While Suicide Squad might have many, MANY flaws, the great characters and added humor make it the the most enjoyable movie of the DC Extended Universe yet. Hopefully this will be the start of a new, better direction.
Showing posts with label DC Films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC Films. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Monday, July 25, 2016
SDCC 2016: DC Films
Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) is always the best place to get all the latest news on everything movie and nerd-culture related. I have been following the news extremely closely, and have decided to break down the biggest and most important news that I thought you would care about. Every few days I'll post a breakdown of another companies events and news. So let's get started.
DC Films
I have not been shy about my feelings on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I have given my review, why the critics and fans differ in opinions, and even how Hollywood should utilize Zack Snyder. With all of this negativity coming from myself and others I still had hopes for the future of DC Films. And when Warner Bros. announced that comic book legend Geoff Johns would be co-leading the overall direction of DC Films, I became even more excited that DC Films would finally have a direction that I can rally behind.
Now with any change in the film industry there is always a slight delay. Movies can often be in development for multiple years. So even with the cementing of Geoff Johns, it was very unlikely we would see his complete influence until at least the movies being release in 2018. That means that we still have to wade through Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Justice League until a full directional change could have been realized.
DC's Commitment to Improvement
Back in July, DC Films and Zack Synder held a Justice League set visit to help increase buzz for the upcoming film and rebuild faith in the franchise. DC Films exclusively invited critics that were mixed to negative in their reviews. Everything I read was extremely positive and was able to instill faith in some of the most skeptical critics.
I personally didn't not write anything on the set visits, but one of the scenes that was shot on the day of the set visit was an interaction between Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Barry Allen (The Flash). The scene was said to be funny and enjoyable, two words that were not said about Batman v Superman.
So now with SDCC, DC Films had a chance to not only convince the critics, but the fans as well.
Wonder Woman
First up is Wonder Woman. Critics of Batman v Superman unanimously praised Gal Gadot as Diana Prince (Wonder Woman), so Wonder Woman was always going to be one of the most anticipated of DC Films.
As you can see in the trailer above, there is very little that can be easily determined. I haven't read very many Wonder Woman comics, I'm currently up to a whopping 3 with DC comics current Rebirth story line. So even though I'm probably not the best person to breakdown this trailer, here is everything that I was able to determine:
- Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) washing up on Themyscira, the island of the Amazons. This leads to Wonder Woman's first interaction with a man.
- As reported during the early development of the movie, the setting of Wonder Woman takes place during WWI.
- Wonder Woman is able to take on entire armies single handed... which is completely AWESOME!
- All the typical Wonder Woman weapons are present, including her Lasso of Truth. Now only if we get to "see" the Invisible Jet as well. That'd be pretty cool.
- The Amazons are going to war against an army on a beach. It may just be how it is cut, but I believe this may take place during the climax of the movie. I think that after Wonder Woman ventures out of Themyscira, others become interested in finding where she is from. This then will lead them straight to the island of the Amazons where an epic battle will take place. But I'm probably wrong... maybe not... maybe.
- Gal Gadot kicks some serious butt!
Honestly, I was already pretty hyped for Wonder Woman to come out next year, and the trailer did very little to increase those expectations. Not that it was bad, just that I was already excited and I just want to see it rather than wait almost a full year.
Justice League
DC Films
I have not been shy about my feelings on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I have given my review, why the critics and fans differ in opinions, and even how Hollywood should utilize Zack Snyder. With all of this negativity coming from myself and others I still had hopes for the future of DC Films. And when Warner Bros. announced that comic book legend Geoff Johns would be co-leading the overall direction of DC Films, I became even more excited that DC Films would finally have a direction that I can rally behind.
Now with any change in the film industry there is always a slight delay. Movies can often be in development for multiple years. So even with the cementing of Geoff Johns, it was very unlikely we would see his complete influence until at least the movies being release in 2018. That means that we still have to wade through Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Justice League until a full directional change could have been realized.
