Moviefone Editorial

Tag: dc-comics

  • Todd Phillips Offers ‘Joker’ Sequel Update

    Joaquin Phoenix in Todd Phillips' 'Joker.'
    Joaquin Phoenix in Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker.’

    It has been a few months since we heard anything new about the ‘Joker’ sequel that co-writer/director Todd Phillips has been busy scripting.

    But from the looks of Phillips’ latest Instagram post, things are moving smoothly along, with the script reaching its latest draft and, according to the other image on the post, star Joaquin Phoenix reading it.

    There’s also that title: ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ which in case your high school French isn’t up to the task, translates to the term for a mental disorder that affects more than one person.

    No story details were offered up, but that highbrow title could refer to the pervasive influence of Arthur Fleck’s (Phoenix) actions in the first film. His brand of chaos certainly appeared to be spreading in Gotham. Phillips’ film was a dark, gritty, take on the Clown Prince of Crime, much more in the mood of a Martin Scorsese crime film than you usual superhero outing. It told the story of Fleck, a man struggling to find his way in Gotham’s fractured society.

    A clown-for-hire by day, he aspires to be a stand-up comic at night… But finds the joke always seems to be on him. Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty, Arthur makes one bad decision that brings about a chain reaction of escalating events.

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    According to Deadline, Phoenix liked what he saw enough to kick off negotiations to return as Fleck, as while he had a sequel clause in his contract for the original, he has enough clout that Warners will need to stump up a hefty pay rise to make sure he returns for sure.

    News of further developments will be good news for Warner Bros. Discovery and DC, which saw the first ‘Joker’ go on to gross more than $1 billion at the box office and pick up 11 Oscar nominations, winning two – for Phoenix as Best Actor and Original Score for composer Hildur Guðnadóttir.

    Phillips has dropped hints of his working on a sequel in the past, and as recently as this January mentioned he and co-writer Scott Silver delivering earlier screenplay drafts to the studio.

    Naturally, the companies would like a follow-up now that Phillips has the story he wants to tell. From the looks of this, we could see the movie start filming this year.

    And Phillips’ involvement with the DC Movies structure as a whole could be changing since incoming Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav has apparently asked him to consider serving as an advisor for the DC movie universe going forward. Unlike Kevin Feige, who runs Marvel Studios for Disney, overseeing their movies and TV shows, Phillips would strictly work on a non-executive level.

    Also, unlike Feige, Phillips doesn’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of the comic books, so if he does take the job, chances are he might be paired with someone boasting that sort of experience, while he’ll handle filmmaking choices. Whether that comes about, of course, remains to be seen, though for now he’ll be focused on figuring out this one movie.

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  • The Rock Is a Conflicted Superhero in the ‘Black Adam’ Trailer

    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

    ‘Black Adam’ marks that rare superhero movie where the person playing the role is more famous than the character. Sure, we’ve had the likes of Robert Downey Jr., who was probably better known than Tony Stark when he starred in ‘Iron Man’, but Dwayne Johnson is undoubtedly a mega movie star, while to the average person Black Adam is unlikely to generate all that much recognition.

    Your usual history lesson, then: created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, the character is one of the archenemies of Shazam (as played in his own movies by Zachary Levi) and the nemesis of the Shazam Family. Black Adam first appeared as a one-time villain for the first issue of Fawcett Comics’ ‘The Marvel Family’ comic book December 1945 (a reminder here that Shazam was once known as Captain Marvel, before Marvel had Carol Danvers out there).

    Black Adam was revived as a recurring character after DC Comics first licensed and then acquired the Fawcett characters and began publishing Shazam Family stories under the title ‘Shazam!’ in the 1970s.

    While Johnson was at one point going to play the character as a direct villain to Levi’s Shazam, that plan evolved to give him his own movie (not a bad idea when you have someone with the Rock’s audience appeal). And in keeping with how he’s evolved in the comics, the tone shifted more towards him being an antihero rather than a straight up bad guy.

