TIME TO NERD OUT!!
DC Films did a wonderful thing Tuesday night after the premiere of the first episode of The Flash after the winter break. They put out a special hosted by movie director/comic book nerd Kevin Smith to discuss the lineup of awesome stuff coming our way on the big screen over the next couple of years. So, I thought I'd take a moment to share what got me excited! There was a plethora of new footage from a couple of projects as well as some inside scoop on the future of the DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU). In one half hour, they gave us enough to really get the juices flowin'! So, if you happened to have missed this wonderful nugget of nerdy movie awesomeness--thanks to DC and the CW--allow me to enlighten you on the highlights!
1. Batman V. Superman and the Justice League
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Let's face it, Marvel OWNS the comic book movie world. They've succeeded in building up a brand of superhero awesomeness that is exciting and entertaining. Their work thus far is all leading up to what will be the biggest comic book cinematic experience with the third Avengers film, a movie that boasts one of the biggest film budgets (estimated at $1 billion) and a promise that ALL Marvel properties will play some part. That's right, you fans of Netfilx's Daredevil, we just may see him on the big screen with the likes of Thor and Iron Man! They've taken the time to establish their characters prior to joining them all together. DC is coming out of the gate swinging and this special, which outlines a lot of what they've got planned, just goes to show that they are confident in their projects and the direction they're taking. Geoff Johns, one of DC's big wigs, joined host Kevin Smith in laying out the groundwork for this epic special. One of the first things he mentions is that they were really keen on taking inspiration from the comics in how characters are portrayed. Batman v. Superman is going to be bigger than anticipated. Yes, the premise alone is fascinating, but this movie is going to be crucial in establishing the universe of the Justice League. They showed some snippets of new footage and had brief interviews with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, and Jeremy Irons; all of which took a moment to weigh in on the film and their respective characters. But the discussion about Batman v. Superman led to an even more tantalizing piece of info...
2. Wonder Woman
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Johns and Smith were stoked to reveal the first bits of footage from the up and coming solo Wonder Woman film. The snippets, though few in number, showed Wonder Woman's fighting style (which was awesome), awesome scenery (also awesome) and the best part which was Wonder Woman riding a horse while wielding a sword in the mess that was World War 1 (totally awesome)! This will be an origin story, and it's going to be a spectacle! DC has some of the most iconic superheroes and to see them on the big screen is going to be epic. Wonder Woman is going to be, at least I think, one of the best iterations of a comic book character in that we'll finally have a strong, female character that not only can hold her own, but can arguably out-do just about any other character, including Superman. I suppose one can argue that Marvel's done a decent job establishing strong, female characters with Black Widow, Scarlet Witch and the eventual Wasp. DC however has a slight upper hand in that this will be the first solo film based on a female comic book character, (I'm not counting that incredibly forgetful Elektra movie with Jennifer Gardner...and I think most of you will, too). That prospect alone is enough to get excited about, and we get the opportunity to see her in action in a couple of months in Batman v. Superman! GAH!
3. Justice League Members
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Geoff Johns eluded that the foundational work that Batman v. Superman will entail will indeed establish the Justice League. Rumor has it that the other members of the League will make an appearance in Batman v. Superman. I guess we really won't know until the film comes out, but the cast of the Justice League was on hand to weigh in on their thoughts of both the aspect of a Justice League movie as well as their respective characters. Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg) and Ezra Miller (The Flash) all spoke about the huge undertaking that DC is attempting and their overall excitement. These movies are a ways off, and the jury will be out on the fate of the DC cinematic universe until probably after Suicide Squad comes out, but it was just nice to see the actors who are slated to portray these characters present and aware of DC's big picture. I found it somewhat comforting, mainly because I'm just excited about the prospect of all these movies! I do think it's odd that DC will have two different Barry Allens. Grant Gustin is doing a phenomenal job on the hit TV show. For continuity's sake, it would've been cool to bring him into the fold with the likes of Cavill and Affleck. That being said, Ezra Miller is an underrated actor, at least in my book. He's young, but he has a certain swag about him that I think would be cool for The Flash. I'm completely on board for Jason Momoa's Aquaman. Too long has this hero of the sea been ridiculed. Geoff Johns assures us that their take on Aquaman will bring him into the forefront of coolness. As for Cyborg, I don't really know much about the character, but hey, I'm down.
4. Suicide Squad
Arguably the best part of the entire show was the debut of the new trailer for Suicide Squad. When the first trailer came out, it did a decent job getting the premise across. It was pretty dark in tone, similar to the Batman v. Superman trailers. My initial thought was "Well, looks like DC is going dark and grim with all their movies". I stand before you now as one who has seen the newest trailer about ten times now as of writing this, and I gotta say...I MAY be more excited for Suicide Squad than Batman v. Superman. *gasp!* I know! Here's the thing though, we know what BvS is going to be. The trailers have been completely forthwith about the premise, tone and some might argue that the latest trailer gave away too much of the film. This new trailer for Suicide Squad was absolutely fun to watch. It gave me so much without telling me anything. That's what a trailer should do. They should excite you about seeing the movie without telling you the movie. The characters look awesome, the tone is crazy and fun, you can tell that they realize the premise of the movie is a quirky one and they're completely embracing it. The action looks great, it looks funny, and Jared Leto's Joker...I'm on board. Kevin Smith commented that maybe Suicide Squad will be this year's Guardians of the Galaxy in that no one will really know much about them going into the movie, but it's going to be a smash hit either way. I would have to agree. I think Suicide Squad is going to surprise a lot of people, and I'm hoping I'm one of them!
All in all, this little special got me excited. DC hasn't had the greatest of track records when it comes to their films, especially seeing their competition in Marvel's blockbusters. Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy will forever stand as a sential in storytelling when it comes to comic book films. But the world's never seen good iterations of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, George Clooney's tenure as Bruce Wayne in Batman & Robin almost killed the entire Batman franchise, most people didn't really like Ryan Reynold's Green Lantern, and Man of Steel left people with mixed feelings. I for one loved both Green Lantern and Man of Steel (duh) and I think the direction DC it taking is awesome. I'm a big Zack Snyder fan; I love his films, and I think he did a fantastic job with establishing the groundwork for this new franchise and with setting the tone of the universe. I'm excited to see what he does with the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman and this next film. A lot is riding on the success of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. I'm optimistic that it will live up to the hype. We live in a great time for movies, and to finally see some of the biggest superheroes of all time be given due diligence on the big screen...what more would a movie fan want?!
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25
Suicide Squad opens August 5
Wonder Woman is slated for release on June 23, 2017
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