Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda are running the show.
This summer’s ‘Superman’ was not just a hit at the box office and a successful jumping-off point for James Gunn’s fledgling reboot of the DC universe on screens, it also saw fans embracing several characters.
Now, per The Hollywood Reporter, one of the most popular is getting his own TV spin-off show. Sorry, Krypto fans… it’s Jimmy Olsen.
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Yes, the photographer reporter buddy to Clark Kent (David Corenswet) and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), as played in the movie by Skyler Gisondo, will be heading up his own show, currently without a title.
The concept centers on Olsen, as well as other Daily Planet reporters (minus Lois and Clark who are unlikely to appear beyond possible cameos), who tackle cases involving super-powered villains.
Gorilla Grodd will be in the spotlight for the first season.
In case you don’t know your DC lore, Grodd is a super-intelligent evil ape who rules a secret African city named Gorilla City. The character is a key antagonist for the Flash, and first appeared in an issue of the Scarlet Speedster’s comics back in 1959. He was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino.
Could this be a stealthy way of introducing DC Studios’ take on the speedster? Anything’s possible, though we won’t hold our breath just yet.
As for the tone, the new show sees Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda, who created the award-winning Netflix mockumentary ‘American Vandal,’ overseeing, so we’re predicting a comical mock-doc format.
What other DC TV series are in the works?
(L to R) Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: John P. Johnson/HBO.
Probably the highest profile of the series right now is ‘Lanterns’, which has been shot and is due to debut on HBO next year. It stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as two of the Green Lantern Corps, humans given powerful rings that can manipulate energy.
The show is planned as a gritty, mostly Earth-based thriller series and will see ‘Superman’s Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) show up.
And more recently, we learned that another DC comics title (albeit not one set within the ‘Superman’ universe), ‘V for Vendetta’ is in the early stages of a possible TV series, following the 2006 movie adaptation.
When will the Jimmy Olsen show be on screens?
There is no word yet on when this one might arrive, but don’t expect it much before some point in 2027. Meanwhile, hope burns eternal for the ‘Eagly & Krypto: Animal Trouble’ show we keep watching (in our heads).
(L to R) David Corenswet and Krypto in ‘Superman.’ Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram account.
In honor of the new ‘Superman’ movie, Moviefone is counting down every live action Superman movie and TV show appearance ever made.
NOTE: For this list we are only including live action movies and TV shows featuring Superman (Or Clark Kent when he was Superboy), and not animated projects or documentaries. We are also not including his faceless cameos in ‘Shazam!‘, season 1 of ‘Peacemaker‘, or ‘Titans‘ final episode, but will include his appearances in ‘Black Adam‘ and ‘The Flash‘. Finally, we are also including theatrically released director’s cuts like ‘Superman II: The Donner Cut‘ and ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘.
Christopher Reeve in ‘Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’. Photo: Warner Bros.
With global superpowers engaged in an increasingly hostile arms race, Superman (Christopher Reeve) leads a crusade to rid the world of nuclear weapons. But Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), recently sprung from jail, is declaring war on the Man of Steel and his quest to save the planet. Using a strand of Superman’s hair, Luthor synthesizes a powerful ally known as Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow) and ignites an epic battle spanning Earth and space.
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.
(L to R) Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain in ‘Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman’. Photo: ABC Television.
A much more lavish version of the popular ‘Superman’ television series which had first aired forty years earlier, ‘Lois & Clark’ focused more on the Man of Steel’s early adult years in Metropolis. With the unknowing help of Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher), Clark Kent (Dean Cain) created Superman there in Metropolis after finding work at the world-famous Daily Planet newspaper, where he meets fellow reporter Lois Lane.
Gerard Christopher in ‘Superboy’. Photo: Alexander and Ilya Salkind Productions.