DC's Commitment to Improvement
Back in July, DC Films and Zack Synder held a Justice League set visit to help increase buzz for the upcoming film and rebuild faith in the franchise. DC Films exclusively invited critics that were mixed to negative in their reviews. Everything I read was extremely positive and was able to instill faith in some of the most skeptical critics.
I personally didn't not write anything on the set visits, but one of the scenes that was shot on the day of the set visit was an interaction between Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Barry Allen (The Flash). The scene was said to be funny and enjoyable, two words that were not said about Batman v Superman.
So now with SDCC, DC Films had a chance to not only convince the critics, but the fans as well.
Wonder Woman
As you can see in the trailer above, there is very little that can be easily determined. I haven't read very many Wonder Woman comics, I'm currently up to a whopping 3 with DC comics current Rebirth story line. So even though I'm probably not the best person to breakdown this trailer, here is everything that I was able to determine:
- Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) washing up on Themyscira, the island of the Amazons. This leads to Wonder Woman's first interaction with a man.
- As reported during the early development of the movie, the setting of Wonder Woman takes place during WWI.
- Wonder Woman is able to take on entire armies single handed... which is completely AWESOME!
- All the typical Wonder Woman weapons are present, including her Lasso of Truth. Now only if we get to "see" the Invisible Jet as well. That'd be pretty cool.
- The Amazons are going to war against an army on a beach. It may just be how it is cut, but I believe this may take place during the climax of the movie. I think that after Wonder Woman ventures out of Themyscira, others become interested in finding where she is from. This then will lead them straight to the island of the Amazons where an epic battle will take place. But I'm probably wrong... maybe not... maybe.
- Gal Gadot kicks some serious butt!
Honestly, I was already pretty hyped for Wonder Woman to come out next year, and the trailer did very little to increase those expectations. Not that it was bad, just that I was already excited and I just want to see it rather than wait almost a full year.
Justice League
Justice League has only been filming since March, so roughly 4 months. So I figured that we would be lucky if we got some set photos, a behind the scenes sizzle reel, or maybe an unfinished look at the scene that was described in the set visit. So when I heard there was an actual released trailer, I couldn't believe that Warner Bros. had one prepared. Then, after viewing the trailer I couldn't believe how finished many of the effects looked. Cyborg was the most obvious with his suit almost completely computer generated. So let's break this down and talk about my favorite parts:
- Batman recruiting the Justice League. The trailer shows multiple interactions of Bruce Wayne with every member of the Justice League. Most being comical which is a welcome change to BvS.
- The Flash as the comic relief. It is hard to not mention the similarities between the scene with Bruce Wayne and Barry Allen with the scene in Civil War with Tony Stark and Peter Parker. From the rich guy recruiting the young kid, to Barry's eagerness to join something bigger than himself. Now I wouldn't say this is a bad thing, because adding some levity to DC Films is exactly what is needed, and it appears that Ezra Miller has what it takes to do the job of being the funny one.
- Aquaman the drunk. This is a little bit of speculation, but I believe that Aquaman is going to be the kind of hero that doesn't want to be one. He's going to not only be reluctant, but angry about having to help the puny mortals. He'll eventually join, but only after drinking an untold amount of alcohol. Of course with this we'll just have to wait and see.
- "I hear you talk to fish." This is a common misconception of Aquaman and one that Geoff Johns explicitly points out in his 2011 Aquaman and Justice League run. In the comics it is often used comically from people that don't know Aquaman and it is a nice touch to include this in the trailer. This is exactly the kind of humor that exists in DC Comics and it's nice to finally see it translated into DC Films.
As I already stated, I was more than excited to see the level of trailer that was released in such a short time. Now the question is if Zack Snyder can completely win over his hardest critics, but based on the trailer, I think we are all in good hands.
