to do. The Kryptonians are a real threat to our heroes, and that certainly adds to the drama and suspense.

    Ezra Miller as The Flash and Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ezra Miller as The Flash and Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    Related Article: ‘The Flash’ Director Confirms Major Cameo

    The Multiverse, DC Easter Eggs and Cameos

    DC fans have seen the multiverse approached on both the Arrowverse’s ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ crossover event, and more recently on ‘Titans,’ but visually, Muschietti depicts it in a way that is much more cinematic than we’ve seen on TV. The multiverse also makes sense in this movie and you can actually follow along with what’s happening, which wasn’t always the case with Marvel’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Because of the multiverse angle, Muschietti was able to sprinkle in a lot of cameos, most of which I won’t discuss here. I’ll just say that archival DC footage was used well, and those cameos are nice nods to what has come before.

    There are a few cameos that I will mention since it is already public knowledge they are in the film. As previously mentioned, Ben Affleck returns as Batman, and as seen in the recent trailer, Jeremy Irons is also back as Alfred. Affleck recently let it slip on a podcast that a certain cast member from ‘Justice League’ would be returning for the film as well. I won’t say who incase you don’t know yet, but it is awesome seeing them interact with Affleck and Miller as members of the Justice League early in the film.

    The other cameo I will mention, and only because director Andy Muschietti spoiled it a few weeks ago, is that an actor long rumored to play Superman finally gets the opportunity with a cameo in ‘The Flash’ as an alternate universe version of the Man of Steel. Beyond it being something fans have literally wanted to see for decades, the actor in question is magnificent in his brief role, and fans familiar with the canceled Superman project, will truly get a laugh from watching the scene.

    Michael Keaton as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Michael Keaton as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The New DCU

    There is actually one other major cameo that I will absolutely not spoil, but I will just say that it is a true shocker of an ending, and something people will be talking about all summer long. It also sets the stage for the new DCU, and completely changes the status quo. Whether that actor or actress will continue to play that specific DC character moving forward, is still anybody’s guess. While the film has a very satisfying conclusion, much like the ‘Flashpoint’ comic, it definitely cleans the slate and sets the stage perfectly for James Gunn’s new DCU, whether that was Muschietti original intent or not.

    Are There Any End-Credit Scenes in ‘The Flash’?

    Yes. There is a mid-credit scene, which takes a look at an earlier scene in the movie from a different point of view, and is mostly played for laughs. But there is also an end-credit scene and I will just say that it helps to explain how the upcoming ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ takes place in the new DCU.

    Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash, Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash and Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash, Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash and Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Final Thoughts

    The really pulled it off! ‘The Flash’ is the most entertaining and satisfying DC movie in decades. Andy Muschietti masterfully adapts the source material and fills it with as many Easter eggs, callbacks and cameos as any fan could desire. While still delivering a coherent, fun, action-packed and emotional movie, that features a mesmerizing dual performance from Miller, and the return of the one and only Michael Keaton as Batman. This is one movie DC Comics fans will not want to miss!

    ‘The Flash’ receives 10 out of 10 stars.

    Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Flash,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Flash:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Flash’ Movie Showtimes

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    Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, ‘The Flash.’ It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.

  • ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Interview: Grace Caroline Currey

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    Currently playing in theaters is ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ which is a sequel to 2019’s ‘Shazam!’ and is once again directed by David F. Sandberg (‘Annabelle: Creation’).

    What is the plot of ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods?’

    Set a few years after the events of 2019’s ‘Shazam!,’ Billy Batson (Asher Angel), Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), and their foster siblings can now transform into powerful superheroes by using the magic words “Shazam.” But with the Wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou) missing, when the daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler) return to Earth to claim back their magic, it’s up to Billy and his siblings to save the wizard and stop the evil sisters before they destroy Earth.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods?’

    ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ features returning cast members Asher Angel and Zachary Levi (‘American Underdog‘) as Billy Batson/Shazam, Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody as Freddy Freeman, Meagan Good and Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Ross Butler and Ian Chen as Eugene Choi, D.J. Cotrona and Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield, and Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard Shazam, as well as new cast members Helen Mirren (‘The Queen’) as Hespera, Lucy Liu (‘Charlie’s Angels’) as Kalypso, and Rachel Zegler (‘West Side Story’) as Anthea.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Grace Caroline Currey about her work on ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ playing Mary in her superhero form, wearing the costume and doing stunts, her DC Comics research, Zachary Levi’s leadership on set, reuniting with the cast, and working with new cast members Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler.

    Grace Caroline Currey attends the World Premiere of 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' in Westwood, CA.
    Grace Caroline Currey attends the World Premiere of ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ in Westwood, CA. Photo Credit: Eric Charbonneau.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Grace Caroline Currey about ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, when did you learn that you would not only be returning for the ‘Shazam!’ sequel to play Mary Bromfield but that you would also be playing the character in her superhero form?

    Grace Caroline Currey: I mean, quite a few years had passed and every year that passed I feel like our whole cast would say, “Has anyone heard anything? Are we going to get a sequel? When is it happening?” So finally I got the call that we were going to get a sequel, it was happening, and it was a very long awaited phone call. Obviously, we have a massive cast and getting everyone’s schedules together was wild. But then also getting to be told, not only was I coming back for the sequel, but that I was going to get to be in the suit as well. That was another moment of, is this real? I think it didn’t feel real until I was in fittings and actually putting a costume on and looking at myself in the mirror and going, I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s happening and I’m here. It was crazy.

    Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene and Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene and Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jessica Miglio. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    MF: Was it ever explained to you why the decision was made for you to be the only actor playing both your character and their superhero counterpart?

    GCC: I mean, technically speaking, and I think comic book wise, Mary didn’t visually change a whole ton when she was Mary Marvel in her comic book run. So it was actually pretty comic book accurate to have me doing both. But I will say, if you were going to have any of the kids do it, she’s the only one that makes sense because she’s the oldest, she is an adult. I think also technically speaking, when you have an adult actress playing the human form, it does visually get a little tricky when you have two adults playing the same role. I had a wonderful time getting to play Mary’s dramatic moments and then getting to play the entirety of her in her superhero form. They just said, “Let’s do it. Let’s have you be responsible for her human form, and her superhero form.” That was the best for me as an actor because I got to really plot out who Mary is through and through and be responsible for that continuity. That was the best. But yeah, the explanation was just that I’m the oldest and I’m an adult, and there you go.

    Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla, Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary and D.J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla, Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary and D.J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jessica Miglio. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    Related Article: Zachary Levi Talks ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ and Playing a Superhero

    MF: What was it like for you to finally wear the costume and perform some of your own stunts in the action sequences?

    GCC: Oh gosh, what a level up. I guess it was a level up for the human form of our characters too because we got to ride unicorns this time around and have a lot of action going on even in our human forms. But I really love doing stunts. I really love being in the stunt harness. It feels like the harness is a superpower in a way because I put it on and suddenly I’m able to fly. I’m able to flip upside down while flying and do all sorts of fun stuff, thanks to the harness. I’m able to land from a crazy high height and do a fun superhero landing. So, definitely getting to explore playing a superhero and then nerd out and have the kind of thoughts of, how do I pose my body when I’m flying or standing, and how is this different from when I’m human? That was really fun. I was talking to someone in our costume department and I was like, this is my first day on set, and I don’t know how to stand. Why is this feeling so complicated? I know it’s not, but I grew up looking at comic books. I grew up watching the ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ and ‘Justice League.’ I wanted to look like a superhero and I wanted to make sure I was doing it right. He’s like, “You’ve got to look at Olympic athletes and their physicality. Look at the photos of athletes because that was what comic book artists were using for their illustrations. They would grab stills of runners when they’re about to run.” That was really cool, looking at those. You’ve got that athletic feeling, you’re ready for action with your hands in fists and just this kind of I’m ready feeling. Whereas when it’s Mary in her human form, she’s sitting on a beanbag chair reading her organic chemistry book in a hunched over position.

    Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Ian Chen as Eugene Choi and Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Ian Chen as Eugene Choi and Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    MF: Mary Bromfield (or Mary Marvel, as the character was originally known), has played an important role in the pages of DC Comics. Did you dig into any of the comic books to research your character’s history, or did you choose not to so you could approach the character with a fresh perspective?

    GCC: I have a drawer of Mary comics that have been given to me. When I first played Mary, there actually was talk of, do we want to have the same actor for her human form and her superhero form? They were juggling and I was told, they hadn’t decided if I would be doing both or not. Then they ended up obviously going with the adult counterpart, which I think really sold the whole Shazam family into adults payoff. I feel like you really need that. So I had for the first one, a really dear friend of mine got me this giant box of Mary comics with different appearances and volumes, and I was just digging through trying to see, what’s the common thread of her mannerisms? She’s written a specific way that is different than some of her other appearances. We do see a little bit of this Mary in ‘The New 52’ because you’ve got the foster system, but it was still really cool to learn about her having this history of being Billy’s twin sister at one point, or the whole thing with her parents at an archeological dig storyline. All that stuff was so fun to learn about. I’m a bit like Mary, where I get really curious about things and I just want to get intellectually in it and know as much as I possibly can, and get as much knowledge as I can. So in prep for Superhero Mary, I had a lot already in my brain from the first ‘Shazam.’ If anything, it was just carrying over that established thing and just being mindful that at the end of the day, Mary’s the one with the wisdom of Solomon. That’s all.

    Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla, Zachary Levi as Shazam and Grace Caroline Curry as as Super Hero Mary in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla, Zachary Levi as Shazam and Grace Caroline Curry as as Super Hero Mary in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    MF: What was it like working with Zachary Levi, and as number one on the call sheet, what type of tone does he set during production?

    GCC: He is incredibly on it, always. I think he’s the most on it actor I’ve ever worked with. He’s so on it that sometimes it’s like, we can relax, let’s just take five. Because when he gets on set, he’s aware of what everybody is doing, how time could be managed better, and he’s really mindful that he is not contributing to time not being managed well. So he is always on his mark, he’s always ready, and he’s mindful where we need to be. He’s almost a Mary within the realm of filmmaking and it definitely comes from his experience on ‘Chuck.’ When you work on a TV show, you are so aware of how the sausage is made. So I think him being our leader, it’s great because it doesn’t feel like we’re sitting around twiddling our thumbs, because he’s always just on it. He knows what’s going on. I know this is sad to say, but sometimes you get on sets and your number one does not know their lines. It’s so sad to say that, but sometimes they just are not prepared and it’s always the most baffling thing to encounter because it’s like, do you want to be here? I love this and this is a job. Thank goodness he is not that person ever! So we’re really lucky to have Zach on ‘Shazam’ because he’s the glue. Everybody goes back to his house at the end of the day to hang out, play video games, and eat barbecue.

    Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield and Ian Chen as Eugene Choi in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield and Ian Chen as Eugene Choi in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    MF: What was it like reuniting with the other actors that play the foster kids, and also what was it like working for the first time with the adult actors that play the superheroes?

    GCC: Oh, it was really cool. I feel like I get all the presents because I’m with the kids, and I’m with the adults. I hang out with everybody the most. I selfishly felt like my joke is that I get invited to all the birthday parties. I get to be with the kid group chat and the adult group chat. I was running around the streets of Georgia with Djimon Hounsou for a lot of the movie, and he is an incredibly warm human, that’s very thoughtful and that was really cool to be. But then the superheroes, I mean, D.J. Cotrona’s become my Hollywood big brother. I’m always texting him being like, “D.J. I’ve come against this situation. What’s your advice?” Everyone in the adult cast seemed to have a moment where they were helping me with something. But working with the adults was really cool and there’s no bad egg, which is, when you have so many people, it’s rare. I’ve worked with lovely people. I don’t want to make it sound like I haven’t, but this experience was really special.

