Official First Look at DC's Suicide Squad
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Over the weekend, fans attending San Diego Comic Con were treated with a special first-look at DC's upcoming film, Suicide Squad. Featuring a ridiculously talented cast that includes Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Cara Delevingne, amongst others, and End of Watch's David Ayer helming, Suicide Squad is just one of DC's re-vitalized attempts at not only re-shaping their united DC film universe, but to also change the superhero film script up by featuring villains as the protagonists.
In the clip, which was leaked over the weekend following its closed doors reveal at San Diego Comic Con, each character is highlighted as the nexus of their formation is revealed. The big twist, however, is the surprise appearance by Jared Leto's oft-criticized Joker. As far as first looks go, this footage hits the right balance of showing off just enough to get fans more hyped while not spoiling the film outright.
As I mentioned previously, DC released the footage following a bootleg video of the Suicide Squad SDCC-exclusive clip. The studio had this to say, posted on the Suicide Squad Facebook:
"Warner Bros. Pictures and our anti-piracy team have worked tirelessly over the last 48 hours to contain the Suicide Squad footage that was pirated from Hall H on Saturday. We have been unable to achieve that goal. Today we will release the same footage that has been illegally circulating on the web, in the form it was created and high quality with which it was intended to be enjoyed. We regret this decision as it was our intention to keep the footage as a unique experience for the Comic Con crowd, but we cannot continue to allow the film to be represented by the poor quality of the pirated footage stolen from our presentation."
- Sue Kroll, President Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures
Suicide Squad will be in theaters in August 2016.
Ben Affleck Directing and Starring in Solo Batman Film Written by Geoff Johns
Following this week's release of new photos of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice comes news that Ben Affleck will not only don the cape and cowl following 2016's Dawn of Justice and 2017's Justice League, but he'll also direct a solo Batman film co-written by legendary DC Comics writer and Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns.
Johns has had his hand in shaping DC Comics' latest TV series, Arrow and The Flash, as well as having written for Smallville, co-produced and was a creative consultant for Green Lantern, is executive producing Dawn of Justice, and has written many, many DC titles over the years.
Considering the project is years away with two other films serving as buffers in the interim, there are no details on the script. Affleck's next project, a film adaptation of the novel Live By Night by Dennis Lehane, was greenlit by Warner Bros. just this week. However, considering the viability of a solo Batman film, there may be potential for Warner Bros. to switch the two film productions around.
We'll have more information on this rumored solo Batman film when more comes!
[via /Film]
Marisa Tomei Cast as Aunt May in Spider-Man Reboot
In a surprising (but delightful) move, Sony and Marvel have tapped the lovely Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, The Wrestler) to play Aunt May in the upcoming Spider-Man reboot opposite Tom Holland. While nothing official has been announced, Variety is reporting that the two studios offered the role to Tomei last week.
Aunt May has traditionally been depicted as the older, wise maternal figure in young Peter Parker's life. However, the Ultimate Spider-Man version of the character depicted her as a bit more "street smart" and not as fragile or naive as her counterpart. Ideally, Tomei's Aunt May will be more like the Ultimate Spider-Man version. Tomei doesn't necessarily fit what most are used to as the "Aunt May-type," as can be seen by the online backlash from the comic book community. However, as both a comic and film fanatic, I'd love to see what Tomei can bring to the role and for the Spider-Man reboot to shed the cobwebs (hurr hurr) off of what we've already grown accustomed to to establish a new status quo for this now third reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise.
This'll be an interesting career move for Tomei. The actress typically opts for dramatic roles, my favorite of which was Pam in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. Depending on the writer Sony and Marvel find for the film (they haven't found/announced one just yet), this could be the best depiction of Spider-Man on the big screen yet.
[via Variety]
New Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Photos
The hype train for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is in full gear going into this year's San Diego Comic Con this weekend. As a build up to the country's largest pop culture convention, Entertainment Weekly has released a few new photos from the film.
The photos, which you can see below, feature Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor (complete with a full head of hair), Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman and Bruce Wayne/Batman, respectively, Henry Cavill as Superman swarmed by what appears to be fans, a face-off shot of Batman and Superman staring each other down, and Batman standing next to the iconic Bat-Signal.
