According to Comic Alliance, Bryan Singer the director of X-Men: Apocalypse posted a GIF on his personal Instagram of Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler and then took it down.
Today is the first day of filming for X-Men: Apocalypse.
The film stars Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy and Nicholas Hoult, Oscar Isaac (Apocalypse), Sophie Turner (Jean Grey), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Alexandra Shipp (Storm) Lana Condor (Jubilee) and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
X-Men: Apocalypse opens in theaters on May 27, 2016.
This article was published on May 4, 2012.
This will go down as one of the most hated movie reviews in comic book geek-land (I thought a lot of myself in 2012), but Joss Whedon’s Avengers was a beautiful film in the same way that James Cameron’s Avatar was an amazing film. Both The Avengers and Avatar had great visuals but no substance.
Marvel films to date have just been too campy. Not every comic book movie needs to be Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, but a comic book film works well when there is a balance of dark and light moments. Maybe I wanted too much from this movie, but I was not inspired to join the Avengers. At no moment in this film do I feel like the Avengers will lose. Do you remember Toy Story 3, we all thought Woody and Buzz were going to die! No suspense in a film that had a $250 million budget means that they forgot to pay the writers, instead they focused on how to blow-up Ohio. Which is a waste because the film is well casted and the actors bring their A-game.
The Avengers will make a billion dollars ($1.5 billion according to Box Office Mojo) and kids will love it, but is it wrong to ask for more than just a popcorn flick? How the Avengers are brought together is done well, and the movie doesn’t feel like two plus hours but when the going gets tough, and the Avengers need to rise up and save the day, the moment was hollow. This happens because Nick Fury cons them into the moment instead of Captain America kicking some ass. How hard is it to write a Captain America inspirational speech? Have we all forgotten Braveheart?
The Avengers does nothing to progress Steve Rogers as a character. When the film ends, you learn nothing new about Rogers that you didn’t know already from the Captain America: The First Avenger. Rogers is the heart and soul of the Avengers, and whether it was the director, the writers, or the actor’s fault, there was no inspiration. During the major battle in the film, Captain America gets shot with a laser and Thor is tiring out from fighting the hoard of aliens, this could have been the instant when the Avengers pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and create that inspirational moment, but Whedon doesn’t swing the bat. Whedon continues to direct the film very light and stays in a very safe film-making zone. The problem is there are at least five times in the movie when Whedon could have stepped in and said, ”Hey guys, this is our Oscar moment, so let make it happen!” The trailer makes the Avengers look inspiring, but that is just the best two minutes of the film.
The Avengers is a fantastic popcorn flick, but they had many chances to hit a grand slam, and instead they struck out looking at the plate.
The best part of this film is it will make and an insane amount of money and a sequel will come out in 2015.
According to German publication Deutsche Welle, 193 theaters in Germany are refusing to screen the Marvel blockbuster because Disney announced it was upping the fee from 47.7 to 53 percent of ticket sales.
Additionally, Disney is cutting its advertising spend and will not provide advances for 3D glasses.
“We are worried, particularly about eastern Germany,” Karl-Heinz Meier, spokesman for advocacy group I.G. Nord, told DW. “When prices go up, then we have a serious problem that could force movie theaters to close.”
Now that the dust has had time to settle and we’ve all gotten the feelings of love/hate out of our systems, let’s look at this release of Suicide Squad’s Joker from a different angle. Details are important, often crucial, but let’s not mistake the forest from the trees.
Gentleman! Let’s broaden our minds!
Richard Örmonde brought up an excellent point on Twitter.
@MatthewSardo has anyone stopped to think that the tattoos are just promotional for this photo and that they won’t actually appear in d film
I’m actually really happy you asked this, Richard, because it was something I was wondering myself. In truth, I don’t think this is the Joker that we will be seeing in the final Suicide Squad — and here’s why:
It’s all about that Dark Knight Returns, baby!
