(Left) Tim Burton attends the world premiere of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ on November 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix. (Right) Nicolas Cage in ‘The Flash.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
In that talk about ‘Beetlejuice’, he also covered the use of AI to create Burton-esque versions of Disney characters. He’s not, as you might suspect, a fan. And he referenced the technology again in an interview with the British Film Institute that touched on one of his great unmade movies, ‘Superman Lives’
Nicolas Cage as Superman in the documentary ‘The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?’
In 1998, Burton was getting ready to shoot a new version of Superman called ‘Superman Lives’ with Nicolas Cage as the Man of Steel. The director had spent two years in extensive pre-production and had gotten to the point of shooting tests of Cage in character in his suit (images of which didn’t officially emerge until 2009) when studio Warner Bros. pulled the plug on the movie due to creative differences.
“Tim Burton is a genius. He’s a great artist, and I’m sure he would have done something really magnificent with the story of Superman, and I knew I was going to go towards something quite unique and different than anything you’ve seen with Superman, but having said that, in a way it was a win-win for me that it didn’t work out, because the power of the imagination allows you to imagine what that might have been like. That might be even more powerful than the finished product, so I think it worked out.”
And for Burton, he has no regrets about the failed project, as he revealed in the BFI piece:
“I will say this: when you work that long on a project and it doesn’t happen, it affects you for the rest of your life. Because you get passionate about things, and each thing is an unknown journey, and it wasn’t there yet. But it’s one of those experiences that never leaves you, a little bit.”
That said, he’s not pleased that a version of Cage’s Superman –– played by the actor himself –– showed up in ‘The Flash’s big, climactic parallel worlds-collide scene.
Burton on the use of Cage’s Superman in ‘The Flash’
The big scene, which used a mo-capped Cage briefly shown, also has CG versions of classic Superman and Flash characters, such as Christopher Reeves’ Supes and Helen Slater as Supergirl, forms part of a moment where the boundaries between realities start breaking down when Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen tries to change the space-time continuum.
You get the feeling Burton would want to wind time back and stop the decision to have Cage appear…
“This is why I think I’m over it with the studio. They can take what you did, ‘Batman‘ or whatever, and culturally misappropriate it, or whatever you want to call it. Even though you’re a slave of Disney or Warner Brothers, they can do whatever they want. So, in my latter years of life, I’m in quiet revolt against all this.”
Still: ‘Beetlejuice 2’, coming next year from (checks notes) Warner Bros. And then there’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 2, from (checks other notes) Netflix.
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?”
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
For a moment there, it looked like ‘The Flash’, a remnant of the “Snyderverse” set of DC movies that Warner Bros. (now Warner Bros. Discovery) had pinned its hopes on, would speed to victory.
But with a positive reaction out of April’s CinemaCon event (where even journalists’ social media had been mostly glowing) and ringing endorsements from an eclectic group that included Stephen King, incoming DC Studios boss James Gunn, and superstar/theatrical experience cheerleader Tom Cruise), hopes were higher that final director Andy Muschietti had pulled something off that might be embraced by audiences.
And yet… ‘The Flash’ opened to a dismal $55 million over the June 16th-18th weekend, on par with past DC bomb ‘Watchmen’ ($55.2 million) and not far ahead of infamous stumble ‘Green Lantern’ ($53.5 million), not adjusted for inflation.
In defense of the movie (which we reviewed positively), it was facing an uphill battle. It was a lesser-known character who, despite some comic book recognition a long-running, popular TV series and appearances in the different cuts of the ‘Justice League’ movie, wasn’t a proven draw on its own yet.
Star Ezra Miller, who had played the role with charm and humor against some of the more serious superheroes, didn’t help, racking up a string of controversial personal crises we won’t reheat here, but had been trying to resuscitate their personal reputation with apologies and seeking mental health treatment. They were also mostly kept away from promotion for the film.
Another issue was the movie’s delayed release, which kept it shifting around the schedules.
And finally, the worrying fear of superhero fatigue, which has impacted both DC and Marvel movies of late.
Audiences really do seem to be tiring of watching costumed heroes running/flying around, sprawling parallel dimension stories with endless heroes popping out of portals and big CGI-laden finales.
Even the star name endorsements didn’t move the PR needle.