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    In the movie’s story, Johnson’s Teth Adam rose from being a slave, dying, being reborn a god and meting out his particular, powerful brand of justice in the society of Kahndaq 5,000 years ago. It didn’t end so well for him, after he’s betrayed and imprisoned.

    But he returns to dispense some no-nonsense justice in the present day, something that will bring him into conflict with more straightforward heroes, including, in the film the Justice Society Of America, including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo).

    As shown in the trailer, Adam essentially has a choice – with his immense powers, he can choose to save the world… or he can destroy it. We’re fairly confident we know what he’ll end up doing, but it might be a close run thing. As one moment in the trailer has it, Hodge’s Hawkman tells him, “heroes don’t kill people.” “Well, I do,” comes the reply.

    Tone-wise, the trailer switches between action blockbuster, portentous dialogue from The Rock about his past and some moments of comedy, such as flinging someone out into the ocean. And, of course, there are the “hero” shots – though to bring it back to ‘Iron Man’, there might be some who think that tackling a plane and catching a missile remind them of that movie.

    The movie was written by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani, and directed by Jaume-Collet Serra, reuniting with Johnson after they collaborated on Disney’s ‘Jungle Cruise’.

    ‘Black Adam’ will fly into theaters on October 21st.

    Jason Christian as Hurut and Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    (L-R) Jason Christian as Hurut and Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Sarah Shahi as Adrianna and Mohammed Amer as Karim in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    (L-R) Sarah Shahi as Adrianna and Mohammed Amer as Karim in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate
    Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Aldis Hodge as Hawkman in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    Aldis Hodge as Hawkman in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam and Aldis Hodge as Hawkman in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    (L-r) Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam and Aldis Hodge as Hawkman in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Black Adam poster
    Black Adam is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 21, 2022. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
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  • ‘The Sandman’ Teaser Finally Confirms a Release Date

    Jenna Coleman as Johanna, Tom Sturridge as Dream in 'The Sandman.'
    (L to R) Jenna Coleman as Johanna, Tom Sturridge as Dream in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2022.

    Netflix is running its annual “Geeked Week” this week, making announcements, and releasing trailers for a host of shows and movies all themed around genre.

    One of the most exciting pieces of news is word that the long-awaited adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s classic comic series ‘The Sandman’ will launch its first season on the streaming service this coming August.

    To boil it down to the basics, the story is this: “When the Sandman, aka Dream (Tom Sturridge) — the powerful cosmic being who controls all our dreams — is unexpectedly captured and held prisoner for over a century, he must journey across different worlds and timelines to fix the chaos his absence has caused.”

    Of course, this being Neil Gaiman, there is a lot more to it than that. A lot more.

    ‘Sandman’, for those who might be unfamiliar, was a 75-issue DC/Vertigo comics series published in the 1990s. Gaiman’s own one-line synopsis was: “The lord of dreams learns that one must change or die, and makes his decision,” yet the sprawling series takes in pantheons and mythologies from across the globe, via threads about fantastical quests, serial killers, road trips, and short stories only tangentially connected to the core narrative. Many tales featured Dream’s siblings, the Endless: Destiny, Death, Destruction, Despair, Desire, and Delirium. There are some characters – such as members of his own family – who are happy to see Dream return, while others are not so sure this is a good thing.

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    Gaiman himself has noted that the first, 10-episode season of the Netflix show only covers to the end of ‘The Doll’s House’, the second collected trade paperback of the comics. There are 10 in all, and that doesn’t even include the many spin-off stories.

    Attempts have been made in the past to turn this one into a movie, though the streaming series format (not to mention the budget and scope afforded by the likes of Netflix) most certainly feels the natural home for something so sprawling. It’s hard to imagine a film franchise even the size of, say, ‘Harry Potter’ doing justice to what Gaiman and his various collaborators brought to the page.

    Though the writer has directly overseen adaptations of his work before (‘Good Omens’ particularly), here he was more of a consultant, with Allan Heinberg and David S. Goyer developing the series with Gaiman and then running the show.

