Although Aquaman comes out at a later date than Justice League, before today it was unknown whether or not the film took place before or after the DC superhero team up picture. Now, after an interview with Cinemablend, Aquaman producer Charles Roven confirmed the movie’s place in the timeline.
Unsurprisingly, Aquaman takes place after Justice League.
“Aquaman will make reference [to Justice League]. There will be some reference of something that preceded Aquaman that will be in Aquaman. I believe that is the intention.”
Will Aquaman be heavily influenced by the event’s of Justice League, or will the flashbacks be about minor details? Speculate in the comments below.
Justice League hits theaters on November 17; Aquaman is slated for a theatrical release on December 21, 2018.
While most of the marketing has included the warrior side of Diana, this simplistic poster highlights the compassion within the character.
“Wonder Woman hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.”
Wonder Woman stars Gal Gadot as the title character, Chris Pine, Robin Wright as Antiope, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Connie Nielsen, Ewen Bremner, and Lucy Davis.
Since 2001, Sony has released a total of five Spider-Man movies. Now, with the Marvel cinematic universe in full swing, the company decided to loan Marvel Studios the rights to the character and let them create films using him. While most think it’s great that Spidey is finally “home”, Kirsten Dunst, who played the original Mary Jane, disagrees.
While speaking with Marie Claire, the actress revealed that she’s not a fan of the new Spider-Man films.
“We made the best ones, so who cares? I’m like, ‘You make it all you want.’ They’re just milking that cow for money. It’s so obvious. You know what I mean?”
Do you agree with Dunst? If not, which Spider-Man movie is your favorite? Sound off in the comments below.
Spider-Man: Homecoming features Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Donald Glover, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Tyne Daly, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, and Hannibal Buress.
“A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.”
The world is wrought with chaos and confusion. Pessimism is common currency. In a time when comic book properties are found by the plentiful, it’s deeply ironic that we’re left in such a deep need for a honest-to-God superhero. One that’ll inspire courage, bravery, persistence and, above all else, resistance against the nasty forces of evil that plague the world at large. Thankfully, Wonder Woman is here to whip us up and lasso us into shape.
The Amazon princess of Themyscira, an idyllic, dreamlike wonderland of lush greens, white palaces and blue waters hidden from the outside world with nary a Y chromosome in sight, Diana (Lilly Aspell) is the only child in her isolated mystical land, and she’s determined to live up to her elders’ ass-kicking ways. The daughter of the stern, benevolent Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and the niece of forceful, resilient General Antiope (Robin Wright), Diana is raised to be the perfect Amazonian, both resourceful and mindful. She also knows how to defend herself should anyone dare fight her. Sculpted out of clay, Diana was formed from women created by Zeus in order to protect “the God-Killer” after Ares, the God of War, infected mankind with anger and filled the world with ugliness and despair. Their utopia should hopefully one day rid the outside world of vengeance and evil.
Such willful determination leads Diana (Gal Gadot) into adulthood. Upon witnessing Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a U.S. spy infiltrating as a German to help end World War I, plunging to his death in Themyscira’s blue oceans after his plane breaks its invisible barrier, she rescues him without hesitation and soon lays eyes on the first man she’ll ever see. There’s an instant attraction, though they both play it coy. Especially since they have other, far more pressing matters at hand. Steve’s crash soon invites some vicious Germans into Themyscira, and while these warriors put up a good fight, they’re no match for bullets. Soon, several dead bodies lay on their sands and they blame Steve for these casualties. Forced to testify under The Lasso of Truth, Steve tells these powerful women about the war that rages beyond their solitude, which Diana wholeheartedly believes is Ares’ dirty work.
Believing she needs to join Steve in order to save the world, they both embark on a journey towards London, which isn’t necessarily as gorgeous as Diana’s perfect homeland. Their quest soon finds them in search of General Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and Doctor Maru (Elena Anaya), the latter of whom is often known as Doctor Poison. They’re as nasty and evil as can be, but are they any match for Diana and her impervious skills? Likely not.
