Moviefone Editorial

Tag: michael-keaton

  • ‘Batgirl’ Directors “Shocked” by the Decision to Shelve it

    Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from Disney+’s ‘Ms. Marvel.’
    Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from Disney+’s ‘Ms. Marvel.’

    There was shock and disbelief yesterday when reports began to emerge that Warner Bros. Discovery had decided to ditch the DC title ‘Batgirl’ – even though the movie had finished shooting and was in the middle of post-production.

    That feeling of disbelief was shared by the directors of the movie, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. The duo, who had previously worked on the likes of ‘Bad Boys for Life’ and the Disney+ series ‘Ms. Marvel,’ have been quick to respond.

    El Arbi and Fallah (who had been taking a quick break from editing the movie for El Arbi’s wedding in Morocco) were informed of the studio’s decision a short time before the news began to emerge into the world. And now they have hit Instagram to express their stunned feelings over the move.

    “We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe it,” the directing duo wrote in the post. “As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will.”

    They continue, “Our amazing cast and crew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life. We are forever grateful to have been part of that team. It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity.”

    “In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment,” the statement ends. “‘Batgirl’ For Life.”

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    Though there had been talk of problematic test screenings or issues with the movie’s quality, the studio’s own statement refutes that.

    “The decision to not release ‘Batgirl’ reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max,” it read. “Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of ‘Batgirl’ and ‘Scoob! Holiday Haunt’ (the animated movie that was scrapped at the same time as the superhero adventure) and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.”

    Batgirl herself, Leslie Grace, added her own statement, via Twitter.

    “I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process!” she wrote. “To every Batgirl fan – THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, ‘my own damn hero!’” You can see her full stamen below…

    Turns out the real reason for the change was something far more mundane – the incoming executive team is changing the direction of how Warner Bros. handles its DC titles (again) and ‘Batgirl’ fell through the cracks as a movie that wasn’t big enough to justify the budget to upgrade and market it for theatrical release, as it had been planned as a direct-to-HBO Max movie.

    The corporate decision was made to write it off on taxes as a loss, as part of an accounting technique in the wake of the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery that allows for such moves.

    It’s only available for a limited time, so other movies including ‘Blue Beetle’ seem safe for now.

    Yet to our thinking, this is just another sign that Warner Bros. still appears to have very little idea how to plan for and execute a coherent strategy for its DC movie universe.

    Robert Pattinson as Batman
    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.

    There are various strands, between the DCEU and the unconnected likes of ‘The Batman’, with different versions of characters floating around.

    Merging Warner Bros. and DC has led to even more chaos, as a new executive team arrives and decides to change up the thinking once again. Plenty of other projects in development and existing shows are being cancelled as the corporate strategy shifts.

    While at one point the studio was all about sharing content between theatrical and HBO Max (and, during the pandemic, releasing everything day-and-date), it now appears to be intent on keeping bigger theatrical titles in their lane and making fewer movies for the streaming service in order to cut costs.

    We’re still not sure that this all sounds like a good idea, at least not until Warner/Discovery and DC has a workable policy for its movies and TV series. While not everyone has to look to Marvel, Disney’s approach to essentially letting Kevin Feige and his creative partners control every aspect of their output has paid dividends and (largely) delighted fans.

    Warners is said to be on the hunt for someone who can offer similar guidance on the DC front, though picking from the comic book company’s ranks or the movie side hasn’t yet led to firm success.

    DC has certainly had hits – ‘Aquaman’ made more than a billion dollars, while ‘Joker’ brought both big box office and Oscar-winning kudos.

    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.

    But all this chopping and changing has not been good for the movies’ reputation, and while DC has ‘Black Adam’, ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ on the way, they’ll all need to perform to stop the concern over output quality and the direction behind the films as a whole.

    And while ‘The Flash’ – whose future remains in flux while star Ezra Miller continues to bring the wrong type of press – seems destined to still get the blockbuster treatment, it’s really not a great look to effectively flush a movie directed by and starring people of color down the corporate toilet to serve the needs of shareholders.

    Plus, it’s hardly the best sign to creative people who might want to work with you in future and are now concerned that their hard work may end up on a shelf forever.

    Leslie Grace as Batgirl
    Leslie Grace in HBO Max’s ‘Batgirl.’
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  • Warner Bros. Discovery to Shelve Leslie Grace’s ‘Batgirl’

    Leslie Grace as Batgirl
    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.’
    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.

