While the Shazam! movie was announced years ago, there has been very little development beyond the casting of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Black Adam, until recently. Early last week Johnson used social media to share his excitement after a big meeting at DC Comics and now we know exactly what that meeting was about.
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Dwayne Johnson will star in a solo Black Adam movie, as well as the previously mentioned Shazam! film. This would be a major addition to the DC Extended Universe and opens a lot of cosmic doors. The decision to have a solo movie starring The Rock also raises a lot of questions about the storyline and characterisation of this villain.
To execs, it made no sense to have a man of Johnson’s stature be just a villain and a supporting character in an expensive tentpole. Thus a decision was made to spin Black Adam into his own film.
In recent comics, Black Adam has become more of an anti-hero than a plain villain. While still being “technically” evil, the character can be found relatable with because he is fighting against those who enslave his people.
The Shazam! film is still without an official release date and director, but the script is being worked by Henry Gayden says THR. Let us know if you’re excited to see a solo Black Adam movie in the comments section below.
Dwayne Johnson may have just proved to be a big enough draw to which the Black Adam will get a stand-alone film, with another film for Captain Marvel (Shazam), according to Deadline.
Not much has been revealed about the project, Johnson went to Facebook with his excitement about the potential film last week.
Thursday afternoon Dark Horse and 20th Century Fox wished Buffy Summers a happy birthday when they announced a third volume of “Buffy: The High School Years.”
In Parental Parasite, Buffy struggles to deal with her mother Joyce’s sudden interest in spending quality time with her. Balancing this new development with her schoolwork, her friends, and her regular vampire-slaying duties proves to be a challenge. However, when Joyce becomes hypnotized by a childlike demon that craves motherly care, Buffy experiences a new kind of sibling rivalry—except in Buffy’s case, her “sibling” is actually a monster!
Joss Whedon is the executive producer of the series, written by Kel McDonald (Misfits of Avalon), with art by Yishan Li (Buffy: The High School Years—Freaks and Geeks).
Set in Season 1 of the hit show, Buffy: The High School Years—Parental Parasite goes on sale June 28, 2017.
Buffy: The High School Years—Freaks and Geeks was released in June of 2016, with the follow-up Buffy: The High School Years—Glutton for Punishment released later that year in November.
How will you celebrate Buffy’s birthday? Comment below.
On the surface, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders offers up camp and cheese for miles, just as one might expect it to. It’s a nostalgic romp that pulls out all the stops to look and feel like the classic ’66 series.
But look a little closer and you’ll find the creators of this homage having a little sly fun with the material, too.
Does it all work? No, and even at 78 minutes it feels too long. Even the cleverest spin on material that was already knowingly silly can wear thin if dragged on ad nauseum.
But there is enough groovy fun to make it worth watching, especially for Adam West fans.
What’s it about?
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders starts with the Dynamic Duo’s deadliest foes — Joker, Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman — teaming up once again to terrorize Gotham. They take over a TV variety show in order to draw out our heroes, then lure them into yet another deathtrap sure to cook their costumed gooses.
You know what happens next. “To the Batmobile!” says Bruce Wayne, and they’re off in that forever-cool supercar, ready to put the bad guys behind bars once again.
But the trap and its aftermath are just the beginning of the caper. Catwoman has her own plans for Batman, while her villainous cohorts aim to steal a weapon of unbelievable power to help them each rule Gotham City. And in the midst of all that, a new enemy emerges, one our heroes never imagined having to face.
What follows tests not only their mettle, but also their very partnership. Could it really be the end for Batman and Robin? Tune in next week! Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!
(Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)
Bam! Whiff! Pow!
The way-over-the-top charm of Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders starts with the script. Writers Michael Jelenic and James Tucker, each veteran contributors to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s line of DC Original Animated movies, pour their obvious love of the original material into a screenplay full of winks and nods to classic episodes and tropes.
Ridiculously convoluted plot in need of endless exposition? Check. The show’s supporting characters (except Alfred) wholly inept and helpless without our heroes? Check. Batman such a Goody Two-Bat-shoes that his every word feels like an after-school lesson? Check … at least, at first. If you can, watch a few of those old TV episodes before rolling with this new installment to heighten the sense of nostalgia.