Whether directly or not, Wonder Woman addresses many of the concerns found throughout the DCEU in their previous installments. Lacking the brutalism of Man of Steel, the cynicism of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the uncomfortable WTFery of Suicide Squad, director Patty Jenkins’ (Monster) heartfelt, inspiring and empowering standalone feature is an exquisitely realized wonderment (no pun intended, seriously) of hope, optimism, and continuous invigoration. Gorgeously filmed by cinematographer Matthew Jensen (Chronicle, 2015’s Fantastic Four), Wonder Woman often bursts with a wide assortment of colors, and it only finds itself washed out in murky grays and blacks whenever it fits the story at hand. It’s simply splendid to look at, much like DCEU’s other films, and now you have the added benefit of actually seeing (for the most part) what’s happening. What a time to be alive!
Comic/TV writer Allan Heinberg makes his feature screenplay debut, and while his script can often fall back on formulaic tendencies, there’s enough heart, warmth and genuine humor within this story and these characters that you’re invested in its quaintly simplistic narrative. There are no ceaseless callbacks, no tedious set-ups for future DCEU installments. Wonder Woman is all about Wonder Woman, even if they don’t speak that name just yet, and it’s all the better for it. It’s self-contained and focused in a way that feels like a smooth breath of fresh air. It’s traditional in just the right ways, and whenever it starts to delve into some formulaic tendencies, Jenkins and Heinberg are smart and suave enough to subvert their story without losing its integrity or its inherent feminism.
Gadot and Pine share a smoldering, likably old-fashioned chemistry. Their banter is casually witty, their rapport is playful and sexy. It’s instantly likable. Filled with flirting and innuendos though it might be, there’s an agreeably good-natured appeal to their dynamic. Diana is the stronger of the two, obviously, yet they continually care and respect one another. Even when it gets sappy, as it does towards its Casablanca-esque finale, you feel for these lead characters and their misshapen, endearingly unconventional relationship.
Pine is more weathered and melancholy here than he was in past performances, even including Hell or High Water, yet he still proves himself to be one of our most inherently charismatically working actors. He can play a right-hand man and a perfect gentleman with stride for days. His war-torn character is appropriately weighted and tormented, yet he knows how to amp up the charm without making unnatural or unseemingly. But that’s enough about Pine for now. Though Pine nearly stills the picture away at times, Wonder Woman is undoubtedly Gadot’s film, and she makes the most out of her first leading role.
Though I’ve found Gadot to be fairly stiff and unconvincing in the past, even during select scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, she completely owns this movie. Her rallying spirit is sincere and unflinching. Her battle sequences are assured and convincing. When she needs to see the dingy muddiness of 1918 London for the first time, her bright face and piercing dark eyes are awoken with wonder that isn’t simply childlike or naive, which is what sells the otherwise hard-to-swallow fish-out-of-water comedy with aplomb. Her performance radiates with pride and conviction, and it fits the role stunningly.
There are most definitely faults. The literally bombastic finale is par the course for superhero flicks these days, yet it feels all the more discerning and disappointing in Wonder Woman when you consider all that came before it. The third act, on the whole, feels rushed and a little too busy, and it doesn’t help that certain subplots — most notably one involving PTSD — is brought up only to be ignored for the remainder of the film. Considering how crowded and overloaded a majority of superhero movies end up these days, Wonder Woman is certainly less frantic than many others. Additionally, the CG is typically too rubbery, most especially by its final action beats, a few details that don’t quite add up (how does Diana always retain her shield and armor on her person, even when she doesn’t seem to be carrying either?), there are some tonal misgivings and there are your usual pacing issues. At 141 minutes, there’s room to edit it down by ten minutes without losing much.
But the good far outweighs the bad, and its gleeful, rousing spirit is genuinely invigorating and inspiring. These are good characters that want — nay, need — to do good, for the sake of good, so that good people can not be vanquished by bad people. It’s a good, well-made movie that makes you feel good, and that’s —you guessed it — pretty damn good. Good.