    Alongside Sturridge, the cast includes a batch of reliable performers, genre stalwarts and new faces: Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, David Thewlis, Stephen Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park, Donna Preston, Vanesu Samunyai, John Cameron Mitchell, Asim Chaudhry, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Joely Richardson, Niamh Walsh, Sandra James-Young, Razane Jammal and, announced as part of the news on this one, Mark Hamill, who voices fan-favorite character Merv Pumpkinhead.

    ‘The Sandman’ will return to his kingdom on August 5th via Netflix.

    Tom Sturridge as Dream in 'The Sandman.'
    Tom Sturridge as Dream in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2021.
    Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer Morningstar in 'The Sandman.'
    Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer Morningstar in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Laurence Cendrowicz/Netflix © 2022.
    Charles Dance as Roderick Burgess in 'The Sandman.'
    Charles Dance as Roderick Burgess in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Ed Miller/Netflix © 2022.
    Stephen Fry as Gilbert in 'The Sandman.'
    Stephen Fry as Gilbert in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Courtesy Of Netflix © 2022.
    Boyd Holbrook as The Corinthian in 'The Sandman.'
    Boyd Holbrook as The Corinthian in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2022.
    Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne in 'The Sandman.'
    Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Laurence Cendrowicz/Netflix © 2022.
    Tom Sturridge as Dream in 'The Sandman.'
    Tom Sturridge as Dream in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Courtesy Of Netflix © 2022.
    Jenna Coleman as Johanna, Tom Sturridge as Dream in 'The Sandman.'
    (L to R) Jenna Coleman as Johanna, Tom Sturridge as Dream in ‘The Sandman.’ Photo: Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2022.

  • Susan Sarandon Added to DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’

    Susan Sarandon in 'The Meddler.'
    Susan Sarandon in 2015’s ‘The Meddler.’

    There’s a change afoot for an upcoming DC comic book movie. Though Sharon Stone had been in talks to play the villainous Victoria Kord in ‘Blue Beetle’, it appears her deal didn’t work out. That, or she’s a little too afraid of bugs.

    Still, the producers have found someone else to take on the role: Susan Sarandon, reports The Wrap.

    For the movie, ‘Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña is playing main man Jaime Reyes, and the cast also features George Lopez (as Jaime’s uncle), Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, Belissa Escobedo, Bruna Marquezine and ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ stalwart Harvey Guillén.

    ‘Charm City Kings’ director Angel Manuel Soto is overseeing the new movie, with Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, who penned a recent version of ‘Scarface’ for Universal, writing the script.

    Originally created by artist Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski and writer Will Eisner for Fox Comics’ ‘Mystery Men Comics’ in 1939, Blue Beetle was introduced as Dan Garret, a vigilante who fought crime using powers gained from chemical compound Vitamin 2-X, though that origin was later retconned to an archeologist with a suit and abilities derived from the alien Khaji Da scarab living weapon. He was succeeded by tech whizz Ted Kord, first appearing in Charlton Comics (which bought Fox and was itself later taken over by DC).

    Blue Beetle
    DC Comics’ Blue Beetle. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.

    The Jaime Reyes version, a creation of Keith Giffen, John Rogers and Cully Hamner for 2006’s ‘Infinite Crisis’ Issue #5, spawned a titular title two months later in May of that year. In his story, Reyes discovered the Blue Beetle scarab on the way home from school with two of his best friends Paco and Brenda, half-buried in a disused lot.

    Reyes took the scarab home, curious as to what it might be. That night, the scarab came alive, and grafted itself to the base of Jaime’s spine, and provided him with a suit of extraterrestrial armor, which can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as to create weapons, wings, and shields.

    Sarandon’s role is a new one, created for the movie, but that Kord surname already suggests a connection to second Blue Beetle Ted Kord – speculation has it that she’ll play his wife, though there is nothing official at this time.