But along with all that reverence there’s a little subversive spirit, too. It’s as though the writers asked themselves, “What were the silliest elements of the show?” and then figured out a way to confront them without breaking the fourth wall.
That effort to add a layer of self-parody comes with a cost – the feature’s plot goes way off the rails about midway and never really recovers. Though there are plenty of chuckle-worthy moments along the way, by the end you may wonder if all that hard work at cleverness was worth it.
West, Ward still got it
Regardless, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders does provide the opportunity to enjoy Adam West and Burt Ward in their most famous roles one last time.
Remarkably, they manage to sound like very little time has passed, especially Ward. West’s voice sounds a little thinner than it did back in the day, but he still nails Batman’s pedantic cadence perfectly.
Julie Newmar’s turn as Catwoman suffers the most in terms of the transition from live action to animation. Though Newmar brings her classic purr to the feline temptress’s voice, her playful physicality gets lost, and her line reads feel stiff rather than slinky.
Worth seeing?
Does all that add up to Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders not being worth an hour and 18 minutes of your time? Of course not, especially if you have fond memories of the material that inspired it.
Just keep this in mind: if you’re a believer that a little corniness and cheese goes a long way, best stow that belief before giving this a spin. Instead, just enjoy the groaners, knowing full well they were crafted out of love.
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
Starring the voices of Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar. Directed by Rick Morales.
Running Time: 78 minutes
Rated PG for action, suggestive material and rude humor.
20th Century Fox released a new trailer and five images for ‘Logan’ due out March 3. This is Hugh Jackman’s self-proclaimed final appearance as Wolverine and looks to be epic.
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces. Check out the brand new trailer below.
The film stars Hugh Jackman (Logan), Boyd Holbrook (Donald Pierce), Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Dafne Keen (Laura Kinney/X-23), Doris Morgado (Maria), Stephen Merchant (Caliban), Elizabeth Rodriguez (Gabriela), and Richard E. Grant (Dr. Zander Rice). James Mangold is directing and helped on the screenplay along with Scott Frank and Michael Green.
Red Band Trailer
Where is your excitement level with ‘Logan?’ Comment below.
On Friday, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Pop culture is a reflection of society, good or bad. Comedians will be the first with their satirical interpretation of our current state, just watch SNL. The next level of interpretations with art, music, and film will be the interesting ones to watch and look out for. How we rebel or conform in our art will define us in the centuries to come.
Chasing Moonlight just released ‘We Are Strong,’ their anthem to unite one another. The New York-based duo Zeke Hunter and Brett Steinberg had fans from all over the world submit videos and voice memos to sing with them on the last chorus. The track also features Wordspit The iLLest.
“The message is great and I think it’s really something people could use right now,” said Steinberg.
The band is also donating a percentage of the proceeds from ‘We Are Strong’ to UNICEF.
How do you think Donald Trump will change the art world? Comment below.
Wednesday night filmmaker Guillermo del Toro used Twitter to gauge interest in a third ‘Hellboy’ film. He promised fans if the poll received 100,000 votes in 24 hours he would have a meeting with Ron Perlman and Mike Mignola about ‘Hellboy III.’
Informal poll (let’s see how many votes we get in 24 hours)
Hellboy III
With seven hours to spare 100,000 people voted in del Toro’s poll.
“We have gone past the 100K votes. I will arrange the sit-down w Ron & Mignola to talk HBIII. No guarantee but we will discuss. Wish us luck!!” said del Toro.
Del Toro was able to reach Perlman and was excited for a conversation about the film.
“I spoke with Ron Perlman. He’s in for the sit-down. Will approach Mignola next. Will keep you posted. Very moved by your love of pt I & II,” said del Toro.
The ‘Hellboy’ film franchise is a tough sell to the studios as the two previous films did not do well domestically, but in 2008 ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ did well in the international markets and had a combined gross of $160 million on an $85 million budget. The original ‘Hellboy’ released in 2004 made $99 million with a $66 million budget.