Wonder Woman is a superhero movie with the power to change, to dazzle, to invigorate, and to fill you with, ahem, wonder. In 2017, that’s powerful, extraordinary and heartwarming. While I’m not someone who hates the past few DCEU movies with the power of Solaris’ rays (with the exception of Suicide Squad), like all too many people do, I’ll admit that Wonder Woman is, much like Man of Steel, among the first DC movies since Christopher Nolan’s tenure that commands the screen with force, exuberance and triumphant resonance. Though deeply inspired by Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor and The Rocketeer, Wonder Woman — with the exception of its tacked-on modern day opening and its overactive third act — feels like its own effort, with minimal studio interference and foul play, while capturing the earnest goodwill that made those other films such enjoyable successes. Wonder Woman kicks butt and warms your heart, inspiring us to keep pushing for a better, stronger tomorrow. These days, that couldn’t be more special.
The casual observer may scratch their heads when coming across a book featuring the Phantom. The concept screams simplicity itself, the story of a masked avenger sporting purple tights and an iconic skull emblem as his calling card. Introduced in 1936, few at the time would have realised the contribution the Phantom would make to the world of fiction. Even today, as classic a pulp-icon as he may have been, his importance to the history of comics is lost on many readers. As the first costumed crusader in what we now call the superhero genre, the Phantom began a movement that would be followed and championed by the likes of Superman and Batman. Luckily, more than 80 years after his debut, one comic is aiming to ensure that the Phantom’s legend is one you never forget.
You may not have heard of independent Irish publisher, Lightning Strike Comics, but they’ve been creating high-quality anthologies and creator-owned series since 2012. Last year, they published an exclusive Dublin City Comic Con anthology to celebrate the Phantom’s 80th anniversary. Now, in conjunction with King Features Syndicate, they bring us The Phantom: Scarlet Sapphire, an original one-shot featuring the talents of writer: Stephen Mooney (Half-Past Danger), artist: Robert Carey (Power Rangers:Aftershock), colourist: Tríona Farrell (Azure Capricorn) and letterer: Robin Jones (Papercuts & Inkstains).
How do you introduce or re-acquaint audiences to a classic comic character when he lacks the instant recognition of the medium’s current staples? Some may have sought to re-vamp the Phantom for the sensibilities for The Dark Knight generation. Others may have sought to channel a self-referential awareness of the character’s pulp origins. The creative team have instead bravely doubled down on the character’s original premise and style. This reverence for the source material is evident from the interior cover page. Whereas comics such as Hawkeye begin by telling you “this is all you need to know”, The Phantom: Scarlet Sapphire elects to show you instead. In a move symbolic of the creative team’s tonal choice, the book begins with a stunning re-drawn version of the Phantom’s origin strip courtesy of the always wonderful Cormac Hughes (Red Sands). It leaves no doubt that the character’s pulp tendencies are here to stay.
The main story begins proper as the latest incarnation of the Phantom begins to find evidence of an illegal blood jewel ring. You may think you’ve heard this story before, but as calls to action go it resonates with the reader because its grounding in reality. Our villain may be called the Baron and guarded by elite assassins, but his scheme is one that the world is all too familiar with. In many ways that gives him a menace that iconic arch-villains often lack. Those fearful that the comic avoid that aspect of the Phantom entirely need not worry. Not only does the opportunity for a classic superhero showdown with the Baron’s hench-woman, but the Phantom is accompanied by both his trusty steed and pet wolf throughout this adventure. If you thought you never needed to see a dual-pistol wielding vigilante ride into battle on a horse, then you clearly haven’t lived.