    This is perhaps unexpected casting – Sarandon doesn’t have any superhero movies on her resume (though she’s enjoyed an eclectic career), while Stone had at least played the antagonist in ‘Catwoman’. Still, casting someone like Sarandon assures a solid performance.

    Last seen in indie movie ‘Ride the Eagle’, Sarandon has a few projects in the works, including delayed country music TV drama ‘Monarch’.

    As for ‘Blue Beetle’, the movie will fly into theaters on August 18, 2023.

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  • Charlize Theron Producing ‘Aqualad’ Series for HBO Max

    Jackson Hyde/Aqualad
    Jackson Hyde/Aqualad from DC Comics. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.

    Having seen success with ‘Peacemaker’ (not to mention the sprawling universe of other superhero shows across several different platforms), DC and HBO Max are teaming up with Charlize Theron to produce new graphic novel adaptation ‘You Brought Me the Ocean’, which will introduce the origin story of DC’s Aqualad to live-action.

    Well, at least this version – this being a comic book title, there have been more than one. Still, the Jake Hyde version of Aqualad first debuted in 2010 and was created by Brandon Vietti, Greg Weisman, and Phil Bourassa for the animated series ‘Young Justice.’, where he was voiced by Khary Payton.

    A comic book version of the character simultaneously debuted in ‘Brightest Day #4.’ He also goes by the name Kaldur’ahm, and it was later revealed that he is the son of the supervillain Black Manta.

    The HBO Max series will be based on characters from DC and the graphic novel by Alex Sanchez and Jul Maroh. This new show will explore the life of Jackson “Jake” Hyde, a gay teenager living in New Mexico. All his life, he has had a strange attraction to the water and yearns to escape his desert surroundings for the ocean. As he explores his abilities, including breathing under and controlling water, he also finds himself falling in love with his classmate, high school swim captain Kenny Liu. Hyde has since become the second Aquaman in the DC canon.

    Charlize Theron in 'Atomic Blonde.'
    Charlize Theron in 2017’s ‘Atomic Blonde.’

    It’s good to see more forward progress with LGBTQA+ issues in pop culture, and DC has been making some strides in that regard and ‘Young Justice’ has been on the forefront of that.

    DC is also everywhere in terms of TV – between the CW’s “Arrowverse” (with ‘The Flash’, ‘Batwoman’, ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ and ‘Superman & Lois’ still on the air), the various animated outings and HBO Max series such as ‘Titans’ (where a different version of the Aqualad character, named Garth has appeared, played by played by Drew Van Acker), ‘Harley Quinn’ and ‘Doom Patrol’ – the company has spread its wings further than even Marvel has attempted thus far.

    And the company is expanding its roster yet again with series spawned from movies including those based on ‘The Batman’ and another show from James Gunn that will complement ‘Peacemaker’. And should more of the character’s ‘Young Justice’ team members make the jump to live-action, we could see a whole new generation of heroes ready to conquer TV screens and potentially arrive on the big screen too.

    Theron is no stranger to comic book adaptations – most recently, she starred in Netflix movie ‘The Old Guard’, which has a sequel in the works. And she’s also been active as a producer, working on TV and movie projects. Next up for her in acting terms is ‘The School for Good and Evil,’ which will be on Netflix this year.

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  • Sharon Stone Joins DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’

    Sharon Stone in 'Basic Instinct 2.'
    Sharon Stone in 2006’s ‘Basic Instinct 2.’

    With the cameras scheduled to roll soon in Atlanta on DC’s latest superhero adaptation ‘Blue Beetle’, Sharon Stone has joined the cast, according to The Wrap.

    While Stone is on board to play a villain named Victoria Kord, ‘Mayans M.C.’ actor Raoul Max Trujillo is also now aboard as Carapax the Indestructible Man, a veteran villain of the ‘Beetle’ comics (find out more about him here) who will also no doubt cause problems for the titular hero.

    For the movie, ‘Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña is playing main man Jaime Reyes, and the cast also features George Lopez (as Jaime’s uncle), Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, Belissa Escobedo, Bruna Marquezine and ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ stalwart Harvey Guillén.