    And the issue of who is the official Batman remains up the air too – Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne from ‘The Batman’ exists outside of the DCEU, while Ben Affleck had repeatedly said he’s ready to hang up the cowl yet will appear in both ‘The Flash’ and (as Bruce Wayne even if he doesn’t suit up) in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’, as revealed – accidentally – by a studio backlot tour stopping by where Jason Momoa was working on additional footage for the superhero sequel.

    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.

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  • Michael Keaton Starring and Directing New Thriller

    Michael Keaton in 'The Protégé.'
    Michael Keaton in ‘The Protégé.’ Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Michael Keaton is having one of his mini resurgences of late, with several good roles and plenty of attention. For new thriller ‘Knox Goes Away’, he’ll be directing and starring as a hired assassin.

    With a script by Gregory Poirier, who wrote ‘The Spy Next Door’, 2005’s sci-fi adaptation of ‘A Sound of Thunder’ and 2000’s ‘Gossip’, ‘Knox Goes Away’ follows a contract killer (Keaton) who, after being diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia, is presented with the opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son. But to do so he must race against the police closing in on him as well as the ticking clock of his own rapidly deteriorating mind.

    Keaton will have the movie shooting in Los Angeles this coming August, and rights to distribute it will be on sale at the Cannes Film Market, which kicks off next week.

    This is not the first time that Keaton has stepped behind the camera – he pulled double duty in 2008 when he directed and starred in ‘The Merry Gentleman’ as another hitman – this one a suicidal contract killer named Frank Logan, who starts a relationship with a troubled woman played by Kelly Macdonald. Quite what it is that attracts him to directing and starring in movies about hitmen with issues is anyone’s guess.

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    The actor is also in contention for an Emmy thanks to his acclaimed role in Hulu miniseries ‘Dopesick’, for which he has already won a SAG and a Critics Choice Award.

    The Oscar nominee has been in demand these last few years, between appearing in movies such as ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’, ‘Worth’ and ‘The Protégé’. He also reprised the role of Adrian Toomes in Sony’s Marvel movie ‘Morbius’.

    Coming up, Keaton is firmly back in DC Comics territory, returning to the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman that he made famous in Tim Burton’s two 1980s/1990s movies featuring the Caped Crusader.

    Purely on a scheduling basis, it appears he’ll first show up in ‘Batgirl’, which stars ‘In The Heights’ Leslie Grace as the title character. Though it had been initially targeted as an HBO Max premiere, it’ll now arrive in theaters, but doesn’t have a confirmed release date just yet.

    That is currently set to be followed by ‘The Flash’, where he’ll be contacted by Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen for help when the latter’s attempts to save his family cause problems for the multiverse. A recent, brief clip of the movie shows Allen asking if Keaton’s Bruce Wayne is in and Keaton replying with a crowd-pleasing riff on one of his most famous ‘Batman’ lines: “You wanna get nuts? Let’s get nuts.”

    ‘The Flash’ will speed into theaters on June 23rd next year.

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  • KJ Apa and Isabel May Cast as the ‘Wonder Twins’

    KJ Apa on 'Riverdale.'
    KJ Apa on ‘Riverdale.’ Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW. © 2016 The CW Network. All Rights Reserved.

    Back in February, word first arrived that DC was looking to promote super-powered siblings Zan and Jayna, better known as the ‘Wonder Twins,’ from cartoons and cameos to their own live action movie.

    Now we know who will be playing the pair, as ‘Riverdale’s KJ Apa and ‘1883’s Isabel May have landed the lead roles.

    Aliens Zan and Jayna, unlike many of their comics stablemates, made their debut on TV in Hanna Barbera animated series ‘The All-New Super Friends Hour’ in 1977. Created by Norman Maurer, they went on to appear on other series before making their debut in comic books based on the show and became part of the wider DC Universe.

    They’re best known for their catchphrase, “Wonder Twins power, activate!” and touching hands, leading Jayne to transform into any animal and Zan into any form of water. Which might not seem like the greatest combo when you are extraterrestrial crime fighters.

    Still, they do at least have a sidekick, a monkey pal called Gleek, who is intelligent, communicates via sign language and has a stretchable, prehensile tail, which comes in handy.

    They’ve rarely been given major attention, popping up on the likes of cartoon series ‘Teen Titans Go!’ and live-action show ‘The Flash’.

    Now, though, ‘Black Adam’ writer Adam Sztykiel is the person who will look to bring them up to date even further and make them work on their own. But as is usual for a film like this, the plot is being kept locked behind a shield of secrecy. Sztykiel is also directing the movie.