For staters, I doubt Jared Leto’s Joker will be shirtless for long, if at all. The rumors that have been circulating about this portrayal of the Joker have been pointing to Frank Miller’sThe Dark Knight Returns as inspiration. These rumors only gain traction when you take into account the depiction of Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the recent announcement of The Dark Knight Returns III.
I think it is safe to assume DC is using The Dark Knight Returns as a basis for their shared cinematic universe, no doubt thanks to the success of Christopher Nolan’sDark Knight Trilogy. Cinematic Universes seem to be the trend with Transformersand X-Menfollowing suit. It only makes sense that Suicide Squad’s Joker will also share similarities with his Dark Knight Returns counterpart.
Gentleman, start your Photoshops.
It’s no surprise after the release of such a controversial image that people would quickly turn to Photoshop to mock it. But, what if the image itself already underwent a similar treatment?
I might be grasping at straws here, but if you really look at those tattoos — especially as long as I have in Photoshop — they start to look a little… fake. This is especially true when you look closely at the pixels. Let me just clarify that I’m not an expert, this is just from my own experience and observations, but let’s take a look at the bell on the jester tattoo on Joker’s chest.
What’s up with those pixels?
Click the image for a closer look. You can clearly see there is something up with the pixels around the bell. Do you see how jagged the pixels of the skin are around the bell compared to the rest of the pixels of the skin? This may be due to compression, but typically you find this when you introduce a new element or picture to an existing image. You’ll find the pixels don’t match up. Not convinced? Let’s look at the infamous ‘damaged’ tattoo.
Not damaged, just Photoshop.
Make sure you click on this one, because it becomes extremely apparent. We find the same issue with pixels on the skin not matching around the tattoo. Look at the transition of pixels from his hair, to his glove, to the shadows. None of these have this kind of artifacting. It is only found around the tattoo.
So if this indeed is an altered image — which I believe it is — then why would David Ayers bother to add such silly things that will cause a shitstorm? Maybe I already answered the question, which brings me to my next point.
Let the nerd rage commence.
It’s nothing new to learn that Warner Bros/DC Comics have fallen behind the unstoppable juggernaut (bitch) that is Disney/Marvel. But, how far behind are they?
Just this month, Howard the Duckoutsold Batman by nearly 17% (seriously?!). I would never have believed in a million years that Howard the Duck would outsell a Batman title, but here we are. Does this mean the popularity of the DC brand is waning? It is clear their studios are trying to catch up with Marvel in terms of movies as Marvel is nearing Phase 3 and DC only have one film released under their cinematic universe.
You know how you hate to watch a horrible trainwreck, but you can’t help but not look? This is basically how Lindsay Lohan has kept her career afloat. It seems DC is taking a similar approach. It’s a cheap and, dare I say it, desperate tactic to gain publicity. But you know what? It works. We’re all talking about it aren’t we? The Internet is abuzz with Jared Leto’s look as the Joker.
Instead of giving audiences and fans what they want — and doing a damn good job at it like Marvel — DC gains their attention through controvery, which can be attributed to having the mentality of, “you don’t know any better, this is what you want, you’ll see!”. This goes back to the days of casting Heath Ledger as the Joker. The Internet also reacted with skepticism. DC is still trying to use this same tactic on us. The problem with gaining attention by these means is that it doesn’t instill trust in your other creative decisions, which have also been met with controversy, such as casting Ben Affleck as Batman or Will Smith as Deadshot. This marketing strategy only works if you actually deliver something that ‘wows’ people, but DC has already had misfires like 2011’s Green Lantern, and eventually audiences catch on to what you’re doing.
So in the end, it’s all just a clever ruse. The tattoos and grill? Probably a way of testing the waters and a means to stir up controversy. It seems pretty obvious when you think about it. This image of Jared Leto as the Joker almost looks like a joke. Expect new pictures to be released of the Joker sometime down the road that will blow us all away — with DC coming in and acting as if, “see, told you, your concerns were unjustified, trust in us” — though I may be giving DC a little too much credit as I wasn’t impressed with the new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer. Either way, it’s a marketing strategy designed to instill trust through mistrust.