    ‘Charm City Kings’ director Angel Manuel Soto is overseeing the new movie, with Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer writing the script.

    For those who may not be familiar with the character (who, after all, doesn’t have the same name recognition factor as, say, Batman), here’s a quick catch-up…

    Originally created by artist Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski and writer Will Eisner for Fox Comics’ ‘Mystery Men Comics’ in 1939, Blue Beetle was introduced as Dan Garret, a vigilante who fought crime using powers gained from chemical compound Vitamin 2-X, though that origin was later retconned to an archeologist with a suit and abilities derived from the alien Khaji Da scarab living weapon. He was succeeded by tech whizz Ted Kord, first appearing in Charlton Comics (which bought Fox and was itself later taken over by DC).

    Blue Beetle
    DC Comics’ Blue Beetle. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.

    The Jaime Reyes version, a creation of Keith Giffen, John Rogers and Cully Hamner for 2006’s ‘Infinite Crisis’ Issue 5, spawned a titular title two months later in May of that year. In his story, Reyes discovered the Blue Beetle scarab on the way home from school with two of his best friends Paco and Brenda, half-buried in a disused lot. Reyes took the scarab home, curious as to what it might be.

    That night, the scarab came alive, and grafted itself to the base of Jaime’s spine, and provided him with a suit of extraterrestrial armor, which can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as to create weapons, wings, and shields.

    Stone’s character is a new one, created for the movie, but that Kord surname already suggests a connection to second Blue Beetle Ted Kord – speculation has it that she’ll play his wife. Perhaps she’s looking for vengeance after something happened to him, and she’s none too happy about anyone else using the suit?

    The actress, who has been working consistently, will next be seen in the second season of ‘The Flight Attendant’, opposite Kaley Cuoco.

    And ‘Blue Beetle’, which represents a healthy step forward for Latino lead representation in superhero movies, has also scored an upgrade from a direct-to-HBO Max title to theatrical release, flying into theaters on August 18th, 2023.

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  • Best Batman Movie Villains

    Colin Farrell as Penguin
    Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    There is no comic book superhero with more iconic villains than Batman! Most heroes have one or two famous enemies, but the Caped Crusader has more than a handful that are now household names.

    Most of Batman’s most dangerous adversaries have appeared in a film alongside the masked hero, but a few have starred in their own movies like ‘Catwoman,’ ‘Joker,’ ‘Suicide Squad’ and ‘Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).’

    While two actors have won Oscars for portraying Batman’s most iconic villain the Joker, Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix for ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Joker,’ respectively. And the list of Oscar-winning actors that have played Batman villains includes Jack Nicholson, Halle Berry, Anne Hathaway, Tommy Lee Jones, and Marion Cottillard.

    With ‘The Batman’ currently in theaters, we’ve decided to countdown the ten greatest Batman movie villains of all time. For this list, we are only including villains from pure Batman movies, not other DC films like ‘Justice League’ or ‘Suicide Squad.’

    Let’s begin!

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    10) Ra’s al Ghul – Batman Begins / The Dark Knight Rises

    Liam Neeson as Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    While he starts off in ‘Batman Begins’ as Bruce Wayne’s mentor Henri Ducard, Liam Neeson’s character is eventually revealed to be Ra’s al Ghul, leader of the League of Shadows. One of Batman’s greatest enemies from the comics, and grandfather to Wayne’s own son, Ra’s al Ghul was a great addition to Christopher Nolan’s series, and even returned for a cameo in ‘The Dark Knight Rises.’

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    9) Scarecrow – The Dark Knight

    Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow in The Dark Knight movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Also first appearing in ‘Batman Begins,’ Cillian Murphy‘s Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow, is the only villain to appear in all three of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ movies. The actor’s menacing and realistic performance brought new dimensions to the scary comic book character.