Perhaps the most intriguing artistic choice taken throughout the book is the decision to keep the Phantom in his superhero persona throughout. Only in one scene does he take off his mask and even so, his face is obscured from the reader. Indeed, his true name is not mentioned once. This expertly portrays the Phantom’s central premise as merely the current wielder of a mantle that been passed down over the centuries. It doesn’t matter that this version is the 21st such Phantom or who he is under the mask. What’s important is that the legend he embodies, that of a man who cannot be killed, endures. In maintaining the illusion throughout the book, the reader is placed firmly within this universe and the mystery of the Phantom is one we are only tangentially clued in to. This also plays into how the local groups interact with the Phantom. He is treated as a revered figure within their culture, while simultaneously being viewed as a boogie man by the island’s criminal element. Mooney excels at this brand of subtle world-building that both expands and pays tributes to what has come before.
From an art perspective, this book displays a rare dynamism in its action scenes that often missing in mainstream comics. The Phantom is certainly skilled in martial arts, but his fighting style is minimalist and the interiors portray this stunning efficiency fantastically. Moreover, the story’s island setting allows for some breathtaking landscapes and imagery that you just don’t see outside of the Savage Land. The colouring helps to exemplify this by providing stark contrasts of densely-covered jungles, mines at sunset and midnight infiltration. They also liven up each fight scene by bringing focus to key tactical maneuvers and actions. Declan Shalvey recently said we have entered a golden age of colouring and Farrell certainly answers the call.
This comic is an utter joy to read and a credit to everyone involved. From the writing and artwork, even down to the lettering which invokes a pirate adventure, the creative team commit to a vision that celebrates the world’s first superhero. Having never read the Phantom or seen any media related to him, I was amazed by how invested and enthralled with the character’s mythos I became over the span of 28 pages. Whether an existing phan or a newcomer, you owe it to yourself to revel in the pulp glory of The Phantom: Scarlet Sapphire.
A review copy was kindly provided by the publisher.
If the prospect of a fifth (checks imdb. Yep, fifth) Transformers movie wasn’t bad enough, wait’ll you get a load of the Transformers: The Last Knight runtime.
Three hours, two minutes.
Yes, Transformers: The Last Knight is 182 minutes, the longest Transformers movie, besting the previous longest entry – the abysmal Age of Extinction in 2014 – by 17 whole minutes. It’s longer than The Godfather, longer than Casino, longer than any fifth movie about car robots should be by about 90-100 minutes.
Oh, and it’s one minute shorter than Michael Bay’s garbage historical epic, Pearl Harbor. He had as much to say about World War II than medieval car robots or whatever the hell this thing is about.
What in the world is Michael Bay doing to fill up these hours? I saw the last one when it came out and aside from Mark Wahlberg being in there I couldn’t tell you a single thing about it. These are movies about GIANT ROBOTS! What sort of twisted maniac would want to go and sit through this movie? I can’t summon up enough “nope” from the pit of my dark soul to reject even the thought of sitting for three hours and have my senses systematically dismembered by crunching metal and inhuman dialogue and racism and sexism and all manner of unnecessarily confusing “plot” stuff.
Yeah yeah, I know, don’t see it. Don’t worry, I won’t. But this is more about you, person out there who is reading this and somehow still eagerly anticipating Transformers: The Last Knight. Please just… don’t. Please go buy a book or watch two 90 minute movies that are undoubtedly better and more satisfying than this. Don’t play into Bay’s hands.
Make it stop.
Update: Michael Bay has responded to the news circulating that the movie is 3 hours plus:
Reports of #transformers The Last Knight being over 3hrs is wrong. It's shorter than the last 3 movies by a lot.
So count your blessings, everyone. We dodged a bullet there. Still, it’s pretty weird that such a specific runtime would make its way all the way to Google.
ITV is developing a TV series based on Anthony Horowitz’s bestselling Alex Rider series. This announcement follows closely on the tail of the 10th release in the series, Never Say Die, which can be found on bookshelves in the U.K. on June 1st. The series, intended for a young adult audience, has sold 19 million copies worldwide since its first release in 2000.