As San Diego Comic Con 2015 begins tomorrow, we're sure to have more news from the film later this week. For now, enjoy the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice photo gallery.
[Entertainment Weekly via /Film]
Harry Shearer Returns to The Simpsons
After a stressful two month period in which Harry Shearer, the voice of many characters on The Simpsons (including Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, etc.), didn't seem too keen on returning to the long-running animated sitcom, Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Shearer will be rejoining the rest of The Simpsons cast through the series' two guaranteed seasons.
Shearer's contract, like the rest of the principal cast's, is for four seasons at more than $300,000 per episode, with Fox possessing the option for the final two seasons if The Simpsons gets renewed for two more seasons beyond the current guarantee. The Simpsons' official Twitter tweeted their excitement over the news below.
We are extremely pleased to announce that all principal cast members of #TheSimpsons have now been signed. Woo Hoo! pic.twitter.com/pRHW8WJ2oY
— The Simpsons (@TheSimpsons) July 7, 2015
It was a contentious two months for the show's fans, and while executives were adamant about re-casting the characters had Shearer not returned, it's good to know that this minor bump in the road has come to a happy conclusion. Now if only they can re-discover the charm that made them such an icon...
[via Entertainment Weekly]
America and Japan Are Going to Have a Giant Robot Duel
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When I was a kid, I used to love the Gundam anime series (G Gundam, for life). Giant robots punching each with laser light fists just spoke to me. Humanity's been chasing that impossible dream for years, but now it's just a wee bit closer. Last week, American company Megabot showed off footage of a real working mecha (that shot paintballs of course) with the intention of fitting someone inside for giant robot battles a la Pacific Rim or Robot Jox. Footage of their robot came with a challenge to Japanese robotics company Suidobashi Heavy Industry for their robots to fight in 2016.
This week, Suidobashi replied with their own video. Draped in a Japanese flag, CEO Korgoro Kugata had some awesome trash talk claiming the American machine could have been cooler (and has too many guns because America). All the while accepting the challenge to fight their robot, Kuratas, against the American Megabot. Unfortunately we don't have any details of the big "fight," and the whole thing screams publicity stunt. Perhaps it's to draw attention to Megabot's once failed Kickstarter campaign to start an entire league of mecha fights. Whether or not it's a coordinated stunt, why has it taken this long for us to get to this point? Something like this should've happened a long time ago. When will our lives go full anime?
Hilariously enough, this was all around the time of a notable World Cup match between America and Japan where Japan was decimated as USA scored four goals in under sixteen minutes (three of those belonging to superwoman Carli Lloyd). To top if off, Independence Day was last weekend so everyone's far more patriotic than usual. I'm sure the American robot will win just because I don't see any other outcome being possible. It's running on bald eagle power right now.
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[via Popular Science]
Warren Ellis To Write New James Bond 007 Comic Series
Dynamite Entertainment has revealed that Warren Ellis is to pen an ongoing James Bond comic book series launching this November. The series will see Bond returning from an assignment in Helsinki to follow up a mission which resulted in the death of a fellow Double-O. Ellis, one of the most esteemed writers in the comic medium and veteran of such classics as Hellblazer, Transmetropolitan, Global Frequency and various superhero series for Marvel and DC, will be teaming up with artist Jack Masters, of Marvel's Wolverines, to mark Bond's return to the format after an absence of over twenty years.
The series is a result of a partnership between Dynamite and the Ian Fleming Estate, announced nine months ago, which is rumoured to also include adaptations of the original Bond novels. Ellis described his delight at the opportunity to 'tell visual narratives with the original, brutal, damaged Bond of the books', a welcome and reassuring recognition for fans that Fleming's character was considerably more melancholy and troubled than the one-dimensional superhero depicted in most of the movies. The 'brutal' description is an interesting one, as while Fleming's Bond was undeniably cold and professional in his duties, part of the damage that Ellis describes stemmed from a clear awareness of the ugly nature of his work and the cost it exacts on his soul. Daniel Craig's Bond has picked up on Fleming's unironic violence without, post-Casino Royale anyway, delving much into how it has shaped Bond's personality and outlook.