    Grace Caroline Currey and Helen Mirren attend the World Premiere of "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" in Westwood, CA.
    (L to R) Grace Caroline Currey and Helen Mirren attend the World Premiere of “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” in Westwood, CA. Photo Credit: Eric Charbonneau.

    MF: Finally, Oscar winner Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler join the cast as the villainous Daughters of Atlas. What was your experience like working with them, and can you talk about what they brought to this sequel?

    GCC: Well, the cool thing I have to say about Helen is that you really wonder what the set is going to feel like when you have someone who’s such a legend. There’s definitely this feeling where it’s like, we’re in a Helen Mirren movie. Helen’s in our movie, Dame Helen Mirren! But I got to say, I was surprised by the fact that she felt like one of us. Sometimes it can feel a little bit like, “Everybody get ready. This person’s coming to set, who is a big deal.” But no, you turn around and she’s just right there and she’s ready to go. She’s at her mark before anyone else or anyone tells her, and she’s in the stunt harness getting picked up over Zach’s head. I’m watching this thinking, I’m afraid of Helen. She’s such a boss and also so inspiring. I want to be like Helen when I grow up. It was also really fun to have moments of sitting on the steps while we were waiting to shoot with Helen because she wasn’t the actor that was going immediately back to her trailer. She was there sitting on the steps and chatting with me. Then Lucy’s jumping up and telling our props department that because of the wood table we just smashed against the wall, there are now wood chips are on my cape and they could hurt me. Out of the blue, she’s stepping in and saying, “Everybody, I want you guys to be aware that these were on her cape. I’m going, ‘Thank you,” and she’s saying, “I got your back.” Then of course, I love Rachel. I feel like everybody knows I love Rachel. Rachel’s my buddy, and she’s awesome. She’s just a good egg and she’s such a great human.

    Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene, Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla and D. J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene, Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla and D. J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

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    ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ is produced by New Line Cinema, The Safran Company, and DC Films, and is scheduled for release on March 17th.

  • James Gunn Directing ‘Superman: Legacy’

    Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn and Superman.
    (Left) Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn. Photo courtesy of James Gunn’s Twitter account. (Right) Superman. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.com.

    While making his big reveal of the various projects he and fellow new DC Studios CEO Peter Safran are planning for the company, James Gunn announced that he was at work on a new movie featuring Superman.

    Titled ‘Superman: Legacy’, Gunn dropped word that he was writing the script for the new movie but didn’t confirm then whether he was directing it.

    He’s now made it clear that he is indeed going to be overseeing it.

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    Why is James Gunn directing ‘Superman: Legacy?’

    Taking to Twitter, Gunn offered an insight into the thought process that went into his decision to direct.

    Here’s part of what he said:·

    “It has been a long road to this point. I was offered Superman years ago –– I initially said no because I didn’t have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved. Then a bit less than a year ago I saw a way in, in many ways centering around Superman’s heritage; how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes. So I chose to finally take on writing the script. But I was hesitant to direct, despite the constant pestering by Peter Safran and others to commit (sorry, Peter). Just because I write something doesn’t mean I feel it in my bones, visually and emotionally, enough to spend over two years directing it, especially not something of this magnitude.”

    You can read his full twitter thread, including the movie’s emotional connection to his father, here:

    What’s the story of ‘Superman: Legacy’?

    Here’s what Gunn had to say about ‘Legacy’ when first announced:

    “With our stories, we want to take it away from good guy vs. bad guy. There are really good — almost saintly — people and Superman is among them. There are really terrible villains like Gorilla Grodd or the Joker. And then there’s everybody in between them, so there are all these shades of gray which allow us to tell complex stories.”