    Wonder Twins Photo Courtesy of DC Comics.
    Wonder Twins Photo Courtesy of DC Comics.

    In other DC Comics movie news, Leslie Grace, the star of ‘Batgirl’ has been enthusiastically talking up working on her own superhero saga, with ‘Bad Boys For Life’ directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah now shepherding the movie through post-production.

    As part of an interview with Variety, Grace explained that the mood on set shifted noticeably when Michael Keaton arrived in his Batman suit. “Our directors were like two little kids,” she laughs. “They’re legit Batman nerds openly. He’s Batman, man! I couldn’t even believe that I was sharing space with Batman. I want to say more, but I can’t. It was insane, surreal, incredible. It was the stuff of dreams really.”

    And despite opining about the night shoots and squeezing into her costume, Grace seems excited to continue on to a sequel, even if she offers a caution that the initial outing must still be a success. “We got to see this first one first,” she says.

    “But there’s definitely some talks about what it could be. I’ve seen some of what we’ve shot, obviously in the playback and stuff like that, and it’s insane. We’ve already been talking about where we do take this from here, because there’s so much that happens in this film. There are a lot of different themes in the plot that we touch on. It’s not just the action. There’s a love story. There’s this father-daughter relationship. There’s looking at the world through a lens that isn’t just black and white and seeing the color and the spectrum between things.”

    ‘Batgirl’ should be on HBO Max this year.

    Leslie Grace as Batgirl
    Leslie Grace in HBO Max’s ‘Batgirl.’
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  • Jared Leto Talks ‘Morbius’

    Jared Leto in 'Morbius'
    Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’ Photo: Jay Maidment. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on April 1st is the new Marvel movie from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe entitled ‘Morbius,’which was directed by Daniel Espinosa (‘Safe House’).

    The movie stars Jared Leto (‘House of Gucci’) as Dr. Michael Morbius, who suffers from a rare blood disease and experiments with a dangerous cure that afflicts him with a form of vampirism.

    In addition to Leto, the cast also includes Matt Smith (‘Terminator Genisys’), Adria Arjona (‘Triple Frontier’), Jared Harris (‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows’), Tyrese Gibson (‘F9’), and Michael Keaton (‘Batman’) reprising his role as Adrian Toomes/Vulture from ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jared Leto about his work on ‘Morbius.’

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    You can read the full interview with Jared Leto below, or watch a video of our interviews with Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona and director Daniel Espinosa in the player above.

    Moviefone: To begin with, how does it feel to know that you are the first actor to ever portray the character of Morbius in a live-action movie or television project?

    Jared Leto: It’s pretty exciting and quite an honor, I have to say, to get asked to put this character on the big screen for the very first time. It’s harder and harder to find one of these classic characters that hasn’t been portrayed before, so I jumped at the chance. I also love the fact that there are three transformations that happen in the film, so it’s really kind of three characters in one.

    MF: When you read the original source material, what was it about this character that made you want to make this film?

    JL: What I really loved is the artwork. Really, it’s interesting because these characters get interpreted and reinterpreted by different artists and writers over the years. From the seventies, I really loved how fantastic it was and detailed. I loved that kind of classic battle between good and evil. There’s a Jekyll and Hyde element here, a man kind of fighting these primal instincts, and it was a lot of fun.

    Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) in Columbia Pictures' 'Morbius.'
    Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’ Photo by Jay Maidment. Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, how challenging, both physically and mentally, was this role for you to play?

    JL: It was challenging. I love an immersive experience, and I like to work in a really intense, deep way. I find it to be really rewarding and exciting. In this film, we start off with Dr. Michael Morbius when he’s very sick, frail and fragile. I had a lot to learn there. I worked with people that have rare diseases. I worked with people that have challenges walking, and I was able to study and to learn so much from them. They were very generous with their time and energy.

    In turn, I feel like it’s my job to pay tribute to that by working as hard as I can. Certainly, when I was playing that sick, frail doctor, who’s in search of this cure for this rare disease. I spent time on that set. I spent the days working on that and living in that space. It’s exciting. You learn a lot when you do that.

    ‘Morbius’ opens in theaters on April 1st.

    Jared Leto
    Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’ Photo: Jay Maidment. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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  • Final ‘Morbius’ Trailer is Full of Action

    Jared Leto
    Jared Leto in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’

    Even accounting for pandemic delays and other schedule quirks, it’s really beginning to feel like Jared Leto is in a big prosthetics phase. Between ‘House of Gucci’, upcoming TV series ‘WeCrashed’ and ‘Morbius’, he’s up for changing his appearance in big way. And talking of the living vampire, the final trailer for the Sony/Marvel film is now online.