“It is unfathomable to me why Zas [WBD CEO David Zaslav] and James Gunn promise how wonderful any picture or new plan will be months into the future. The public doesn’t care and isn’t aware of their prognostications. Let the product talk.”
Word of mouth wasn’t great even when it did open –– audiences handed out a B Cinemascore, and reviews were more mixed closer to its arrival.
Said Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian to the Reporter about the movie:
“‘The Flash’ unfortunately had a rough road to the multiplex and given the complexities and challenges of the marketing and positioning of the film in the marketplace, the number one debut is actually a solid result for the latest from DC Comics in such a crowded and competitive summer season.”
Yet ‘The Flash’ wasn’t the only movie facing problems on its release. Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ also didn’t manage to make much of a dent at the box office.
The latest movie from the animation powerhouse, long considered a champion at the box office, delighting audiences and growing a huge fanbase with its work, had been going through its own relative rough patch.
Corporate parent Disney had not exactly safeguarded the studio’s films –– during the pandemic, it was understandable why movies such a ‘Soul’ and ‘Luca’ might have been pushed to streaming service Disney+, but once theaters started to open up again and audiences seemed happier returning to the movies, it was less defensible for the likes of ‘Turning Red’ to debut primarily on small screens.
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So as ‘Elemental’ –– set in a world of living elements and featuring a love story between the fiery Ember (Leah Lewis) and watery Wade (Mamoudou Athie) –– debuted over the same weekend as ‘The Flash’ with the second-lowest three-day opening (for a wide release) in studio history at an estimated $29.5 million.
The only Pixar film to ever make less than ‘Elemental ‘over a three-day opening was the original ‘Toy Story’, which made $29.1 million over its first three-day weekend. And there’s really no comparing the two, since ‘Toy Story’ opened in 1995, when cinema tickets were much less expensive, debuted on 1,500 fewer screens than ‘Elemental’.
It also follows the poor performance of last year’s ‘Lightyear’, the movie (with its loose ‘Toy Story’ connections) that was supposed to have brought Pixar soaring back to theatrical. Instead, it crashed and burned, and several of the people who worked on the movie lost their jobs in the latest round of Disney layoffs.
‘Elemental’, of course, had no such connections to help sell it, but its originality was also seen as its own positive: in a world of sequels, reboots and franchises, it could help boost the cause of films not based on IP. Unfortunately, the relative lack of recognition (even from a hugely popular team such as Disney/Pixar) didn’t get people into theaters.
The new movie did at least warrant an A from Cinemascore’s polling of cinema customers, which points to potential legs, especially since there aren’t a lot of family movies headed our way at the moment.
Both Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney/Pixar are unlikely to be too affected by all of this drama, aside from when they have to justify spending to shareholders. Both companies have a robust slate on hand (albeit impacted by the ongoing WGA strike) and plenty of money to spend on upcoming releases.
Warners has ‘Blue Beetle’ and the ‘Aquaman’ sequel ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ waiting in the wings and is keeping its fingers crossed that Gunn can rejuvenate its superhero fortunes with his new DC Studios output. Disney has many subsidiaries to generate movies and income, and Pixar has its next movie, ‘Elio’, scheduled to arrive next March (like ‘Elemental’ it is once again gambling on another original story). And we’re not likely to see the end of the comic book genre or animated movies anytime soon. But there are surely lessons to be learned from both of these flops.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
‘The Flash’ director Andy Muschietti at CinemaCon 2023. Photos by Eric Charbonneau.
Before you read any more of this story, we would caution you to wait until you’ve seen ‘The Flash’, the stand-alone movie for Ezra Miller’s speedy DC hero, which will run into theaters on June 16th. A major cameo will be discussed below, and we’d hate for anyone to be spoiled.
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SPOILER ALERT!
Still with us? Okay… While ‘The Flash’ is already bursting with DC characters including Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman from Tim Burton‘s ‘Batman‘ and ‘Batman Returns,’ Ben Affleck as the Snyderverse version of the same character, Michael Shannon as a multiverse variant of ‘Man of Steel’s General Zod (alongside Antje Traue’s return as his faithful lieutenant, Faora-UI) and Sasha Calle as a new version of Supergirl, the movie promises several more, and possibly the biggest has been confirmed by director Andy Muschietti.
“Nic was absolutely wonderful. Although the role was a cameo, he dove into it. I dreamt all my life to work with him. I hope I can work with him again soon. He is a massive Superman fan. A comic book fanatic.”