Despite my cynicism, I really do want Jared Leto’s Joker to be one of the definitive portrayals. There is so much potential there and I think it was an excellent casting decision. But, when we have a world where Superman straight up murders his first villain with his bare hands, there is cause for concern.
Maybe I’m right. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m just going through the five stages of grief. However, if this new (unconfirmed) leaked image is any indication of what we might expect from Suicide Squad, then bravo.
With one simple tweet, it was as if millions of oysters suddenly cried out in terror — and then much like Alderaan — the Internet exploded. But there wasn’t silence. Oh no, quite the opposite.
What is this? What am I looking at? Please tell me David Ayer is just having a laugh. Is everyone else seeing what I’m seeing?
• Brock Wilbur said it best on his Twitter. Leto’s Joker looks like he’s a member of a screamo band, not a deranged psychopath. Is Warner Bros. trying to appeal to the tween demographic? Is he’s supposed to be hot or something because of all his ink — or just some kind of badass?
• The Joker literally has ‘damaged’ tattooed on his forehead. Do I even need to go into how wrong this is? Who was in charge of this design decision and do they know the meaning of the word ‘subtle’?
• The Joker has a grill — a full blown, busted rapper grill. Or maybe they were going for the Jaws look?
The original rapper grill.
• The Joker’s tattoos are of his own fan art. It is as if the character designers went to DeviantArt and just grabbed whatever Joker related artwork they could find that would look good as a tattoo, then proceeded to haphazardly slap it on Jared Leto. That’s like me tattooing my name on my chest, à la Johnny Cage. The Joker may be crazy, but he’s not stupid.
• The Joker has a big Joker/Cheshire Cat grin tattooed on his forearm. Why? Were the “hahaha” tattoos — that look as if they were ripped straight from the pages of a comic book — not enough?
• The Joker has a ‘J’ teardrop tattoo. From HLN — “The teardrop tattoo is perhaps the most common prison tattoo. It could mean that the wearer has murdered someone, served a long sentence, is mourning the loss of a murdered friend or family member, or has been raped in prison.” Was Suicide Squad’s Joker raped in prison? Oh, Mr. J!
• The Joker looks like the love child of Justin Bieber, Lil’ Wayne, and drag superstar Sharon Needles.
Did you think I was joking?
• The Joker’s look could easily be changed for the better; but it won’t be. Jared Leto is a fantastic actor and is more than capable of delivering a terrific, if not one of the best, Joker performances we’ve seen. But not when this is what you give him to work with. If you want to have tattoos on the Joker, go ahead, it has been done before. But he wasn’t covered in them like he’s straight outta Compton. Come on guys, just make a few modifications and it’ll be fine! See?
Just imagine him with clothes.
• But the worst part of all is…
What could have been.
Leave a comment and let us know what you think! Tweet Jacob @semperfilm
It’s here! Finally, after few glimpses, we finally have our first actual photo of Jared Leto as The Joker in the upcoming “Suicide Squad” film. Finally, the end product of a process that began with chopping off a worshiped man bun, moved to a weird eighties yuppie villain stage, and teased at with some blurry Twitter pictures. The wait is over, Internet! Finally, it’s here! The long-awaited reveal of Academy Award-winning actor, Jared Leto, as The Joker! Are you ready for what comic’s most notorious villain looks like when interpreted by Jared Leto?
UPDATE: Robert Downey Jr. responded to his awkward interview earlier this week with Krishnan Guru-Murthy of Channel 4 News with an Instagram post.
“A corrective experience with legitimate journalism @kellyandmichael #dianesawyer #kellyandmichael #avengers #ageofultron #presstour #marvel #earlybirds,” said Downey.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy of Channel 4 News apparently went too far with Robert Downey Jr. during an interview in London to promote Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Guru-Murthy was looking to get questions answered about Downey’s past but wasn’t prepared for when the interview went sour. Downey even calls out the reporter when Guru-Murthy starts to get nervous.
“Your foot is starting to jump a bit, you better get to your next question,” Downey said.
In full Tony Stark mode Downey just gets up and leaves the awkward interview.