    Though the exact plot is still a mystery, Gunn has previously said that ‘Legacy’ will feature a younger Superman (but will also skip the origin story this time).

    Henry Cavill as Superman.
    Henry Cavill as Superman.

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    Is Henry Cavill coming back to star?

    Henry Cavill fans were disappointed to learn that, after having the chance to announce his return to the Superman suit on social media, the actor was unceremoniously let go.

    But short answer: no, Cavill is no longer part of the plan for DC under Gunn and Safran (though who knows whether they’ll find a place for him going forward).

    The search is no doubt already on for someone to play the part, one that we’re sure will be highly sought after by young rising stars and heretofore unknowns. It could be a star-making role for whoever plays Clark Kent/Kal-El.

    ‘Superman: Legacy’ is currently scheduled to fly into theaters on July 11th, 2025.

    Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of 'Thor: Ragnarok.'
    (L to R) Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’

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  • ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Interview: Zachary Levi

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    Opening in theaters on March 17th is the 12th installment of the DC Extended Universe franchise, and the sequel to 2019’s ‘Shazam!,’ entitled ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ which was once again directed by David F. Sandberg (‘Annabelle: Creation’).

    What is the plot of ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods?’

    Following the events of 2019’s ‘Shazam!,’ Billy Batson (Asher Angel), Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), and their foster siblings can transform into powerful superheroes using the magic words “Shazam.” But with the Wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou) missing, when the daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler) return to Earth to claim back their magic, it’s up to Billy, Freddy, and their brothers and sisters to save the wizard and stop the evil sisters.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods?’

    ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ once again stars Asher Angel and Zachary Levi  (‘American Underdog‘) as Billy Batson/Shazam, Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody as Freddy Freeman, Meagan Good and Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Ross Butler and Ian Chen as Eugene Choi, D.J. Cotrona and Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield, and Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard Shazam.

    Joining the sequel are Oscar winner Helen Mirren (‘The Queen’) as Hespera, Lucy Liu (‘Charlie’s Angels’) as Kalypso, and Rachel Zegler (‘West Side Story’) as Anthea.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Zachery Levi about his work on ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ how Billy has changed since the first film, what playing this character has meant to him, working with Mirren, Liu and Zegler, and what fans can expect from the sequel.

    Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla and D.J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,'a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
    (L to R) Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla and D.J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler, and Lucy Liu.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to someone sitting down to watch this movie right now to prepare for the experience they are about to have?

    Zachary Levi: I don’t know that there’s anything I can say that can adequately prepare you for the amazing adventure you’re about to go on. But listen, if you liked the first movie, and I really hope that you did, I hope everybody got to see that, we were able to capture the same DNA. The same nugget of charm and humor and heart and family and adventure, all that stuff. We protected that. We brought that over to the new movie. But then we got more money and more time to make it even splashier and bigger. We got dragons! I mean, it’s all that stuff, so you’re welcome. You’re in for a treat.

    Zachary Levi stars in 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods.'
    Zachary Levi stars in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods.’

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    MF: In this sequel, Billy is trying to find his place in the world both as a hero and as a young man. Can you talk about that and your approach to playing the character this time around?

    ZL: Now it’s about three years later in life. He went from 14 to 17, almost 18 now, and that’s a big jump in a kid’s life. The rest of the kids, they’ve all been superheroes now for about three years and attempting to be a super team, but bumbling through that a lot. So Billy knowing that he is the leader, he’s responsible for giving all the other kids their powers, he takes it very seriously. He wants to make sure that he’s doing his best as a leader, as a brother, and as a son. Simultaneously, he’s about to turn 18 and age out of the foster system, and he’s terrified that he’s going to lose this family that he worked so hard and took so long to find. So that’s kind of where he’s at emotionally as we meet him in this movie.