Nicolas Cage as Superman in the documentary ‘The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?’
Was Nic Cage going to play Superman in the past?
Yes, Cage is finally realizing a long-held dream to play the last son of Krypton in a movie. While this is only a cameo, he got close to playing the character in a cancelled movie called ‘Superman Lives’.
Originally written by Kevin Smith (among others), the movie was planned for Renny Harlin to direct and for Cage to star as what he has described as an “emo” Superman will long black hair and a darker suit.
Cage, though –– who is such a fan of the character that he named one of his kids Kal-El after Supes’ Kryptonian moniker and once owned a copy of ‘Action Comics #1’, which features the first ever appearance of the superhero –– thought that Tim Burton, who had brought such style to his ‘Batman’ films, might be a better fit.
Nicolas Cage as Superman in the documentary ‘The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?’
Yet Cage did end up playing Superman once, albeit in animated form in 2018 ‘toon movie ‘Teen Titans GO! To the Movies’. Now, though, he has his dream come true at last.
There are more secrets to be found lurking within the ‘Flash’ movie, but you’ll have to wait and see them for yourself.
The final trailer for ‘The Flash’ is also available, and you can see it below.
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.
We can fairly assume then, that the executives (both those before and those after the big Discovery merger that has brought so much of a shake-up to DC Films) were likely hoping that ‘The Flash’, which sees Ezra Miller reprising their role as the Scarlet Speedster Barry Allen, would be a cornerstone in proving that everything is – pun entirely intended – running smoothly.
Alas, that is definitely not the case. Despite a safe pair of hands at the helm (‘It’ director Andy Muschietti) and some grand plans for multiverse action and fan-pleasing appearances (including dual Batmen in Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck), ‘The Flash’ is in real danger of running off the road entirely.
A lot of that has to do with Miller’s near-constant appearance in the news for all the wrong reasons, including the most recent incident, where they were charged with felony burglary in Vermont and the authorities seeking to locate a mother and three children who have allegedly been residing at the actor’s farm.
In the wake of ‘Batgirl’s shelving, consideration is now being given to how to handle ‘The Flash’, and according to a new story in The Hollywood Reporter, scrapping the project is not entirely off the table, though is being seen as the unlikely nuclear route.
Instead, various options are apparently being considered, specifically around Miller’s involvement going forward. They were involved in filming additional footage (fairly standard for superhero tentpoles) this summer, which points to Warner Bros. Discovery and DC looking to keep the movie on track.
Ezra Miller is scheduled to appear in ‘The Flash’ on June 23, 2023.
There is talk that Miller could seek professional help for their issues once they return home, and then give a tell-all interview which would then lead to them being the focus of the ‘Flash’ press tour to help adjust the narrative.
Option two focuses on the actor being unwilling to play that PR game, then being largely absent from the press interviews and the studio looking to distance itself from them, with the character re-cast in future movies.
And, as mentioned, the extremely improbable (but still not impossible) option of cancelling the movie’s release entirely.
WBD and DC have a lot of money sunk into the movie already (more than double that of something at ‘Batgirl’s level), so that probably doesn’t make sense.
More likely is the studio as a whole moving away from Miller and handing over their roles in two big franchises – the DC Extended Universe and (assuming those movies go forward) the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Wizarding World – to other actors.
Fans have been suggesting that Grant Gustin, who has played Barry Allen on CW show ‘The Flash’ since 2014, could be brought in to replace Miller thanks to the handy multiverse concept. But we highly doubt that the studio would give into such pressure.
“Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment,” Miller says in a statement. “I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”
It remains to be seen whether this first step will lead to them still being part of the press tour or, indeed, the DCEU going forward.
‘The Flash’ is currently still scheduled for release on June 23rd next year, so let’s see if that sticks.
Ezra Miller at the Los Angeles premiere of 2017’s ‘Justice League.’
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Leslie Grace in Warner Bros. Discovery’s ‘Batgirl.’
Call it a Bat Cave-in.
In a surprising development, Warner Bros. Discovery and DC have apparently decided to shelve the ‘Batgirl’ movie, which was going through the post-production process and had been targeting a theatrical release or an HBO Max debut (depending on which report you read).