‘Superboy’ is a half-hour live-action television series based on Kal-El’s early years as Superboy (John Newton/Gerard Christopher). It depicted Superboy’s adventures during his college years, his meetings with Lex Luthor (Sherman Howard) and his romance with Lana Lang (Stacy Haiduk). The series was brought to the screen by executive producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind, who were the producers of the first three ‘Superman’ movies and the 1984 ‘Supergirl‘ movie.
When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order 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?
George Reeves in ‘Adventures of Superman’. Photo: Motion Pictures for Television.
Announcer: “The Adventures of Superman. Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!” Voices: “Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!” Announcer: “Yes, it’s Superman, strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands; and who, disguised as Clark Kent (George Reeves), mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way.”
George Reeves in ‘Superman and the Mole Men’. Photo: Lippert Pictures.
Reporters Clark Kent (George Reeves) and Lois Lane (Phyllis Coates) arrive in the small town of Silsby to witness the drilling of the world’s deepest oil well. The drill, however, has penetrated the underground home of a race of small, furry people who then come to the surface at night to look around. The fact that they glow in the dark scares the townfolk, who form a mob, led by the vicious Luke Benson (Jeff Corey), intent on killing the strange people. Only Superman has a chance to prevent this tragedy.
(L to R) Christopher Reeve and Richard Pryor in ‘Superman III’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Aiming to defeat the Man of Steel, wealthy executive Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn) hires bumbling but brilliant Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor) to develop synthetic kryptonite, which yields some unexpected psychological effects. Between rekindling romance with his high school sweetheart and saving himself, Superman must contend with a powerful supercomputer.
Brandon Routh in ‘Superman Returns’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Superman (Brandon Routh) returns to discover his 5-year absence has allowed Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) to walk free, and that those he was closest to felt abandoned and have moved on. Luthor plots his ultimate revenge that could see millions killed and change the face of the planet forever, as well as ridding himself of the Man of Steel.
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
Tyler Hoechlin in ‘Superman & Lois’. Photo: DC Entertainment.
After years of facing megalomaniacal supervillains, monsters wreaking havoc on Metropolis, and alien invaders intent on wiping out the human race, The Man of Steel aka Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) come face to face with one of their greatest challenges ever: dealing with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society.
(L to R) Christopher Reeve and Terence Stamp in ‘Superman II’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Three escaped criminals from the planet Krypton, who have the same powers on Earth as Superman, test the Man of Steel’s mettle. Led by General Zod (Terence Stamp), the Kryptonians take control of the White House and partner with Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) to destroy Superman (Christopher Reeve) and rule the world. But Superman, who made himself human in order to get closer to Lois (Margot Kidder), realizes he has a responsibility to save the planet.
The origins of the world’s greatest hero–from Krypton refugee Kal-el’s arrival on Earth through his tumultuous teen years to Clark Kent’s (Tom Welling) final steps toward embracing his destiny as the Man of Steel.
Henry Cavill in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Determined to ensure Superman’s (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), DeSaad, and Darkseid (Ray Porter) and their dreadful intentions.
Henry Cavill in ‘Man of Steel’. Photo: Warner Bros.
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this earth. As a young man (Henry Cavill), he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
Christopher Reeve in ‘Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Superman (Christopher Reeve) agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.
Superman (David Corenswet), a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.
Christopher Reeve in 1978’s ‘Superman’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Mild-mannered Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) works as a reporter at the Daily Planet alongside his crush, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). Clark must summon his superhero alter-ego when the nefarious Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) launches a plan to take over the world.
Chris Pine in ‘Poolman’. Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
Preview:
Chris Pine will star in ‘Run the Night.’
He’ll play a man who is accused of crossing Dutch mobsters.
Robert Alonzo is directing the movie.
It feels like a couple of years since we’ve seen Chris Pine on our screens. And indeed, it has been –– see the section on his recent career below.
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But if Pine has anything to do with it, the lack of him in movie theaters could be coming to an end sooner rather than later.