    Leto here is Dr. Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, the troubled medic attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil – or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges?

    And to put it more specifically, his research into far flung blood possibilities and natural cures brings him into contact with vampirism, leading to a shocking transformation. Soon, he’s gifted with enhanced speed and strength (plus a variety of other abilities, including a version of sonar and flight, after a fashion) but cursed with a driving desire to hunt down and consume blood.

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    Created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane and first arriving in the pages of “The Amazing Spider-Man” in 1971, Morbius was considered as a potential character when Artisan bought the rights to several Marvel titles as possible movies, but nothing came of it.

    With Sony taking on the character, it has been in development for a while, but finally came to fruition under director Daniel Espinosa (‘Life’), alongside writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.

    Though Sony has largely kept its non-MCU Marvel movies away from direct connections with the Disney side of things, we’re increasingly seeing connections – Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes, AKA Spider-Man: Homecoming’s Vulture, who here appears to be encouraging Morbius to become who he’s supposed to be. Which, we can only assume, means a villain.

    Likewise, Matt Smith’s Loxias Crown (another character drawn from the pages of Marvel’s comics output), a vampire-linked baddie who wants Morbius to join his crusade against us more normal, living folk.

    Also in the cast is Jared Harris, playing Emil Nikols, another character from the Morbius comics, who appears to be on exposition duty here.

    Jared Leto and Adria Arjona at table
    (L to R) Jared Leto and Adria Arjona in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’

    Adria Arjona is Martin Bancroft, also linked to Morbius, while Tyrese Gibson and Al Madrigal are more on the comic relief front at times, as the law enforcement types tracking Morbius’ activity.

    And there are clear links to ‘Venom’, Sony looking to build out its own corner of Marvel adaptations. The biggest question here is whether ‘Morbius’ will pull off the same trick – bringing the character to screens while overcoming potentially negative critical reactions to find an audience willing to embrace a wilder side of Marvel.

    The various pandemic-related release shifts haven’t helped assuage those concerns, and questions arose as to why Sony didn’t move the movie back closer to ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ to coast off the success of that release.

    Still, with claws crossed, the movie will be vamping its way into theaters from April 1.

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  • New Looks at ‘Black Adam’, ‘The Flash’ and ‘Aquaman 2’

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

    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.

    Titled ‘The World Needs Heroes’, the one-minute clip collection boasts footage from ‘The Batman’, ‘Black Adam’, The Flash’ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’.

    ‘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.

    Sarah Shahi, James Cusati-Moyer, ‘Aladdin’s Marwan Kenzari, Bodhi Sabongui and Mo Amer round out the main cast for the movie, due in theaters on July 29.

    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.

    Kiersey Clemons is reprising her ‘Justice League’ role as Iris West (Barry’s soulmate), Ron Livingston takes over the role of Barry’s Dad Henry from Billy Crudup, and Sasha Calle will show up as a new big-screen Supergirl. They, along with Temuera Morrison reprising his ‘Aquaman‘ role as Tom Curry, and ‘Man of Steel’s Michael Shannon and Antje Traue are all in the movie, which runs to theaters on November 4.

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    ‘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.

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  • Alicia Silverstone On Leslie Grace’s ‘Batgirl’

    Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl in 1997's 'Batman & Robin'
    Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl in 1997’s ‘Batman & Robin’

    Last weekend, actress Leslie Grace posted on her Instagram account a photo of herself in her new costume for HBO Max’s upcoming ‘Batgirl’ movie.

    The movie, which is currently filming in Scotland, will be the first time the character has appeared in a live-action feature film since Alicia Silverstone first played the role in ‘Batman & Robin.’ Silverstone, best known for playing the iconic Cher Horowitz in Clueless, starred opposite George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1997 movie, which was directed by Joel Schumacher.

    Moviefone recently had the chance to speak exclusively with Alicia Silverstone about her upcoming shark movie, ‘The Requin,’ which will be released in theaters, on digital, and On Demand beginning January 28th. We also asked the actress her thoughts on Leslie Grace’s new Batgirl costume, and if she had any words of encouragement for the young actress taking on the iconic role.

    Leslie Grace as 'Batgirl'
    (Via Instagram)

    “I didn’t get to see it,” Silverstone said of Grace’s Instagram post. “I’m going to look it up now when we get off the phone. I’m just so excited for her. What an amazing experience she is going to have on this journey. I’m sure she is going to kill it. She doesn’t need any words (of encouragement) from me. She’s going to be great!”