Now though, the movie, which had a reported budget that began in the $70 million range and ballooned to $90 million because of Covid protocols, is no longer going to be seen in any venue, not even a home entertainment release. There had been stories of disappointing test screenings and complaints about the lack of spectacle in the movie.
Which means that Warners – fresh off its acquisition by Discovery – is willing to cut its losses and abandon the film. It’s all part of a new strategy that will focus on the bigger budget theatrical DC Extended Universe movies. ““This is the end of DC as a hobby,” a source told the New York Post, which originally broke the story.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from Disney+’s ‘Ms. Marvel.’
‘Bad Boys for Life’ and ‘Ms. Marvel’ directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah had been overseeing the new movie, which stars ‘In the Heights’ actress Leslie Grace starring as Barbara Gordon. The exact plot of the film hadn’t been released, but it’ll effectively follow Gordon (the daughter of J.K. Simmons’ Commissioner Jim Gordon) donning her version of a Bat-suit to fight crime in Gotham City.
In addition to Grace and Simmons, the movie stars Brendan Fraser as the villainous Firefly and Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
It’s a confusing move since the company had been trying to put more of a plan in place for its DC output. There remain concerns over ‘The Flash’, given the negative press around star Ezra Miller’s unorthodox behavior and run-ins with the law off screen.
Then there are the other DC movies. While ‘Blue Beetle’ appears to still be on track (for now, and it has the relative security of being firmly aimed at a theatrical release), a third ‘Wonder Woman’ remains in limbo.
The studio still has ‘Black Adam’ due in theaters on October 21st, ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ out on December 21st, then ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ March 17th and (assuming it sticks), ‘The Flash’ on June 23rd.
There were warning signs about ‘Batgirl’ last month when Warners/DC said nothing about the movie in its big Comic-Con presentation. But we’re not sure anybody had “completely shelved” on their bingo cards.
The meeting was convened in response to an incident that occurred in Hawaii on March 28th when Miller became agitated after patrons at a bar began singing karaoke. The actor shouted obscenities and grabbed the microphone from a 23-year-old woman as she was singing and allegedly lunged at a 32-year-old man playing darts. The 29-year-old movie star was arrested and charged on both counts and was released on $500 bail.
The incident took place at Margarita Village in Hilo, Hawaii, the day before ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ held its world premiere in London (Miller wasn’t scheduled to attend as Warner Bros. was looking to save their promotional time for ‘The Flash’).
But that wasn’t the end of the incident – a local couple filed a temporary restraining order against Miller on March 29th. The couple claimed that after Miller’s arrest, Miller burst into their bedroom and threatened them, with Miller saying to the man, “I will burry [sic] you and your slut wife,” according to the report. The petition also alleges that Miller stole the woman’s passport and the man’s wallet, which included a social security card, driver’s license, and bank cards.
And then there was the release in April 2020 of footage of the actor apparently choking a woman at an Iceland bar, which circulated on social media. No arrests were made at the time and neither Miller nor the studio has commented on the event. More recently, Miller appeared in a since-deleted Instagram video telling members of a North Carolina chapter of the Ku Klux Klan to kill themselves.
Ezra Miller as the Flash in 2017’s ‘Justice League.’
According to sources that Rolling Stone spoke with, Miller also claimed to be “losing it” on the set of ‘The Flash’. Though there were no violent outbursts, it was enough to add to the drama on an already troubled movie, which saw its release date moved back from late 2022 to June 23rd next year.
It’s even more of an issue for Warners, which had seen positive responses to test footage from the Andy Muschietti superhero adventure, in which Miller’s Barry Allen puts the multiverse at risk in order to save his parents.
The studio is now seriously considering hitting pause on continuing work with the actor – which could be a big problem for the future of the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise (where Miller plays Credence Barebone) and other appearances in the DC Movie universe. But avoiding potential future problems
At this point, the studio must be wishing there was an alternate universe version of Miller they could just bring in…
While the Super Bowl, traditionally a place where movie studios look to hype their new releases with teasing trailers and TV spots, is just around the corner, Warner Bros. and DC got a head start by releasing a combo video featuring their upcoming slate of superhero movies.
‘Black Adam’, which stars Dwayne Johnson as the titular hero was perhaps the most intriguing, because this is the largest amount of footage we’ve seen to date.