Thanks to the movies, I know to be immediately suspicious if I am ever invited to the secluded home of an eccentric billionaire genius. Unfortunately, Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a young computer programmer, has no such predispositions when he wins a contest at work that allows him to spend a week with the company’s CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac). Caleb is flown deep into the mountains, and at one point asks the helicopter pilot when they will be getting to Nathan’s estate. “We’ve been flying over it for two hours,” the pilot tells him.
Ex Machina, the engrossing new science fiction thriller from writer/director Alex Garland, takes place exclusively in the home of Nathan, a brilliant programmer, rich beyond belief, and living seemingly alone in his house built into the mountainside. Nathan is eccentric, but not played as expected by Isaac. He has the conversational rhythms of a frat boy with the build of a cage fighter, he drinks heavily every day, but beneath the facade is a mastermind. The vibe is immediately threatening when Caleb arrives, and before long he is told why he “won” the contest. He is here to administer a test to Nathan’s new creation, Ava, a robotic organism who may or may not have conscious artificial intelligence. Caleb’s observations will help Nathan decide whether or not he has succeeded.
Ava, played by Alicia Vikander, is about 80% robot with a human face, hands, and feet. She stays in a room while Caleb remains on the other side of a glass box, conversing. The discussions are benign for a while, playful from Caleb as he is overwhelmed with excitement at this groundbreaking revelation. Ava shows glimpses of A.I., but Caleb isn’t sure how much is honest and how much is manipulation from Nathan. Because, it appears, Nathan is not entirely truthful.
Nathan seems to know everything going on in his house, a cold modern-art setup with all the implementations of modern surveillance technology. Cameras operate everywhere under the eye of Nathan, that is, except for these strange power cuts. But beyond his all-seeing eye, Nathan works to control Caleb in conversations, remaining aggressive enough to manipulate discourse in his favor. Isaac creates a fascinating character in Nathan, both threatening and charismatic enough to keep the audience off balance, and on guard.
Things begin to unravel, as expected. As Alex Garland weaves this complex morality play together, paranoia and tension grows to a fever pitch. Is Nathan lying to Caleb? Is Ava truly cognizant of her intelligence? I won’t say anymore here, because the twists are vital to enjoy the film. While there are no sweeping revelations, there are twists in this tale, albeit subtle twists that propel us to the final moments where interpretations are open ended.
Ex Machina is something rare, an adult thriller here at the launching pad of the summer movie season. It is a refreshingly original take on a familiar story, i.e. the eccentric millionaire and artificial intelligence. Oscar Isaac dominates the film, and embellishes in a fascinating dance sequence in the middle of the film that seems to spring from nowhere. But Gleeson, as the impressionable Caleb, is not without his moments. As for Vikander’s work as Ava, hers is perhaps the most difficult. She remains robotic enough to keep the story in tact, but she must inflect moments of humanity to keep us guessing. It is a subtle and well crafted, as is everything else.
At the DC Comics panel today at C2E2, there was a small announcement about Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight.
Miller would return to the Dark Knight series with help from Chicago’s Brian Azzarello and current Batman writer Scott Snyder for The Dark Knight III: The Master Race.
“Batman remains my favorite comic book hero and a sequel to Dark Knight is going to be daunting,” said Miller, “but we’ll do our best.”
“We are thrilled to have Frank back home at DC writing Batman,” according to Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, Co-Publishers for DC Entertainment. “The story he and Brian have crafted is an astounding and triumphant conclusion to this seminal body of work which influenced and shaped generations of readers and creators alike.”
According to Azzarello, “It’s been an amazing experience collaborating with Frank these past six months. I think we have an epic story that these characters truly deserve.”
Artists for the project have yet to be announced.
DC Comics plans for The Dark Knight III: The Master Race to come out twice monthly for eight issues and start in late fall 2015.
The folks at VideoLab attempted to turn back time and restore the original color and brightness in Zack Snyder’sMan of Steel(2013). What they found was something beautiful. Check out the video below to learn more!