    Zachary Levi as Shazam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Zachary Levi as Shazam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: What has it meant to you to play this character over these two films, to work in the DC universe and for so many young kids be the embodiment of Shazam?

    ZL: It’s the coolest dude. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamt of being an actor, and I’m an actor. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamt about being a superhero, a legitimate one, and I get to be as legitimate a superhero as anyone gets to be, pretending to be one. This particular character is so delightful because I was a huge fan of Tom Hanks in ‘Big’ and Christopher Reeve and ‘Superman,’ and I get to do both in one role. It’s a dream come true, honestly. Listen, I got to have fun in the Marvel universe (‘Thor: The Dark World’). Now I get to be my own man in the DC universe. I mean, my little nerdy heart is geeking out on the highest levels. It’s so fun.

    Lucy Liu as Kalypso and Helen Mirren as Hespera and Rachel Zegler as Anthea in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,'a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Lucy Liu as Kalypso and Helen Mirren as Hespera and Rachel Zegler as Anthea in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

    MF: Finally, what was it like working with Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler on this project?

    ZL: Delightful on every level, honestly. They are just exquisite human beings. Lovely, talented, so professional, but also just so human and humble. They were delightful to work with on set and on camera and just as delightful, if not more, off camera and living life.

    Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene, Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla and D. J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene, Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla and D. J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro in New Line Cinema’s action adventure Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

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    ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ is produced by New Line Cinema, The Safran Company, and DC Films, and is scheduled for release on March 17th.

  • ‘Wonder Woman 3’ Reportedly On Hold At DC Studios

    Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman in 'Wonder Woman 1984.'
    Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’

    It’s perhaps not a surprise that new DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran, who recently started work re-shaping the comic book universe owned by Warner Bros. Discovery are ready to make big changes as they unveil their plans to studio bosses.

    But from the sounds of a new story in The Hollywood Reporter, ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ director Patty Jenkins won’t be moving forward with a third film featuring the character––at least in its current incarnation.

    According to the Reporter’s sources, Jenkins had handed in her latest treatment for ‘Wonder Woman 3,’ co-written with Geoff Johns, only to be told by the new duo that her vision for the future of the character doesn’t fit with their grand scheme for DC on film. There’s no word yet on what the next step might be.

    Someone who probably won’t be best pleased about the new development either? Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, who enthusiastically tweeted on Tuesday about her own hopes about showing fans what she and Jenkins have been working on.

    Gunn and Safran had apparently recently been on a retreat hashing out their plans and have now returned to Los Angeles to fill in the Warner Bros. Discovery executives and, as this development shows, talk to affected filmmakers.

    They have yet to reveal anything concrete for what will happen, but it may very well mean the end of the road for the “Snyderverse” of characters overseen by Zack Snyder. Despite apparently recent positive signs for Henry Cavill as Superman (including––spoiler alert––a cameo in the end credits of ‘Black Adam’), his tenure as the last son of Krypton may also be curtailed. Ditto Jason Momoa as Aquaman after the next movie (though he’s already apparently eyeing intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo as a potential new character to play).

    Of course, all of this is speculation right now, with Gunn and Safran unlikely to publicly confirm everything they’re considering, especially since they’ve yet to talk to everyone whose work might be impacted.

    But the pair, speaking recently to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav have said that they foresee an eight-to-10-year plan for DC Studios.

    And there was always going to be a tricky transition period for the new regime, with the hopes of Warner Bros. resting on them after years of different regimes finding success with some movies and not with others, but never seemingly locking on to a plan that works consistently.

    Right now, we still have ‘The Flash’ (which has faced its own issues) arriving in June next year, ‘Blue Beetle’ in August and ‘Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom’ further away in December, but after that, we’ll get to see what Gunn and Safran have to offer.

    Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in 'Wonder Woman 1984.'
    Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’
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  • ‘Green Lantern’ TV Series Being Redeveloped

    Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps from DC Comics.
    Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps from DC Comics. Photo courtesy of DC.Fandom.com.