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    8) Riddler – Batman Forever

    Jim Carrey as Riddler in Batman Forever movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Jim Carrey stole every scene he was in, in the otherwise forgettable, ‘Batman Forever.’ As the Riddler, the comedian went “full-Carey” and delivered a fun and absolutely outrageous performance, which unfortunately was not enough to save the rest of the movie.

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    7) Two-Face – The Dark Knight

    Aaron Eckhart as Two Face in The Dark Knight movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    The bar was set low for Two-Face after Tommy Lee Jones’ hammy performance in ‘Batman Forever,’ and Aaron Eckhart hit it out of the park. The movie allows us to see the origin of the character, and watch his evolution from heroic attorney, to disfigured madman.

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    6) Bane – The Dark Knight Rises

    Tom Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    While ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ did not mark Bane’s first on screen appearance, that unfortunately was ‘Batman & Robin,’ Tom Hardy‘s performance is clearly the best. Putting the odd voice choice aside, the actor is physically commanding and completely believable as the man that broke Batman’s back.

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    5) Maximillian Shreck – Batman Returns

    Christopher Walken as Max Shreck in Batman Returns movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    An original character created for Tim Burton‘s ‘Batman Returns,’ corrupt businessman Maximillian Shreck almost causes more trouble for Batman than Penguin and Catwoman. Played ruthlessly and with complete joy by the great Christopher Walken, he is an equal advisory for both Batman and Bruce Wayne, tries to get Penguin elected Mayor of Gotham, and is the reason Selina Kyle becomes the Catwoman.

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    4) Penguin – Batman Returns

    Danny DeVito as Penguin in Batman Returns movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Taking what Burgess Meredith created on the ‘Batman’ TV series and making it a million times darker, was exactly how Danny DeVito portrayed Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin in Tim Burton’s sequel. In fact, the actor’s performance was so horrific and scary (as it should be), McDonald’s refused to put toys of the character in their Happy Meals.

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    3) Joker – Batman

    Jack Nicholson as Joker in Batman movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix may have won Oscars for playing the Joker on screen, but to anyone who group up in the 80’s and 90’s, Jack Nicholson is the one true Joker. Not only was his performance hilarious and unexpected, taking the role set a precedent for other Oscar-winning actors to play comic book characters on screen.

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    2) Catwoman – Batman Returns

    Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman in Batman Returns movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    While Michelle Pfeiffer was not originally cast as Catwoman in ‘Batman Returns,’ that was Annette Bening, her name has become synonymous with the role. Pfeiffer gives a stellar performance, both as Selina Kyle and Catwoman. She is strong, funny, and stylish, and has great chemistry with both Michael Keaton and DeVito.

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    1) Joker – The Dark Knight

    Heath Ledger as Joker in The Dark Knight movie
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Heath Ledger is the first actor to ever win an Oscar for playing a comic book character. As great as all the Joker actors were before him, and have been since, Ledger’s performance is still clearly the best. The actor channeled a chaotic madness that perfectly matched the character, and his one on one scenes with Christian Bale’s Batman are some of the best cinematic moments in the franchise’s history.

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  • Colin Farrell’s ‘The Batman’ Penguin Scores Own Series

    Farrell as Penguin
    Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Colin Farrell clearly didn’t mind wearing prosthetics to play the Penguin in ‘The Batman’ – as he’s set to slap them on again for a fair bit longer. The actor is now attached to star in a spin-off TV series featuring his character for HBO Max.

    Originally reported as in development back in September last year (a clear vote of confidence from Warner Bros., as the movie was still months from release), the show is moving forward from the pilot stage with a straight-to-series order.

    The series, which has been described as in the style of classic crime drama ‘Scarface’ will pick up the story of ambitious criminal type Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot as he rises to power in Gotham City. Mild spoiler alert in case you’ve yet to see ‘The Batman’, but part of the movie involves Oz’s bosses either dying or heading to jail, leaving him a path to achieve his aims.

    Yet given that there’s a whole series to fill with this story, we doubt the road will be an easy one. And there’s still that pesky Caped Crusader lurking around (even if Batman likely wouldn’t appear much in the show).