According to Variety, he’s attached to a new thriller called ‘Run the Night,’ which will find him as someone who gets in deep with the Dutch mob (yes, there is a Dutch mob and we don’t mean the Pennsylvania Dutch) and ends up having to fight to protect his family.
Which does make us wonder when he’ll be available to shoot this new movie, since we can’t imagine ‘Doomsday’ will be a short production span. Still, Pine has other work to get on with while he waits.
This new thriller comes from Todd Lieberman of Hidden Pictures, who will produce alongside his company’s president Alex Young, while Pine and Ian Gotler will be involved behind the scenes via their Barry Linen banner. Lionsgate has snapped up international rights.
The new movie follows a banker (Pine), accused of betraying the Penose (the Dutch mob), who is dumped naked in the heart of Amsterdam with a $10 million bounty on his head.
Hunted by the city’s most violent gangs, he must fight his way across the city by dawn to save the lives of his wife and child — a mission that reveals he was never just the money guy.
John Glenn and Alex Davidson, wrote the script, based on a story by Glenn. The former has worked on the likes ofJohn Glenn ‘Eagle Eye’ and 2008’s ‘The Lazarus Project,’ which he also directed. And he’s currently the executive producer of Lionsgate Television’s new ‘Robin Hood’ series.
Davidson, meanwhile, has one other credit, an untitled project in development about Peter Buckley, the most losing boxer in history.
‘Run the Night’: the star and filmmakers speak
Chris Pine as Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick in Outlaw King. Credit: Netflix
Here’s Pine’s comment on making the new movie, which will see him reunite with Alonzo after the latter handled second unit on 2009’s ‘Star Trek’:
“I love this story, character, and reuniting with Rob. There are so many places for this character to go, and I’m excited about the possibilities of bringing him to life on the big screen.”
And this is what Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson had to say about the new project:
“Chris is an incredible actor and has the perfect combination of warmth and physicality needed to bring this role to life. We’re proud to be the home of Todd Lieberman’s Hidden Pictures and to be partnering with him and the exceptionally talented filmmaking team on this riveting and explosive action thriller.”
Finally, producer (and Hidden Pictures boss) Todd Lieberman said this:
“Rob Alonzo is the next great action director. With Rob’s talent behind the camera and our movie star Chris in front, I’m excited by what we have in store for audiences.”
Where else can we see Chris Pine?
Chris Pine plays Edgin in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
Pine, who might still be best known for his role as Captain Kirk in the aforementioned ‘Star Trek’ and its sequels, had a busy 2023.
He voiced the villainous Magnifico in Disney’s animated ‘Wish,’ won plenty of praise playing the misunderstood Edgin in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ and made his own directorial debut with quirky comedy drama ‘Poolman’ which if we’re being charitable didn’t exactly win over critics or audiences.
The actor worked on director Carolina Cavalli’s ‘The Kidnapping of Arabella,’ which also features Benedetta Porcaroli, though that has yet to lock down a release date.
Beyond that (and ‘Run the Night’) he has a few movies on his To Do list, including the long-developing new entry in the ‘Star Trek’ franchise.
He’s also in the cast list for Noah Hawley’s new crime thriller ‘Nowhere Fast,’ about a small-town criminal who inadvertently kills the nephew of his boss.
When will ‘Run the Night’ be in theaters?
Since production company Hidden Pictures and international rights holders Lionsgate will put the movie up for sale to prospective distributors at this year’s Cannes Market, we’ll have to wait and see when it might land on screens.
Chris Pine in 2009’s ‘Star Trek’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
(L to R) Robbie Amell and Stephen Amell Talk ‘Code 8: Part II.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Robbie Amell and Stephen Amell about their new sequel, reprising their characters, how they’ve changed since the last movie, working together, collaborating with director Jeff Chan, and robotic dogs.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, Robbie, can you talk about reprising this role and what’s happening with Connor when the new movie begins?