ITV will be teaming up with Eleventh Hour Films to make the show, with BAFTA-award winning Guy Burt at the helm. Burt has written a number of novels and television scripts, most significantly for Kingdom and The Borgias. Horowitz has said of Burt that he “is cleverly expanding the characters whilst staying true to the spirit of the original novels.” This likely means that although the primary audience for the Rider novels has always been young, Burt and ITV may seek to skew the series towards a more general audience.
Not much more is yet known about the series, but fan response to this news has been largely positive. Hopefully it fares better than the previous Rider adaptation, 2006’s Stormbreaker, which failed to recoup its $40 million dollar budget and brought visions of a major franchise to a crashing halt.
With comic book annuals, the usual format is to have the book be filled with short stories involving the cast. This is because the main book couldn’t break from a long plot arc. This is the case with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2017 Annual, where the five stories which are presented tell a brief story which helps to spotlight different characters. How do the five stories stack up? Let’s try something different and review each individually. Scores come from a combination of art and story.
Search Party
Writer Kyle Higgins shows a side from his main Power Ranger story as he tells of the other Tommy who ended up being swayed by Rita. A fair bit of art by Gori Montes with a lot of good expression work helps to start off the annual in a great way.
Trini’s Vacation
Trini, the yellow ranger, hasn’t had a lot of time to shine in the new series so having a short story of her own is a perfect idea. Writer Tom Taylor tells a story of Trini just trying to have a peaceful day but finds it’s a bit hard to do when you’re a Power Ranger. The art by Dan Mora is especially impressive as Trini is unable to call her Zord and has to jump at a giant monster by herself.
Forever Mighty Morphin Black
Jamal Campbell both wrote and illustrated this story about Zack being called to help fight a mysterious enemy. Aiding him in the fight is different black rangers from other dimensions. The story results in a very memorable two page spread featuring an army of black rangers. It’s the kind of spread you wished you could get framed so you could put on the all.
Perfect
Once again writer Terry Moore steals the spotlight in the Power Rangers Annual. Much like his previous story which, this one touches on the backstory of a villain character and makes the audience truly feel for them. The art by Frazer Irving utilizes the chiaroscuro (use of light and shadow) style which helps to make the issue so memorable. The entire issue is worth purchasing just for this story.
Sabrina’s Day Out
The annual ends on a lighthearted story about Goldar and Scorpina having a day off from fighting the bad guys. Writer Caitlin Kittredge crafts a fun story with a very comedic tone. The art by Dajung Lee with Sarah Stern on colors helps to set the mood for an entertaining story.
Conclusion
Another fantastic issue of the Power Rangers comic. Take the time to pick up this annual when you are at your local store.
Clint Eastwood, who turns 87 today, has had one of the most storied careers in Hollywood history. As an actor, he’s given iconic performances and as a director, he’s he’s been just as successful, winning Oscars for both Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven. Chronicling the impact he’s had on Hollywood would be a titanic task, so I decided to focus on the impact he’s had on me as a movie fan. Here are my favorite Clint Eastwood movie moments:
“My mistake, four coffins.” – A Fistful of Dollars
In the early 2000s, I was not yet a fan of Clint Eastwood. I had seen him in a few flicks but was not a fan of westerns in general, so I hadn’t seen his best work. At the time, I thought of westerns as hokey, with corny music and stilted characters. Then, I read about the so-called “Man with No Name” trilogy (Eastwood is actually credited as Joe, Monco, and Blondie in the three films) and was intrigued. We’re only a few minutes into A Fistful of Dollars when the clip above takes place. The combination of humor and badassery was all it took. By the time Joe tells the undertaker he’ll need four coffins, I had become a fan of Eastwood, director Sergio Leone, and westerns as a genre.