    Matt Reeves, who co-wrote and directed ‘The Batman’ is an executive producer here, but while he’ll certainly have input (alongside the movie’s fellow producer, Dylan Clark), he won’t be overseeing the day-to-day work of the show. That job falls to Lauren LeFranc, who has worked on series including ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’, ‘Chuck’ and ‘Hemlock Grove’.

    Farrell as Penguin 2
    Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    “Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in ‘The Batman’ and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill’” Reeves says in a statement. “Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.”

    “I have long been a fan of the world of ‘The Batman’, and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon. I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City – and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot?” adds LeFranc. “I am thrilled to work with Colin, Matt, Dylan, 6th & Idaho, Warners, and HBO Max as we work to bring this story to the screen.”

    “The world that Matt Reeves created for ‘The Batman’ is one that warrants a deeper gaze through the eyes of Oswald Cobblepot,” Farrell comments. “I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become The Penguin. Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”

    This news comes on the heels of word that another ‘Batman’ spin-off, one focused on the corrupt Gotham PD from the POV of one of its cops, has been tabled for now, with Reeves and the rest focusing instead on developing a series about Arkham Asylum. You can read more about that change right here.

    As for when the Penguin series might see the light of day? That all depends on how quickly it all comes together. Yet we’d imagine Warners Bros. would want to have it out as soon as possible, especially since ‘The Batman’ recently crossed $300 million at the worldwide box office. Holy earning power, Batman!

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    Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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  • Warner Bros. Shifts its Entire DC Movie Schedule

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    Dwayne Johnson on the set of New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Frank Masi. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    It’s all change for Warner Bros. and DC today, as some of the companies’ highest-profile movies are upping sticks and moving around the release date calendar – mostly to further in the future.

    If you were anticipating the release of movies such as ‘DC League of Super-Pets’, ‘Black Adam’, ‘The Flash’ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’, you’re going to have to be a little more patient, as their studio has decided to make some alterations to its plans.

    Warners partly puts the shifts down to covid delays affecting production and post-production on some of these giant movies, though there is also the sneaking suspicion that this is a way to get a few out of the way of Marvel or, in the case of the ‘Aquaman’ sequel, ‘Avatar 2’, especially given James Cameron’s history with the box office and the watery elements of his long-awaited sci-fi sequel, which is due in theaters on December 16th. (‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ was originally slated for that date).

    Word of the changes – to ‘Super-Pets’ and ‘Black Adam’ at least – came first from Dwayne Johnson, who hit Instagram to deliver a typically positive message about his two next releases shifting back. Mostly, he seemed pumped about ‘Black Adam’s chances to play through Halloween and other holidays without (he didn’t say it, it’s implied), ‘The Flash’ to run up against.

    You can find his message below:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5K0w6Fhfi/

    So, then, what are the changes afoot? Let’s break it down…

    ‘DC League of Super-Pets’, the animated animal adventure that sees Superman’s pooch pal Krypto (Johnson) uniting with a group of unexpectedly super-powered shelter animals to save the Justice League, is moving from May 20 to July 29. The film also features the voices of Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, John Krasinski, Kate McKinnon and more, and recently put a new, Batman-centric trailer online.

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    ‘Black Adam, meanwhile, stars Johnson as the usually villainous character from the ‘Shazam!’ world. From the looks of everything about the movie so far, though, it appears it’ll channel the anti-hero version that has more recently been in DC Comics.

    The movie also features Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo, Aldis Hodge, Quintessa Swindell, Sarah Shahi and Marwan Kenzari, and will now hit theaters on October 21.

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    ‘The Flash’, starring Ezra Miller as the speedy hero pushing his powers to the limit in order to save his parents from death and jail, is dashing from its original November 4 slot to June 23, 2023. The movie will also see Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman for the first time since 1992’s ‘Batman Returns.’

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    ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’, the Jason Momoa-starring sequel directed once more by James Wan, dives from a December 16 slot to March 17, 2023.