Robbie Amell: So, our movie picks up five years after ‘Code 8’ part one ends. Connor is just getting out of prison and he’s trying to get back to some semblance of a normal life. Stephen’s character has spent the last five years building a bit of an empire and working with some shady characters. Then after the first 10 minutes of the movie, it’s pretty much a chase movie and it moves fast, and it almost happens in real time. So, it’s tough to give too much away without really jumping right into the story.
MF: Stephen, what was it like for you to play Garrett again and explore the character more with this sequel?
Stephen Amell: I think that Jeff Chan, our director and Chris Paré, his writing partner, did a cool job. We really get to dive into Garrett and Connor a little bit more. They wrote us some great, wonderful scenes. There’s a diner scene that is, I think both of our favorites.
MF: Robbie, can you talk about that relationship and why Connor doesn’t trust Garrett?
RA: I mean, they just don’t really see eye to eye in the first movie. Garrett is doing what he thinks is right and Connor is doing what he thinks is right, and I think that’s kind of life. Stephen always says Garrett’s the hero of his own story, and I think that’s true for life. People see themselves as the world’s main character and the hero of the story. In our world, everybody is not out for themselves, but decisions are being made and they’re in a gray area. It’s not necessarily right or wrong or black and white, it’s dependent on who’s making the decision and people do the wrong things for the right reasons and I like that. I think it’s interesting that at the end of the first movie Connor makes a decision that I think a lot of people didn’t agree with. I know a lot of people that did agree with it. I think that’s interesting that it sparks questions and life is about perspective.
MF: Stephen, what’s it been like for you playing a darker type of character than most audiences are used to seeing you play?
SA: Listen, I love it. I like being evil. I try to be nice in my real life. So, it’s fun to threaten people and to be evil. It’s a little bit of a release.
MF: Stephen, can you talk about having the opportunity to act opposite your cousin in these films?
SA: Working with Robbie is great. I’ve learned a lot. I used to get very much in my head when it came to acting. Then I saw Rob and he had this very practical approach and that’s helped me in my career a lot to try to emulate him a little bit.
MF: Robbie, what’s it been like for you making these movies with Stephen and sharing this experience?
RA: It’s awesome. I mean, there’s nothing better than working with family and friends and you always hope that you have chemistry with the person you’re working opposite. When it’s family, you know you have that. Steve, he knows how to get under my skin, but he also knows how to make me laugh and he can twist the knife better than anybody. We’re so lucky and it’s not only with Steve, but the entire crew is also back from part one for part two. Everybody takes a lot of pride and ownership in this movie, and I think that’s really the reason for its success.
MF: Robbie, can you also talk about the robot dogs you fight in the movie and were those done with practical or visual effects?
RA: So, Jeff and Chris, they do a ton of research before they start writing these movies. For this, there was a lot of looking at the Boston Dynamics and those dogs that have already been made. But there’s a lot of these YouTube videos about these incredible robotic dogs and they were like, “We got to use these.” It feels like it’s just around the corner. The dogs, when we were shooting, you had a guy in a green suit with a light on his head. We built a practical dog, but it couldn’t move and then sometimes there was nothing. So, you would do the scene multiple times and a lot of it is just for reference for our amazing visual effects company who then come in and put it in aftereffects. Our visual effects team is unbelievable, and they take so much pride and effort into what goes on screen.
MF: Stephen, what was it like working with director Jeff Chan and watching him execute his vision for this movie?
SA: Jeff is incredibly prepared. Rob was saying earlier that every scene that we do, he comes in with a very clear vision, but best idea wins. So, he’s a great director, works wonderfully with the actors. I can’t say enough good things about him.
MF: Robbie, what was your experience like collaborating with Jeff Chan on set?
RA: I mean he’s really the driving force behind ‘Code 8.’ He lives and breathes it and he comes in like Steve said, so prepared, but he’s also very open and malleable to how it’s going to work on the day and the best way. He’s got no ego for a guy whose kind of built this from a short film to a Netflix sequel and the whole crew, the whole cast, we’re just very lucky. We got great people.