    Grace, who was last seen in director Jon M. Chu’s ‘In the Heights,’ will be joined in ‘Batgirl’ by Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, who is reprising his role from ‘Justice League’ as Barbara Gordon’s father, GCPD Commissioner James Gordon. Also reprising his role from ‘Batman,’ ‘Batman Returns,’ and the upcoming ‘The Flash,’ will be Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

    Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (‘Bad Boys for Life’), the movie will also feature Brendan Fraser as the villain, Firefly. ‘Batgirl’ is scheduled for release on HBO Max sometime later this year.

    (L to R) Alicia Silverstone, George Clooney, and Chris O'Donnell in 1997's 'Batman & Robin'
    (L to R) Alicia Silverstone, George Clooney, and Chris O’Donnell in 1997’s ‘Batman & Robin’
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  • First Look at Leslie Grace as ‘Batgirl’

    Leslie Grace as 'Batgirl'
    (Via Instagram) Leslie Grace as ‘Batgirl’

    “Holy new costume, Batgirl!”

    Actress Leslie Grace set the Internet ablaze late on Friday when she premiered on her Instagram account a first look photo of herself as Barbara Gordon in her full superhero costume for the upcoming HBO Max movie ‘Batgirl.’

    The film is currently shooting in Scotland for a late 2022 release on the streaming service and will also see Oscar winner J.K. Simmons return as Barbara’s dad, Commissioner James Gordon, as well as Michael Keaton’s return as Bruce Wayne/Batman, after his upcoming appearance in November’s ‘The Flash.’

    The photo reveals a purple and yellow Batgirl suit reminiscent of the costume the character wore in DC Comics’ 2011 reboot “The New 52,” which was also the template for most of the previous DCEU movies.

    Grace also posted along with the photo a quote from the seminal 2003 series, “Batgirl: Year One” by Scott Beatty and Chuck Dixon. “I use their expectations against them. That will be their weakness. Not mine. Let them all underestimate me…and when their guard is down, and their pride is rising, let me kick their butts.”

     

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    Created by television producer William Dozier, editor Julius Schwartz, writer Gardner Fox and artist Carmine Infantino for inclusion in the 1960’s ‘Batman’ TV show, the character made its debut first in Detective Comics #359 before appearing in the third season of the series in 1967.

    ‘Batgirl’ will mark the third time the iconic crime fighter has appeared in live-action following Yvonne Craig in the ‘Batman’ TV series, and Alicia Silverstone’s performance in 1997’s ‘Batman and Robin.’

    In the comics, Gordon is eventually injured by the Joker, and becomes the paraplegic computer expert, Oracle. While there is no indication that this version of the character will appear in “Batgirl,’ Oracle has appeared in live-action television series including the 2002 show ‘Birds of Prey’ played by Dina Meyer, and more recently in the third season of ‘Titans,’ portrayed by Savannah Welch.

    With ‘The Flash’ set to introduce the idea of the DC Multiverse, and bring Michael Keaton’s Batman back into the fold, it’s a little unclear which DC universe the movie will take place in. Simmons returning as James Gordon would indicate that it is a continuation of Zack Snyder’s DCEU, but Keaton’s inclusion, and not Ben Affleck’s, means all bets are off.

    Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (‘Bad Boys for Life’), written by Christina Hodson (2020’s ‘Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)’), and also starring Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly, ‘Batgirl’ is set for release on HBO Max later this year.

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  • How Does ‘Morbius’ Fit Into the MCU?

    Jared Leto in 'Morbius'
    Jared Leto in ‘Morbius’

    Last week, the new ‘Morbius‘ trailer dropped, which is the upcoming Sony/Marvel movie based on the popular Spider-Man villain. Directed by Daniel Espinosa (‘Safe House’) and set for release on January 28, 2022, the film tells the story of Michael Morbius (Oscar winner Jared Leto), a brilliant scientist with a rare blood disease who takes a dangerous cure that gives him a form of vampirism. In addition to Leto, the movie also features Matt Smith (‘Doctor Who’), Adria Arjona (‘Triple Frontier’), Tyrese Gibson (‘F9’) and Jared Harris (‘Foundation’).

    Since the film is based on a Spider-Man character, which is owned by Sony and not Disney, most assumed that ‘Morbius’ would be set in the ‘Venom’ universe, or even its own, but the new trailer certainly puts both of those options in question. Let’s take a look at all the different options, and the evidence in the trailer that points in those directions.