Wrap-Up
Those are my thoughts on DC Films Comic Con announcements. What did you think, and what are some other news items that you liked? Leave your comments below and remember to always keep it unpopped.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
To Fix DC Universe, Comic Book Expert, Geoff Johns, Named to Co-Lead DC Films
For a number of years, Kevin Feige has been the executive producer for Marvel Studios and has carefully guided that Marvel Cinematic Universe to what it has become today. Fans have clamored for Warner Bros. to do the same. Fans want someone who understands and loves the characters that can weave an overarching story for the purpose of creating a DC film universe as extensive as Marvel's. Well, Warner Bros. has finally listened as, Geoff Johns, Chief Content Officer of DC, and Jon Berg, a Warner Bros. Vice President, have both been named co-leads of the newly formed DC Films.
What Lead to the Change:
Although Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice made $868.2 Million in theaters, many believed that the tone was completely wrong for the characters and have clamored that Zack Snyder, the director, is wrong for the project.
Good news began to come in last week when Ben Affleck was named a producer on Justice League Part 1. It was believed that Warner Bros. have become worried about Zack Snyder's vision for the films and the hope was that Ben Affleck could help guide Zack Snyder into creating a film that pleases both fans and critics.
Who is Geoff Johns:
Geoff Johns is currently the Chief Content Officer of DC Comics. Most of his time currently is overseeing the overall direction of the comics. Although he has done this for a time, he is much more known as being a comic book writer. His most recent works include the 50 issue run on Justice League. In addition to this, he also has written years of experience writing stories on other iconic DC characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Superman. Almost every character he touches becomes an instant hit.
The only sad news to him becoming a lead on DC Films is that he will have less time to devote to writing comic books.
Why You Should Care:
Everyone has different opinions on Batman v Superman, but one semi-consistent criticism is that Zack Snyder doesn't understand the characters and should not be leading the charge in creating the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Zack Snyder as I've state before (here), is a very visual director, but he lacks the ability to create realistic stories and compelling characters. Geoff Johns, on the other hand, has written these characters for years. He understands how they tick, what people like about them and how to incorporate them into a story. Geoff Johns also has experience in creating small stories that complement a larger overarching story line.
Conclusion:
Although I have always been excited for where the DCEU was going, Zack Snyder's direction was making me increasingly more worried. However, now with Ben Affleck as a producer and Geoff Johns overseeing the entire project, I am not only excited, I'm ecstatic to see what great movies will come out of the DCEU.
What Lead to the Change:
Although Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice made $868.2 Million in theaters, many believed that the tone was completely wrong for the characters and have clamored that Zack Snyder, the director, is wrong for the project.
Zack Snyder
Good news began to come in last week when Ben Affleck was named a producer on Justice League Part 1. It was believed that Warner Bros. have become worried about Zack Snyder's vision for the films and the hope was that Ben Affleck could help guide Zack Snyder into creating a film that pleases both fans and critics.
Ben Affleck as Batman
Who is Geoff Johns:
Geoff Johns is currently the Chief Content Officer of DC Comics. Most of his time currently is overseeing the overall direction of the comics. Although he has done this for a time, he is much more known as being a comic book writer. His most recent works include the 50 issue run on Justice League. In addition to this, he also has written years of experience writing stories on other iconic DC characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Superman. Almost every character he touches becomes an instant hit.
Geoff Johns
The only sad news to him becoming a lead on DC Films is that he will have less time to devote to writing comic books.
Why You Should Care:
Everyone has different opinions on Batman v Superman, but one semi-consistent criticism is that Zack Snyder doesn't understand the characters and should not be leading the charge in creating the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Zack Snyder as I've state before (here), is a very visual director, but he lacks the ability to create realistic stories and compelling characters. Geoff Johns, on the other hand, has written these characters for years. He understands how they tick, what people like about them and how to incorporate them into a story. Geoff Johns also has experience in creating small stories that complement a larger overarching story line.
Conclusion:
Although I have always been excited for where the DCEU was going, Zack Snyder's direction was making me increasingly more worried. However, now with Ben Affleck as a producer and Geoff Johns overseeing the entire project, I am not only excited, I'm ecstatic to see what great movies will come out of the DCEU.
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