MF: Finally, are you open to the idea of making a ‘Code 8: Part III’?
RA: Hey man, if people turn out we’ll make a third one.
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What is the Plot of ‘Code 8: Part II’?
The film centers around the 4% of people living in fictional Lincoln City who possess special abilities. It follows the journey of a teenage girl (Sirena Gulamgaus) fighting to get justice for her slain brother at the hands of corrupt police officers. After becoming a witness to the cover-up, she becomes a target and enlists the help of an ex-con (Robbie Amell) and his former partner-in-crime (Stephen Amell).
The DC Extended Universe began a decade ago with ‘Man of Steel‘ but will officially come to an end on December 22nd when the final DCEU movie, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’is released in theaters.
To honor the conclusion of the DCEU and the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ Moviefone is ranking every DCEU movie ever made!
However, since ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘ (the reedited version of 2017’s ‘Justice League‘) is not considered cannon, we will not include it. We are also only focusing on the DCEU films, so we won’t be including HBO Max‘s ‘Peacemaker‘ either.
(L to R) Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Ray Fisher in ‘Justice League.’
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
A secret government agency led by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains (including Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn) to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse and kill the Joker (Jared Leto).
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’
A botched store robbery places Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) in a global battle against a powerful and mysterious ancient force that puts her powers in jeopardy. Also starring Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva/Cheetah, and Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord.
Billy Batson (Asher Angel and Zachary Levi) and his foster siblings, who transform into superheroes by saying “Shazam!”, are forced to get back into action and fight the Daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler), who they must stop from using a weapon that could destroy the world.
When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order 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?
Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death and wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman (Jason Momoa) down once and for all. To defeat him, Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance in order to save the world from irreversible destruction.
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world and battle the Justice Society, including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), in the process.
Recent college grad Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.
(L to R) Jack Dylan Grazer and Zachary Levi in 2019’s ‘Shazam!’
Teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is given the ability to become an adult superhero (Zachary Levi) in times of need with a single magic word. Also starring Jack Dylan Grazer as Frederick “Freddy” Freeman, Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard Shazam, and Mark Strong as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
The movie stars Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Michael Shannon as General Zod.
Ben Affleck as Batman in 2016’s ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs.
And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before. Also featuring Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth.
(L to R) Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, Ella Jay Basco and Jurnee Smollett-Bell in ‘Birds of Prey.’ Credit: Claudette Barius/Warner Bros.
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) joins forces with a singer (Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance/Black Canary), an assassin (Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress) and a police detective (Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya) to help a young girl (Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain) who had a hit placed on her after she stole a rare diamond from a crime lord (Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis/Black Mask).
An Amazon princess (Gal Gadot) comes to the world of Man in the grips of the First World War to confront the forces of evil and bring an end to human conflict. Also starring Chris Pine as Steve Trevor and David Thewlis as Ares.
Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm (Patrick Wilson). With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people and then the surface world. Standing in his way is Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), Orm’s half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne.
(L to R) Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, Idris Elba, Sylvester Stallone, and David Dastmalchian in ‘The Suicide Squad’
Welcome to Belle Reve, the prison where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out, even join the super-secret Task Force X. Today’s assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).
Now arm them heavily and drop them on the enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) on the ground to make them behave, and Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement.
(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.
(Left) ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ director James Wan at CinemaCon 2022. Photos by Eric Charbonneau. (Right) Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Following the huge, $1 billion-plus success of the first ‘Aquaman’ movie, a sequel was pretty much a given. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ originally shot in 2021, but since then has been through all manner of changes, both in terms of release date and footage.
Yet despite several stories about issues behind the scenes, director James Wan has now opened up about the process, clearing up rumors and debunking some, while admitting it has been a challenge getting the movie to this point?
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
In the previous movie, Aquaman, AKA Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) embraced his destiny as a leader of Atlantis and thwarted the devious schemes of half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson).