    It’s (almost) all change for the DC Comics-based ‘Green Lantern’ show that had been moving forward at HBO Max. Though it had gotten to the point of casting Jeremy Irvine and Finn Wittrock in the lead roles, the series is headed back to the drawing board with a new take.

    Back in 2020, ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ Seth Grahame-Smith hopped aboard to write and run what HBO Max was picturing its most expensive series to date, a space-set ‘Green Lantern’ drama whose focus would be the Alan Scott and Guy Gardner iterations of the character among the first and most popular versions.

    It also represented movement on representation, with Scott, whose comic book character is openly gay these days bringing that across to the show.

    The concept of the ‘Green Lantern’ comics is that of a super-powered, police force, battling evil doers with rings that allow them to channel energy into different forms. There are many Lanterns, who patrol the known and unknown universe.

    Greg Berlanti, who has had a hand in pretty much every DC TV series (and a whole host of others) – and who was one of the writers on the 2011 Ryan Reynolds-starring movie – was producing the show via his Berlanti Productions.

    While Berlanti is staying aboard, the changes mean that Grahame-Smith is departing the show, despite having written eight scripts already and overseen the casting process for Wittrock and Irvine.

    Jeremy Irvine in Steven Spielberg's 'War Horse.'
    Jeremy Irvine in Steven Spielberg’s ‘War Horse.’ Photo: Andrew Cooper, SMPSP. ©DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

    No new creative team has been appointed for the series, but the budget will apparently be less and the focus will instead be on John Stewart, the first Black iteration of the Lantern character. His version was introduced in the 1970s and used Sidney Poitier as its inspiration.

    The history of the Lantern on screen has been seriously mixed. Though different takes on the character have flourished in animated movies and series, their live-action counterparts have had less luck. The Reynolds movie didn’t triumph at the box office, and there have been fleeting glimpses on the small screen.

    Even Zack Snyder didn’t manage to realize his chosen Lantern – John Stewart – in his mammoth Snyder Cut of ‘Justice League’. Despite shooting a cameo with Wayne T. Carr as Stewart, Warners asked him to remove the character because of the studio’s own plans. In the end, Snyder swapped in Martian Manhunter.

    Warner Bros. Discovery has been on a cost-cutting binge of late, cancelling movies and in-the-works TV series all over the place, including ‘Batgirl’ and ‘Wonder Twins’. Since the merger with Discovery, new company chief David Zaslav has announced it is taking billions in tax write-downs as it reduces budgets and reverses decisions.

    ‘Green Lantern’ will now be a much smaller and cheaper series, which and though it was supposed to shoot last year, is now back in development and much further from any eventual release date.

    The Green Lantern Corps from DC Comics.
    The Green Lantern Corps from DC Comics. Photo courtesy of DC.com.
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  • James Gunn to Oversee Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC Studios

    Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of 'Thor: Ragnarok.'
    (L to R) Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’

    Big news breaking today: James Gunn, the filmmaker behind movies such as the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ franchise and ‘The Suicide Squad’ has been appointed to an arm of Warner Bros. Discovery to oversee the studio’s DC movies and TV output.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn and regular producing partner Peter Safran will start work at what is now called DC Studios on November 1st, reporting to Warner Bros. Discovery head David Zaslav and working closely with film chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. Gunn has since confirmed the news via Twitter.

    DC Studios will oversee much of the company’s comics-based movies and TV on the live-action and animated fronts.

    There are exceptions, however – the Reporter’s story mentions that Todd Phillips’ upcoming ‘Joker’ sequel, called ‘Joker: Folie a Deux’, will not fall under the pair’s purview, and whether Matt Reeves’ expanding universe of ‘The Batman’ will either is unknown. Their stories exist outside the main DC movie and TV universe.