Even Bond's attitude towards women is rooted in his troubled relationship with his profession. He indulges his appetites with the voraciousness of a man who doesn't believe he will live to see the following morning - in the Moonraker novel, Bond describes how he never saves money, believing it pointless - but is also something of a frustrated romantic, genuinely falling in love with several of his Bond girls even though it invariably ends in tragedy. Ellis is a hugely accomplished character writer and it will be fascinating to see which elements of Fleming's character he chooses to employ in his own interpretation. It will also be interesting to compare it to how Bond is depicted in SPECTRE, the movie scheduled for release in the same month which promises to delve into the character's past.
[via Comic Book Resources]
[Weekly Netflix Fix] First July 2015 Update
Coinciding with the release of the amazing Creed trailer this week comes the return of the Rocky films to Netflix, which are the main highlights for this week. Some other highlights include the cult classic The Warriors, Adam Sandler's Big Daddy (a personal favorite of mine), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
You can find the full list of new Netflix Instant additions below.
My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes
Twin Warriors
King of Comedy
Ballet 422
God of Cookery
Hasee Toh Phasee
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Cupcakes
Young & Hungry: Season 2
Katy Perry: The Prismatic World Tour
Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 1
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Ralphie May: Imperfectly Yours
The Barber
NCIS: Season 1
NCIS: Season 2
NCIS: Season 3
NCIS: Season 4
NCIS: Season 5
NCIS: Season 6
NCIS: Season 7
NCIS: Season 8
NCIS: Season 9
La Reina del Sur
NCIS: Season 10
NCIS: Season 11
El Señor de los Cielos: Season 1
El Señor de los Cielos: Season 2
La Patrona
Camelia la Texana
The Pope from the End of the World
If You Don't, I Will
Born to Fly
The Day My Butt Went Psycho!: Season 1
The Day My Butt Went Psycho!: Season 2
Hard to Be a God
Toobys in English
Black Butler: Season 1
Sirius
Below Dreams
Next Goal Wins
An Honest Liar
The Immortalists
Pantani: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist
Mary Kom
Plot for Peace
El Crimen del Cácaro Gumaro
El Cartel: Season 1
Operación Jaque: Operation Checkmate
Octonauts: Season 3
El Secretario: Season 1
Made in Cartagena: Season 1
La Promesa: Season 1
El Cartel 2: Season 1
Las muñecas de la mafia: Season 1
La Ruta Blanca: Season 1
Worms
love and other catastrophes
The Widowmaker
Death in Paradise: Season 3
Dancer and the Dame
Dancing in the Light: The Janet Collins Story
Sweet Blackberry Presents: Garrett's Gift
Sweet Blackberry Presents: Henry Box Brown
Love & Engineering
How I Got Over
Xiaolin Chronicles: Season 1
Xiaolin Chronicles: Season 2
The Father's Love
Velvet: Season 2
Bad Hair Day
Man Up
Dave Attell: Road Work
Rocky V
Piglet's Big Movie
Road House
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Browning Version
Underworld
Alive
You Got Served
Thumbelina
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
In Enemy Hands
Hostage
The Beverly Hillbillies
Kung Fu Hustle
Dutch La Usurpadora
Underworld: Evolution
Grandma's Boy
Renaissance
Teeth
Some Kind of Hero
Saw V
Unstable Fables: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears
Hell Is for Heroes
Bionicle: The Legend Reborn
The Concert
House of the Rising Sun
Rubi
Para Volver a Amar
Captive
Inami: Season 1
Yakari: Season 1
Chicken Town: Season 1
XH Derbez
Foreign Letters
When Day Breaks
48 Hrs.
Batman
Conan the Barbarian
Mr. Mom
The Net
Rob Roy
Rocky
Rocky II
Rocky IV
State Fair
The Terminator
WarGames
Shooting Fish
Pi
Silence of the Lambs
Bulworth
Star Trek: Insurrection
Big Daddy
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Drive Me Crazy
Scary Movie
The Secret of Roan Inish
The Delta Force
Almost Famous
Chocolat
The Warriors
How to Marry a Millionaire
Flashdance
From Here to Eternity
Rocky III
Street Smart
The Turning Point
Uncommon Valor
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
Bandits
Hombre