For ‘Lost Kingdom’, the feuding siblings form an uneasy partnership to take on another of the first film’s big bads, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta, a vengeance-seeking and now hugely powerful supervillain in possession of the Black Trident, which gives him the ability to command an ancient evil.
James Wan on whether Batman is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Originally planned to surface in theaters last December, the ‘Aquaman’ sequel has seen several different release dates and is also caught up in the end of the DC Extended Universe (and the shift to James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new plans).
The change in arrival dates also meant Wan and co. had to work to figure out cameos and more so as to fit into the storyline following ‘The Flash’.
A big part of that is which version of Batman would appear in the film (if at all), with scenes shot featuring either Michael Keaton’s take (as returned to screens in ‘The Flash’) or Ben Affleck.
“The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether ‘Aquaman’ would come out first or come out after ‘The Flash’. So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films.”
He won’t be drawn on whether Batman actually shows up, preferring to go no comment on that front.
The chatter about additional photography has also been a big part of the rumor sphere, but Wan is quick to explain…
“We have big actors in this movie, and everyone’s schedule is really hard. So, we had to break up our shooting schedule into sections. We’ll shoot a bit here now, because this actor’s available, and then we’ll do another shoot now, because this guy’s available. People are like, ‘Oh, they’re doing a whole bunch of different shoots!’ No. If we actually combined them all together, it’s actually not that many number of days at all.”
Wan on Amber Heard’s claims that her role as Mera was “pared down”
Amber Heard in 2010’s ‘The Ward.’
Amber Heard, who plays Atlantean warrior Mera in the first movie and returns for the second, made comments in 2022 that she felt her role in the new movie felt “pared down”.
But for Wan, it was simply a case of David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick’s script focusing on a different dynamic this time:
“I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first Aquaman was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm. So, the first was a romance action-adventure movie, the second one is a bromance action-adventure movie. We’ll leave it at that.”
You’ll get your chance to see more of the movie when the first trailer arrives online tomorrow. For now, check out the teaser below:
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‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ will be in theaters –– hopefully –– on December 20th.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
‘Arrow’ actor Stephen Amell. Photo by Steve Schofield / Contour by Getty Images.
Stephen Amell, an actor who got his big break playing Oliver Queen on CW superhero series ‘Arrow’ (and went on to appear as the character in the various other DC shows on the network including ‘The Flash’ and ‘Legends of Tomorrow’), has spoken out against the industrial action under way by the union that represents him, SAG-AFTRA.
Here’s what Amell said at the Galaxycon event this past weekend, as reported by Variety:
“I support my union, I do. And I stand with them. I do not support striking. I don’t. I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic. I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think the thinking as it pertains to shows — like the show that I’m on that premiered last night (Starz’ wrestling series ‘Heels’, which launched its second season) — I think it’s myopic.”
The statement makes Amell one of the highest-profile actors to speak out against the strike so far, though his sentiments are unlikely to be shared by most of his peers.
The actors’ strike, which began on July 14th, follows similar action by the Writers Guild of America, the workers looking for a better deal. The WGA went on strike on May 2nd, after its own contract ran out with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Much like the Writers’ Guild, the actors’ unions had been negotiating with the AMPTP to secure a new contract. Actors have long been unhappy with reduced residuals brought about by streaming services and are displeased by studios claiming they can’t pay more while company CEOs earn millions. And roughly 12% of actors working today make the minimum required to trigger health benefits and keep their livelihoods.
Here’s SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher on the strike announcement:
“The gravity of this move is not lost on me or our negotiating committee or our board members who have voted unanimously to proceed with a strike. It’s a very serious thing that impacts thousands, if not millions, of people all across this country and around the world.”
Another key issue has been studios’ concerning efforts to bring in new technology to replace physical performers. When the strike was called, SAG-AFTRA revealed one pertinent detail of a studio offer –– digitizing the likeness of background players (or extras), paying them for one day’s work but then being able to use their image in perpetuity and however they please with no other payment.