    It’s a giant switch for Gunn, who commits himself completely to DC for the next four years under the initial deal. Which means that once ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is released next May, he won’t be making anything else at Marvel for the foreseeable future. (It’s a little ironic that the trailer for his other new Marvel project, the ‘Guardians’ Holiday Special,’ also dropped today).

    But Gunn will also still be making movies and TV series, even if he’ll be spending the rest of his time shepherding other filmmakers’ work in an executive capacity. Producer Safran, meanwhile, will handle the business end of figuring out the future of the DC universe, including budgets and contracts.

    The writer and director, who came up through Troma Studios, has enjoyed a healthy career through indie genre movies such as ‘Slither’ and ‘Super’ and as a writer on the bigger budget likes of the ‘Scooby Doo’ movies and Zack Snyder’s ‘Dawn of the Dead’ reboot.

    Yet he truly found success with Marvel after ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ in 2014 proved that the company, with the right filmmaker, could take seemingly obscure characters and turn them in pop cultural behemoths.

    He also became creatively involved in helping with other Marvel titles and would go on direct’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ in 2017.

    There was a worrying blip for the filmmaker in 2018 when he was fired from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ over offensive old tweets of his that had surfaced online. Still, after some atonement, he was invited back – and made projects for DC in the meantime.

    Director James Gunn, Michael Rooker, and Sean Gunn on the set of 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.'
    (L to R) Director James Gunn, Michael Rooker, and Sean Gunn on the set of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.’

    Safran might not be as well known to movie fans, but he’s certainly had an influence as producer on some giant projects. Previously a manager (Gunn was one of his clients, which is how they connected), he turned to producing and has been behind the scenes on plenty of Warner Bros. properties, including the huge ‘Conjuring’ franchise with James Wan and working with Wan on the ‘Aquaman’ movies.

    Together, the pair feel like the right choice to help run DC’s movies and TV going forward – Gunn has shown a keen eye for what works with audiences, both those who know and love and source material and those who wouldn’t know Groot from the Giving Tree. He’s respected by other filmmakers and by actors, who appreciate his collaborative style.

    Safran, meanwhile, has been seen as a champion of directors and movies, a cineaste who puts creativity over cold business decisions (but isn’t afraid to make tough calls) and who is always happy to promote the films he’s worked on without ever making it about himself.

    The Warner Bros. team must also be pleased, aiming to put a recent period of chaos behind them. Zaslav’s arrival at the studio following the merger with Discovery has been one of cost-cutting and job losses, and cancelling or shelving movies that were in post-production (such as ‘Batgirl’) have been far from popular moves.

    Walter Hamada, who previously ran what was known as DC Films, grew increasingly unhappy with the corporate moves and intrusion into the creative side from people who had never made movies or TV, opted to leave earlier this year, but was persuaded to stay until ‘Black Adam’ was released this past weekend.

    And knowing that he was leaving, the Warners team had been looking to line up a replacement, eager to find someone who could do for DC what Kevin Feige has done for Disney’s Marvel arm. Though one or two directors were quietly approached, the front-runner was said to be producer Dan Lin, who has worked extensively with Warner Bros.

    Yet despite talks, Lin opted to stay with his own production company rather than pick up the tricky job of running a studio arm. Gunn and Safran had been seen meeting with De Luca, but reports had it that they were just looking to make more DC Movies. As it turns out, they were being courted to take over.

    “DC has among the most entertaining, powerful, and iconic characters in the world and I am thrilled to have the singular and complementary talents of James and Peter joining our world-class team and overseeing the creative direction of the storied DC Universe,” said Zaslav in a statement. “Their decades of experience in filmmaking, close ties to the creative community, and proven track record thrilling superhero fans around the globe make them uniquely qualified to develop a long-term strategy across film, TV, and animation, and take this iconic franchise to the next level of creative storytelling.”

    “We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children,” Gunn and Safran said in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved. Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equaled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent. We’re excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told.”

    Director James Gunn and Producer Peter Safran to Oversee DC Movies and TV.