“I killed just about everything that walks or crawled at one time or another” – Unforgiven
Unforgiven, Eastwood’s tribute to the genre that made him famous, is the story of William Munny, a reformed killer who is trying to live a better life for his wife. When she dies, he is forced into becoming a bounty hunter again to support his children. It doesn’t go well for him, but when he seeks vengeance we the audience get to see Eastwood at his devilish best (apologies to Pale Rider). Munny walks into a saloon full of “lawmen” and unleashes hell, knowing that vengeance will probably cost him his life and definitely cost him his soul. On top of being one of the most badass scenes ever filmed, this one has a special place in my heart for being one of the primary inspirations behind one of my favorite comic book characters of all time, The Saint of Killers.
“What are you peddling today, Padre?” – Gran Torino
Years ago on Saturday Night Live, there was a game show parody titled Who’s More Grizzled, with Robert Duvall, Garth Brooks, and Darrell Hammond competing to find out who’s the “roughest, toughest, most hard-bitten old-timer around”. Eastwood’s movie roles could easily form a whole Tournament of Champions for that game, but I think Walt Kowalski from Gran Torino would likely win that tournament. Here we see Eastwood at his most curmudgeonly: a retired auto worker and war veteran who refuses to adapt to the changing world around him. No one moment encapsulates the film, which is an engrossing character study all the way through, but Walt’s dismissal of the young priest who is trying to help him is probably my favorite. Walt Kowalski isn’t someone to be emulated, he’s violent, racist, and unable to accept help, but despite all his flaws, he is able to find a new family to protect, and thereby seek redemption. Maybe the most honest of the Eastwood movies I’ve seen, Gran Torino takes the machismo and hard-assery present in so many movie heroes and shows the negative impact they would have in a real-world setting.
The Final Showdown – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
No quote for this one, since the most important parts of the scene happen without any dialogue at all. Maybe my favorite climax to a movie ever, the movie ends with the three-man showdown between Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach. The wide shot of the three in the middle of the cemetery contrasts so beautifully against the quick shots of each participant. The film score (shout out Ennio Morricone) supports the whole scene, building tension to the moment of first fire.
What is your favorite Clint Eastwood moment? Let us know in the comments.
Wonder Woman first appeared in All Star Comics #8 in October 1941, 76 years later Diana Prince gets her first solo film, 39 years after the first Superman film. Warner Bros. was holding back on this film for some reason, and to a certain degree, the wait was worth it.
Director Patty Jenkins brings a different approach to the DC Extended Universe and Gal Gadot establishes herself as a hero everyone can look up to. Listen to our full review below.
Strap yourself in buckaroos! Episode 124 of the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast is here.
Do you want to be our SUPER-FAN of the week? All you have to do is comment on this podcast to be eligible.
Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show? Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.
About the Monkeys Fighting Robots Podcast:
A Gen Xer and a Millennial debate the latest topics in pop culture. One guy is a filmmaker and the other is a journalist, but both are nerds. We make your slowest days at work better. Hosts, Matthew Sardo and EJ Moreno.
Never heard of Matt Sardo? For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.
Who’s EJ Moreno? Is he a trained physician? No. Is he a former Miss Universe contestant? Possibly. But what we know for sure is he’s a writer, filmmaker, and pop culture enthusiast. Since film school, EJ has written & directed several short films. He’s used his passion of filmmaking to become a movie critic for MonkeysFightingRobots.com.
The main story begins proper as the latest incarnation of the Phantom begins to find evidence of an illegal blood jewel ring. You may think you’ve heard this story before, but as calls to action go it resonates with the reader because its grounding in reality. Our villain may be called the Baron and guarded by elite assassins, but his scheme is one that the world is all too familiar with. In many ways that gives him a menace that iconic arch-villains often lack. Those fearful that the comic avoid that aspect of the Phantom entirely need not worry. Not only does the opportunity for a classic superhero showdown with the Baron’s hench-woman, but the Phantom is accompanied by both his trusty steed and pet wolf throughout this adventure. If you thought you never needed to see a dual-pistol wielding vigilante ride into battle on a horse, then you clearly haven’t lived.