Back in October, Perlman seem like the chance of a third film were dead in the water. Apparently, with the success of ‘Troll Hunters’ del Toro has ahd a change of heart.
“We don’t talk about that anymore… (Del Toro is) busy, and I’m busy. Maybe one day he’s going to call and say, ‘Hey, let’s do it.’ But for right now? We’re happy discovering new worlds to conquer,” said Perlman.
Now an ongoing series! As the Kongs spread through Skull Island and begin to inhabit the land on their own from the humans, they will face its true horrors.
Writing
The new storyline has begun and this book is no longer confined to being a mini-series. What does the series decide to do with this new found freedom? It plays it safe and decides to do some world building so that the audience can understand what is going on with the inhabitants of Skull Island. There is nothing wrong with this, as it still proves to be a very interesting issue.
Valla, a wild Kong, is roaming around and attempting to get accustomed to its new home. As the issue follows the beast around there is a lot of panels without any dialogue. Luckily, writer James Asmus is able to help captivate the audience by showcasing how Valla explores and interacts on Skull Island, including taking the time to bond and defend some triceratops. The issue offers a lot of exploration into a being who can’t speak and can only express itself through its actions but the task of exploring who Valla is as a character is accomplished so well it doesn’t matter it can’t talk.
Artwork
The art helps to tell the story which is taking place in place of the lack of dialog. There are some very emotional and intense moments present in these pages. The art team of Carlos Magno and Jeremy Lawson really help to present a dynamic world full of both beauty and danger.
Conclusion
This series is still keeping up its high standards on its new path. The unexplored world of Kong keeps growing thanks to this comic. Hopefully, the countdown to the upcoming movie will only aid in helping this series to reach more readers. If it doesn’t this book still has a lot to offer even to those who aren’t fans of the Eighth Wonder of The World.
Catwoman aka Selina Kyle has been accused of murdering 237 people and sentenced to death. Batman, with the help of “Bruce Wayne,” was able to reduce the sentence to life without parole at the infamous Blackgate prison. Selina, emotionally vulnerable, asks Bruce for one more night together. So on a star-filled, cold night in Gotham, the Bat and the Cat set out on an evening together patrolling the streets.
“Rooftops part 2” Publisher:DC Comics
Written by Tom King
Penciled, Inks and Colors by Mitch Gerads
Writing
So after the last issue’s heavy dose of sensuality, things stay romantic here but get a little more playful, and a little bit more suspenseful. The playfulness comes in a nice two-page sequence where we get great callbacks to earlier Batman/Catwoman fights. They are in fact direct homages to both her first appearance and her role in Batman: Year One. Juxtaposing those two versions really is a great trick and shows you how multi-faced this relationship really is. It’s a great way to start the book before jumping into the action.
But not before a very powerful (yet elegantly simple) scene where Batman and Catwoman exchange “I love you” vows. It’s a nice quiet scene, and I honestly can’t remember the last time any of these two characters were shown that kind of vulnerability. It’s nice to see a side of Batman that isn’t just a hard-boiled badass and a side of Catwoman that isn’t just an ice-cold seductress and thief. This is what Tom King excels at to me, showing you other sides of the card.
But of course, it IS Catwoman so after a very sincere kiss, she breaks away and Batman gives chase. Here is where the issue turns into one of the great examples of Batman as a detective. It’s a classic set-up of sequences, as Bruce pays a shadowy visit to Commissioner Gordon in order to find Selina’s only true friend (other than Bruce), Holly Robinson (another player in Year One). I won’t spoil what happens WHEN Batman finds Holly, as it was actually kind of surprising, but I will say it’s unexpected and their exchange reveals even more emotions to Bruce Wayne. Again after showing us a very hardcore Batman in earlier issues, Tom King has shown us the heart of the character in just a simple and elegant story. You only need to look at the last panel in the story to sum all of that up. “She stole the night.” Perfect.