    EVIDENCE FOR THE ‘VENOM’ UNIVERSE

    There are several very clear references to Venom in the trailer. The clearest one comes at the very end when Leto’s Morbius attacks an unsuspecting victim and says Venom’s catchphrase, “I Am Venom.” Another clue comes halfway through the trailer when an FBI agent mentions to Gibson’s Agent Simon Stroud, “We haven’t had anything like this since that thing in San Francisco,” which seems to point to the events of ‘Venom,’ ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage,’ or both. While the “San Francisco” line could just be an Easter Egg, the “I am Venom” line seems like pretty concrete evidence that the movie is set in Venom’s world… or at least “a” Venom’s world.

    EVIDENCE FOR THE MCU

    When the first teaser trailer for ‘Morbius’ dropped earlier this year, fans were shocked to see that Michael Keaton makes an appearance as his character, Adrian Toomes/Vulture, from the MCU’s ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’ The scene is brief and involves the two Spidey villains bumping into each other while they are both in custody of the authorities. This scene, at least on the surface, points to the idea that Morbius, at least partially, will take place in the MCU.

    If this scene takes place towards the end of the movie, or is even from an end-credit scene, then it is possible the film starts in its own universe but that at some point Morbius crosses over to the MCU somehow. It’s not unheard of, spoiler alert for ‘Venom: There Will Be Carnage,’ as that is exactly what Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock does at the end of that film.

    There is even more evidence, as in one scene Morbius walks by a wanted poster that has a picture of Spider-Man, graffitied with the word “murderer,” which follows story threads from ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home.’ But there is one problem with that theory…

    EVIDENCE FOR THE TOBEY MAGUIRE UNIVERSE

    While the Spider-Man wanted poster fits with what we know about the upcoming ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ it’s not Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the picture! Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that this Spider-Man closer resembles Tobey Maguire’s version from the Sam Raimi films. Now of course there have been rumors that with the multiverse plot involved in ‘No Way Home,’ Tobey Maguire and/or Andrew Garfield could make an appearance. We know that two of each of their villains, Doc Ock and Sandman, and Lizard and Electro, respectively will make appearances. So, if Maguire in fact is going to appear in ‘No Way Home,’ and there is no real evidence at this point to believe that he will, it would make sense to sprinkle some of the character throughout ‘Morbius.’

    There is also more evidence pointing to the Raimi films, as the Daily Bugle logo seen on a newspaper in a quick shot in the trailer is the logo from the Tobey Maguire movies and not the Fox News type logo used in the MCU films. But wait, there are also some Easter eggs on the newspaper that would lead one to believe that the film is set in the same universe as the Andrew Garfield movies!

    EVIDENCE FOR THE ANDREW GARFIELD UNIVERSE

    If you look closely at the newspaper, you will see two headlines, one about the Rhino, and one that mentions Black Cat. The only live-action Spider-Man film to ever feature the Rhino was ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2,’ which also included an appearance from Felicity Jones as Felisha Hardy, the character that becomes the Black Cat in the comics.

    But that’s not the only clue pointing to the Andrew Garfield films, as there is a wide-shot of the city’s skyline and in the background, you can spot a building with the Oscorp logo on it. It is clearly the same logo used for the company in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ movies, leading to more speculation that we could see Garfield put on the costume again in the future.

    FINAL CONCLUSIONS

    But what does this all mean? I think the point is that we are not supposed to know, and it may not even be made clear in ‘Morbius’ itself. We know that Sony, who owns the film rights to all Spider-Man characters, and Disney, which owns Marvel Studios, who owns the film rights to all the other Marvel characters, almost had a split after the success of ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’ but eventually came to an agreement. What exactly that agreement was we don’t really know, but assumingly it allowed Sony to integrate some of their other Marvel characters into the MCU, like Venom, for example, and Disney obviously lent out Michael Keaton’s services as well.

    Knowing that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ at least in some way, will involve the multiverse, it makes sense to drop hints to all of the different cinematic Spider-Men in ‘Morbius,’ even if it’s being released after the MCU’s next installment. My guess is that the film itself will play fast and loose with whichever universe it is actually set in, and while I don’t think we should expect to see Leto in ‘No Way Home,’ I think Sony is definitely setting the stage so that the character could appear in the MCU at some point down the line. Not to mention that with a new Blade film starring Mahershala Ali on the horizon, as recently teased in ‘Eternals,’ there is no telling what type of crossovers we could see in the future.