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    That displaces ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ prequel ‘Wonka’, starring Timothée Chalamet as the candy expert. The movie shifts to December 15, 2023.

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    One movie actually shifting forward rather than back is superhero sequel ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’. Zachary Levi returns as the titular hero, with Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu as the villains. That is stepping into the December 16 slot this year vacated by the Aquaman sequel.

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    And finally, one WB movies lands its release date, as ‘Meg 2: The Trench’, directed by Ben Wheatley, is now swimming in on August 4 next year.
    That movie sees Jason Statham back as diver and captain Jonas Taylor, who must once more confront a giant shark looking to destroy property and eat unwitting swimmers.

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    Proof positive, then, that in this day and age it’s better to write your movie reminders in pencil rather than pen.

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    (L to R) Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros.’ ‘DC League of Super-Pets.’

  • ‘The Batman’ TV Spinoff Shifts from Cops to Arkham

    Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Batman,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    As ‘The Batman’ continues to do decent numbers at the box office ($134 million domestically, and more than $258 million worldwide) attention is naturally still on this latest live-action incarnation of the Caped Crusader, which stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne.

    And that attention includes the planned TV spin-offs that were announced even before the movie itself came out. Now, according to director Matt Reeves, at least one of the shows is evolving into something new.

    Originally planned to focus on corruption at the heart of the Gotham Police Department, the show initially had ‘Boardwalk Empire’ boss Terrence Winter as head writer and showrunner. The narrative focus would have been on Batman’s first year as a vigilante (though without really featuring the character in any major fashion) as his presence starts to send waves through the city’s criminal underworld. And the main character was planned as a crooked cop, which made it sound a little like ‘The Shield’.

    Yet after some creative differences, Winter left the series, to be replaced by ‘Giri/Haji’ writer Joe Barton in January. Back then it was still described as featuring the police. Now, though there, is a big change afoot, at least according to Reeves.

    Talking on the Happy/Sad/Confused podcast, the director/producer explained the change. “One thing that we’re not doing that I was gonna do… So, there’s the Gotham police show, which, that one actually is put on hold. We’re not really doing that,” he told host Josh Horowitz.

    (L to R) Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures' 'The Batman.' Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics.
    (L to R) Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘The Batman,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    So, what form might it take now? Reeves shared that in a separate interview, this one with The Cyber Nerds YouTube channel. “That story has kinda evolved,” explained Reeves. “We’ve actually now [moved] more into the realm of exactly what would happen in the world of Arkham as it relates coming off of our movie, and some of the characters … almost leaning into the idea of … it’s like a horror movie or a haunted house that is Arkham.”

    “The idea, again the way that Gotham is a character in the movie, I really want Arkham to exist as a character,” he continues. “You go into this environment and encounter these characters in a way that feels really fresh. And so, in our work on Gotham, that story started to evolve, and it started feeling like, ‘Wait, we should really lean into this.’ And then that’s kinda where that’s gone.”

    There has also been talk that Reeves and the HBO Max team were also wanting to shift the focus to a recognizable character instead of a completely original one. Who that might be is anyone’s guess, though Arkham is usually full of Batman’s opponents.

    The changing series is just one of the spin-offs in the works – the other is focused on The Penguin’s rise to power. The criminal character played Colin Farrell in ‘The Batman’ will be at the center of a series that has been compared to ‘Scarface’ in tone. If you’ve seen the movie, you know the character isn’t quite in as powerful a position as he is in other versions of the Batman story, so there’s plenty of material to mine here.

    Farrell is reportedly attached to reprise the character, and will be an executive producer on the show, which comes from Reeves and producing partner Dylan Clark. ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ veteran Lauren LeFranc is in board to run the show itself assuming it makes it out of development.

    (L to R) director Matt Reeves and actor Robert Pattinson on the set of 'The Batman'
    (L to R) director Matt Reeves and actor Robert Pattinson on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘The Batman,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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