Art
Mitch Gerads is just great. Where he gave great softness to the last issues scenes, he gives the right amount of intensity, movement, and darkness to the ones here. He also does a great job in that opening sequence when he re-creates the art from different Batman eras.
His renditions of all the characters are spot on and respect the classics while bringing in his own take. It’s a fine balance that he handles perfectly.
His panel work is crisp and neatly divided, providing a steady and even clip. It’s not muddled or cluttered and feels and looks clean.
The coloring is just fantastic and Gerads continues to draw the best night scenes I have seen in a long time. He and King work great together and pairing them up for this particular intimate story is a great idea.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed this two-parter, and this issue, in particular, was a pleasure. It was a nice change of pace from the heavier four-part arcs that have been the norm for the title and gave it a nice break in rhythm. I’ve said this before but this is a great time for Batman fans to be reading this comic, so go ahead and pick it up. The next issue will begin a new arc titled “I Am Bane” so it looks like this ride is going to continue in full force.
Signs is considered by many to be the last good movie from M. night Shyamalan (though I staunchly disagree). Even though his alien invasion thriller made all the money and was the flashpoint of Shyamalan blending Spielberg and Hitchcock into his own thing, there was always one thing people took major issue with:
“It was good, but that ending…”
Yes, for all the terrific atmospheric work, all the tension, and the vibrant characters and lean direction from Shyamalan, the reveal at the end just about ruined the entire experience for so many. It turns out that these aliens – who have been leaving road maps in crops all across the planet and causing mass hysteria before they eventually attack – are fatally averse to water. H2O. And, well, Earth is 70% water. The idiotic move from these extraterrestrials, seen as a colossal mistake in terms of plot and screenwriting from Shyamalan, was too much for some to handle. They scoffed at such a ridiculous twist and may have decided, right then and there, that Shyamalan had lost his twisting touch.
But what if you take the ending of Signs from a different perspective?
Audiences, whether they wanted to or not, brought preconceived notions regarding aliens into the film with them. Aliens in cinema are always advanced technologically, seemingly thousands of years ahead of human beings in every conceivable area. They are ten steps up on the evolutionary chain, and they are here to either help us or destroy us. But those aren’t the aliens in Signs. These visitors from the stars are desperate, maybe even dying, and they aren’t all that superior to humans.
Think about the way we see them all throughout the movie. One of the early hints of their presence, besides the crop circle that pops up in Graham and Merrill Hess’s (Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix) cornfield, is when Graham and Merrill hear one plodding along the roof making all sorts of racket. They try and corner it, but it escapes. This seems like a pretty low-rent reconnaissance mission. Later, Shyamalan’s Ray Reddy character traps one in his pantry. Would some sort of advanced being with the intellect and technology beyond human comprehension not be able to get out of a wooden pantry?
These aliens are not transcendentally intelligent, and they may also be desperate. They are always spotted alone, never working in groups (save for the one news footage of their ships flying in formation), maybe because there aren’t many of them left and they’re simply trying to find materials for survival. Not advancement. Or they’re just a small team of scavengers. Several possibilities, but almost none of them make their decision to land on a planet that’s three-quarters water enough to upend the entire picture.
From this perspective, Merrill’s explanation that the aliens just left “like they were in a hurry” further emphasizes their desperation. Perhaps they knew this planet was deadly for them, but they had no other choice. Because they needed food, or supplies, or something to get back to their planet or on to a safer one.
Say what you will about the prophetic final words from Graham’s dying wife, or Abigail Breslin’s deified reluctance to water, or Joaquin Phoenix’s batting stance and weird swing, the reveal in Signs makes perfect sense if you don’t think of the invaders as Close Encounters-type superior beings or evolutionary perfection like the Alien xenomorph, but as just another society living somewhere in the galaxy that sent out a team for supplies. Or what if they’re rogue agents from another planet that had no other choice but to stop here? As I said, there are several explanations for their presence on Earth, but just calling the twist stupid is to undermine M. Night Shyamalan’s fresh take on invasion thrillers.
M. Night Shyamalan’s latest, Split, comes out this Friday.