The AMPTP replied to that with the following statement:
“The claim made today by SAG-AFTRA leadership that the digital replicas of background actors may be used in perpetuity with no consent or compensation is false. In fact, the current AMPTP proposal only permits a company to use the digital replica of a background actor in the motion picture for which the background actor is employed. Any other use requires the background actor’s consent and bargaining for the use, subject to a minimum payment.”
When SAG-AFTRA voted to authorize the strike, an overwhelming 98% majority of returns gave guild leadership the green light to walk out of negotiations if needed, with roughly half of eligible members submitting ballots. Amell’s comments show there is a minority who would prefer not to take the strike action, but few have been prepared to speak out until now.
Following an understandable backlash from fellow actors, Amell hit Instagram to clarify his statement.
Here’s the opening to his statement, which you can read in full above:
“Understandably, there has been a lot of reaction to the comments I made this weekend about our strike. To ensure there is no misunderstanding about my thoughts and intentions I’m providing what I actually said and clarity/context to ensure my feelings aren’t unintentionally misinterpreted. We all know soundbites can be taken out of context and I have too much respect for my fellow union members to not clarify the record.”
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ already had some pressure attached to it. As the sequel to 2018’s ‘Aquaman’ it had to live up to an original movie that earned more than $1.1 billion.
Which for someone like director James Wan, who is also responsible for giant horror franchises such as the ‘Saw’ films and particularly the ‘Conjuring’ franchise, might not be quite as daunting as for others.
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But there were lots of other factors in play around the new movie –– it was greenlit by a former Warner Bros./DC regime (to be specific, Toby Emmerich and Walter Hamada) back when the DC Extended Universe originated by movies such as ‘Man of Steel’ and ‘Justice League’ was still a going concern and Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa was one of its big breakout stars.
But with principal photography completed in January 2022, the rough waters for the movie were just beginning to swirl.
What happened with ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
According to a new story in The Hollywood Reporter, the movie started to face issues almost immediately. The initial test screenings for the movie indicated that audiences weren’t reacting well to the movie.
The studio authorized two rounds of reshoots, but it appears that nothing produced was helping the test scores. Incoming Warner Bros. bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy got involved, and Abdy led a new cut, but that tested even less successfully.
Yet with a lot invested in the movie, Warners kept moving on, authorizing an unprecedented third round of reshoots –– which reportedly went very well, Wan able to complete what was needed in less time than planned.
A big issue for the film’s process were several delays, including work traffic jams at VFX companies requiring that ‘The Lost Kingdom’ jump around the schedules.
Not helping matters was a killer combo of changing fortunes for DC movies –– Hamada would be gone before the movie ever saw screens and DC Studios changed hands to James Gunn and Peter Safran.
But both were committed to helping Aquaman keep swimming; Safran in particular because he’s a producer on the film.
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
While the movie largely sees Momoa’s Arthur Curry struggling with a new threat to his underwater kingdom (one that will force him to team up with half-brother and former rival Orm, played by Patrick Wilson), there was supposed to be a cameo from Batman.
But which Bruce Wayne? When ‘The Flash’ looked to be kickstarting a universe where Michael Keaton’s Bruce is sort of a Nick Fury-style connective character between other heroes, a cameo for his Batman was filmed. When those plans changed, Ben Affleck’s Wayne was subbed in (that reshoot was “accidentally” revealed by Momoa to a studio tour group).
And now? ‘The Flash’ is a flop and other Keaton-featuring projects such as ‘Batgirl’ have been shelved. Gunn and Safran are reportedly nervous about connecting the film to a movie universe that is effectively over or making promises about crossovers that may never come to pass now that Gunn has his own big plans for the future.
The mood is still positive around ‘The Lost Kingdom’, though, but we’ll see how it performs when it lands in theaters on December 20th.
Jason Momoa in 2018’s ‘Aquaman.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’:
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
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.