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Included in that were first looks at Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate and Aldis Hodge as Hawkman (both in full costume), plus a small moment between Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone and Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, though those two were in more civilian clothing until a couple of small closing shots.
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, (who worked with The Rock on last year’s ‘Jungle Cruise’), ‘Black Adam’ is the story of Johnson’s character Teth Adam, who was bestowed with the powers of the Egyptian gods nearly 5,000 years ago — and imprisoned just as quickly. He’s freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world. Traditionally, he shares similar powers with Shazam (played in his own film by Zachary Levi) and has been a villain for that hero. More recently, though, he’s evolved into more of an antihero, and that appears to be the conflicted character Johnson’s bringing to life.
Dr. Fate (who is best described as a sort of DC Doctor Strange, albeit introduced 20 years before the Marvel magician) and the others, meanwhile, are part of the Justice Society (which pre-dates the League, fact fans) and will likely both clash with and work together with Adam, since their attitudes to the word “justice” differ from his punch-first-ask-questions-maybe style.
There’s also a small mention of Black Adams’ son “saving” him and given the presence of Uli Latukefu, who plays one of the young Rocks in, er, ‘Young Rock’, allow us to slap on the hat of wild speculation and say he’s either playing a young Adam or his child.
Next up, we have ‘The Flash’, which finally gives Ezra Miller’s big-screen Scarlet Speedster his solo outing (even if he does have to share it with Michael Keaton’s Batman, Ben Affleck’s Batman, and some alternate versions of himself).
The story for the movie, which has ‘It’s Andy Muschietti directing, is that Barry Allen tries to use his powers to save his mother, who died when he was young, and his father, who was framed for the killing and ended up in jail. But Barry’s attempts end up causing fractures in the multiverse, which explains the appearance of Keaton and more.
The latter only shows up via voice-over in the clips, asking Barry why, if he can go to any timeline or universe, why he’s fighting to save this one? You’ve got to wonder why Bruce Wayne, of anyone, would question trying to save someone’s parents.
And while the TV version of ‘The Flash’ has explored the famous comic book storyline known as ‘Flashpoint’, the new movie looks to be going all-in on the idea; between this and the likes of Marvel’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ alternate realities are big this year.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’, meanwhile, returns Jason Momoa to screens as Arthur Curry, wrangling with his status as ruler of Atlantis. The sequel to the hit 2018 movie is once again directed by James Wan and while the storyline is mostly a mystery, we do know it’ll see Momoa’s hero teaming up with an unlikely alley (possibly Patrick Wilson’s Ocean Master, the villain of the original) to face a big new threat. Because, let’s face it, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Goldfish’ just wouldn’t have the same impact.
Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Nicole Kidman all return from the first movie. Little was revealed about this new adventure (unlike the others, there wasn’t as much footage, which likely points to it having finished shooting later and having fewer shots finished) but there’s plenty of time as it doesn’t swim into theaters until December 16.
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And though ‘The Batman’ got first position because it’ll be out in less than a month (March 4, to be exact), it’s less exciting simply because we’ve seen almost everything presented here in previous trailers.
Still, the movie, directed by Matt Reeves, stars Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, and John Turturro, is looking very good – dark, gritty (well, it is cinematic Batman, after all) and stylish. Skipping the usual origin story (as far as we know), Reeves’ movie is instead a detective story about Bruce Wayne’s relatively early days as the Caped Crusader, investigating a dangerous new enemy in Dano’s The Riddler, who is himself digging into all of Gotham City’s secrets – including those of the Wayne family.
Perhaps most remarkable about this is that final, bold “Only In Theaters” tag, which almost sounds like it should come with a smaller, “Sorry to the makers of last year’s movies about the whole day-and-date HBO Max thing. Our bad!” But it’s certainly a statement of intent, a setting out of DC’s stall that it still means to compete with Disney and Marvel.
Despite those significant creative shifts, titular star Ezra Miller remains attached to this new version. Miller has been a staunch protector of “The Flash,” fighting to keep the flick in development by working on a new version of the script himself, alongside comics veteran Grant Morrison. While his desired darker direction for the character was ultimately rejected by Warner Bros., they still want to keep him on board, according to THR.
The trade reports that deals have not yet been finalized, but Muschietti’s success with fellow Warner Bros. series “It” suggests that he may be the right fit for this feature. “Flash” fans should keep their fingers crossed.
